Air Europa has firmed its commitment for up to 40 Airbus A350-900s after previously signalling intention to defect from Boeing at the Dubai air show in November.
The Spanish carrier disclosed on 22 January that it had signed the final agreement with Airbus before the end of last year, after reaching a memorandum of understanding at the Dubai air show.
The deal represents a major shift in fleet strategy for the 787 and 737 operator, which now says the A350 “forms the central axis of the airline’s long-haul fleet renewal project”.
It adds that the incoming A350s will be deployed primarily on routes connecting Spain to Latin America, a region that represents “most distinct” parts of Air Europa’s network.
A delivery timeline for the Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered twinjets has not been disclosed.
Fleets data provided by Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, show that Air Europa’s current long-haul fleet includes 25 787-8s and -9s.
