jetBlue places new Airbus order

jetBlue A320-232 (c/n 5287) N834JB "Keep Blue And Carry On" smokes the mains on Rwy 25L at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS/KLAS) on October 23, 2013.

(Photo by Michael Carter)

JetBlue Airways has placed a new order for 20 A321neos and 15 A321ceos and is also converting existing orders for eight A320ceo and 10 A320neo aircraft to eight A321ceos and 10 A321neos. 

Airbus said the deal marks the 10,000^th order for an A320 family aircraft.

“We are pleased to convert some of our A320 positions to A321s, and order additional A321s to better match capacity with demand,” JetBlue president and CEO Dave Barger said. “The A321 is the ideal aircraft for our high density markets.

In addition, a subfleet of the A321s will power our Mint premium service on the New York-Los Angeles and New York-San Francisco markets. It is the right aircraft for JetBlue's lucrative routes.”

The order also marks the launch of the sharklet retrofit program, which allows airlines operating A320ceos the option of optimizing their aircraft’s performance with the addition of sharklet winglets.

JetBlue will be the first airline to take delivery of an aircraft from Airbus’ new assembly facility being built in Mobile, Ala. Deliveries at the Mobile facility will begin in 2016. Airbus anticipates the facility will produce between 40 and 50 aircraft per year by 2018.