Thomas Cook Group has revealed that it is moving to a fleet with greater commonality, and has signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for 12 A321s.
The holiday company has selected the A320 family as a baseline. It says the A321 agreement - which it expects to firm in early 2011 - covers deliveries from 2014 and includes options to take additional aircraft from 2015.
"These aircraft are subject to substantial price concessions from the list price," says Thomas Cook. The A321 list price, it says, is $96 million.
Thomas Cook operates 71 narrowbody and 22 widebody aircraft comprising six different airframe and engine variants.
It says that "renewing and harmonising" its narrowbodies to a common fleet will achieve "significant" operational savings from maintenance and fuel efficiency.
Thomas Cook will start a five-year replacement of its narrowbodies starting in December 2012.
It says it has 48 operating leases which are due to expire by 2016. The replacement will involve sourcing new aircraft through a combination of orders from the airframer and access to the lease market.
"It is anticipated that directly-purchased aircraft will be financed through sale-and-leaseback agreements with third-party lessors," says Thomas Cook.
Half of the Thomas Cook fleet is sourced through operating leases and the company says it will "remain a heavy user" of these mechanisms.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
