Industry Air Astana orders three more A320Neo

The Irish SMBC Aviation Capital has announced that it has concluded a three A320Neo aircraft deal with Air Astana, the national flag carrier of Kazakhstan. The A320neo will be fitted with Pratt and Whitney GTF engines and will have delivery slots in the last quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020. This is a new customer for SMBC Aviation Capital and the aircraft will be provided from the company’s order book of 110 A320neo aircraft with Airbus.

Air Astana has taken delivery of the first A320 Neo in November 2016. The carrier is the first airline to operate the new generation Airbus aircraft in the Central Asian region and has plans to grow its Neo fleet to 17 aircraft by 2020

“Air Astana has plans to grow the fleet to more than 60 aircraft over the next 10 years and we look forward to becoming one of the largest A320Neo Family operators in the region,” said Peter Foster, President and CEO of Air Astana. “The existing fleet of A320 aircraft has been a great success in service for many years, and the A320Neo family now offers further improvements in terms of passenger comfort and cost efficiency”.

Currently Air Astana operates a fleet of 31 aircraft including Airbus, Boeing and Embraer. The carrier will receive three ordered Boeing 787-8 in 2019.

SMBC Aviation Capital is one of the world’s largest aircraft leasing companies. The company has a portfolio of around 450 aircraft and over 150 customers around the world.