Industry Hawaiian Airlines receives its first US built aircraft

The delivery of Hawaiian´s first A321neo, produced in the United States, marks also the successful production of the first Neo Engine Option aircraft (NEO) that has been built from Airbus in the United States.

Pratt & Whitney PW1000G high-bypass ratio turbofan engines power the aircraft. The engines are said to be more efficient than comparable aggregates. Airbus´ A321neo is much more environmentally friendly than its predecessor, the A321ceo (current engine option). In fact, the A321neo operates 15 percent more efficiently than its A321ceo and by 2020 it will operate 20 percent more efficiently.

Hawaiian Airlines seeks to take advantage of the redesigned A321 by opening new routes within the U.S. The carrier said that it plans to deploy its A321neo aircraft on the routes between the U.S. West Coast and the Hawaiian Islands. Currently, Hawaiian operates with three A321neos on the routes from Honolulu to Portland and Long Beach.

Bob Lekites, Executive Vice President-Customers, Airbus Americas said: “Airbus understands the challenging airline marketplace and has continued to stay on the cutting edge of developing and producing aircraft that exceed industry standards in safety, efficiency and reliability. Hawaiian has recognized the Airbus commitment to innovation and we could not be prouder to deliver on this promise to them with our first U.S.-manufactured A321neo aircraft.”

Jon Snook, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Hawaiian Airlines, added: “We are honoured to accept the delivery of the first A321neo from the Airbus Manufacturing facility [...] The A321neo is the ideal aircraft for us to share our Hawaiian hospitality with more guests as we grow our western U.S. network and provide greater access to our entire island chain. We look forward to more deliveries from Mobile.”

By 2020, Hawaiian Airlines expects to operate with an A321neo fleet of 18 aircraft. The carrier is the largest carrier of the state Hawaii and decrees over a fleet of 57 aircraft, including the three A321neoos, two A321ceos, 24 Airbus A330-200s, 20 Boeing 717s and eight Boeing 767-300s. Hawaiian Airlines serves eight countries on 45 routes to 31 destinations.

Airbus has introduced the adage: “The Sun Never Sets on Airbus Manufacturing” meaning, that Airbus aircraft are now produced around the world, 24 hours a day. Airbus has extended its production line system from Toulouse, France and Hamburg, Germany to Tianjin, China and Mobile, Alabama.