Delta orders 30 additional Airbus A321s

Atlanta, Georgia-based Delta Air Lines has placed an incremental firm order for 30 Airbus A321ceo aircraft. This order follows three previous Delta orders for the current engine option version of the largest Airbus A320 family aircraft. The airline took delivery of its first A321 in March 2016. Delta now has ordered a total of 112 A321s, each powered by CFM International CFM56 engines.

All of Delta’s A321s will feature fuel-saving Sharklets – lightweight composite wingtip devices that offer up to 4% fuel-burn savings. This environmental benefit gives airlines the option of extending their range up to 100nm (185km) or increasing payload capacity by some 1,000 lb (450kg).

Many of Delta’s A321s are being delivered from the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama. The airline received its first U.S.-manufactured A321 last year. By the end of 2017, the Airbus facility in Mobile is expected to produce four aircraft per month, most going to Airbus’ U.S. customers.

Just days before the latest Delta order was announced, Airbus in Mobile received the major component assemblies for the first A320 that will be produced in the U.S. The 27 aircraft delivered from the Mobile facility thus far have been A321s.

The Alabama manufacturing facility, which began production in July 2015, is equipped to build three members of the A320 family: A319, A320, and A321.

The first U.S.-built A320 is to be delivered to Spirit Airlines in summer 2017.