Rome, 30 Sept. (LaPresse) - A strategic agreement has been reached between ITA (Italia Trasporto Aereo) and Airbus for the purchase of 28 aircraft to be delivered from the end of the first quarter of 2022. The airline has signed a memorandum of understanding for the purchase of ten Airbus A330neo long-haul aircraft, seven Airbus A220 regional aircraft and eleven Airbus A320neo family aircraft, the latter to be delivered after completion of the Business Plan. ITA has also signed an agreement with Air Lease Corporation for the leasing of an additional 31 new-generation Airbus aircraft, including long-, medium- and short-haul aircraft. Overall, the airline explained in a note, 56 new Airbus aircraft will be leased over the period of the plan – including 13 long-haul aircraft, the ultra-modern Airbus A350-900, and 43 short- and medium-haul aircraft – at significantly more advantageous conditions than those offered to Alitalia. In addition, ITA will also halve the number of leasing companies from the twelve used by the former national airline to manage its fleet to only six, relying on partners with proven financial strength to help the company grow its fleet from the initial 52 aircraft to 105 in 2025.
"The strategic partnership with Airbus and ALC is crucial for ITA in order to jump-start our business plan and achieve our goal of operating a new environmentally friendly fleet with significantly low operating and leasing costs”, said the airline's Executive Chairman, Alfredo Altavilla. The agreement, explained Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International Christian Scherer, "sets a benchmark in the progression towards decarbonisation and efficiency. From the start, we have been working closely with ITA, listening carefully to their needs". Air Lease Corporation is also "pleased and proud to be the launch lessor for ITA, supplying the new airline with 31 new Airbus jets, including state-of-the-art aircraft from the A220 and A320/321neo families as well as the most modern and environmentally-friendly long-haul aircraft”, said Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, Executive Chairman of ALC, adding: “These agreements will allow ITA to operate a new and technologically more advanced fleet to serve ITA's network of European and intercontinental routes with great efficiency".
1 October 2021
