• The 400th Airbus aircraft – an A321neo – forms part of easyJet’s fleet renewal and upgauging plan, an important element of the airline’s roadmap to net zero.

  • Following a ceremonial handover at the Airbus final assembly line in Hamburg, the aircraft took off for its inaugural flight to easyJet’s Berlin operating base and maintenance site where the aircraft will be prepared for entry into commercial service.

  • This milestone delivery coincides with easyJet’s 20th anniversary of operating in Germany and is a testament to the airline’s historic partnership with Airbus.

easyJet and Airbus today marked their successful ongoing partnership of more than 20 years, with the aircraft manufacturer delivering the airline operator’s 400th Airbus aircraft, an Airbus A321neo.

A handover ceremony for easyJet’s newest aircraft was held at Finkenwerder – Airbus’s manufacturing plant for the A320 programme in Hamburg. The newest addition to the fleet features a special livery design, with the number 400 made up of miniature aircraft.

The delivery flight from Hamburg-Finkenwerder to easyJet´s maintenance hangar at Berlin/Brandenburg airport was powered by a 5% percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blend, marking the first SAF-usage by any easyJet service from Germany.

Since the delivery of easyJet’s first Airbus A320 family aircraft 20 years ago, the airline has established itself as one of the world’s largest operators of Airbus’ single-aisle A320 family aircraft, with over 330 aircraft currently in service.

Commenting on the delivery of the 400th Airbus aircraft, David Morgan, Chief Operating Officer at easyJet said:

“We are really pleased to take delivery of our 400th aircraft from Airbus which also coincided with our 20th anniversary of operating in Germany.

“As we continue our fleet renewal programme with more fuel-efficient, quieter aircraft from the A320neo family we are proud to continue working with Airbus and CFM who both have a tenacious approach to manufacturing and sustainability and continue to be reliable partners for easyJet."

Benoit de Saint Exupery, EVP for Sales, Commercial Aircraft at Airbus added:

“It's a mark of easyJet’s commitment to minimise fuel burn and emissions by operating the latest technology aircraft, that it has taken a little over 20 years to deliver its 400th Airbus aircraft, averaging an impressive 20 new Airbus aircraft deliveries every year, since 2003."

 The event, which coincided with easyJet’s 20th anniversary of operations in Germany, comes after the airline’s recent confirmation of a firm order for 157 additional A320neo family aircraft. The firm order comprises 56 A320neo and 101 A321neo aircraft and also includes the upsizing of an existing order for 35 A320neo into the larger A321neo.

With over 10,350 orders and around 3, 200 delivered to over 130 customers and operators worldwide, the A320neo Family is, to date, one of the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family.  

By incorporating operational efficiencies, including new generation engines and Sharklets – the aircraft brings a 50% noise reduction on take-off and landing and up to 15% fuel savings and CO2 reduction compared to previous generation single-aisle aircraft.

Other operational efficiencies, including Descent Profile Optimisation (DPO) and Continuous Descent Approach (CDA)*, a fuel-saving software which easyJet recently retrofitted on all its existing fleet will come as standard on the airline's 400th aircraft as well as new future A320 family aircraft Airbus will deliver for easyJet.

ENDS

For further information, please contact the easyJet Press Office on 01582 525252, log onto www.easyJet.com or follow @easyJet_Press

Notes to editors:

*DPO and CDO in detail

Descent Profile Optimisation (DPO) is a fuel-saving initiative which updates the Flight Management System (FMS) to enable consistently more efficient descents by allowing the aircraft to remain in the cruise phase longer and removing the ‘level-off’ stage at the bottom of the descent, which reduces carbon emissions. While Continuous Descent Approach (CDA) works in tandem with DPO to reduce noise. It will help easyJet save up to 88,6000 tonnes of CO2 each year by enabling more optimised descent trajectories.

 

About easyJet

easyJet is Europe’s leading airline offering a unique and winning combination of the best route network connecting Europe's primary airports with great value fares and friendly service.

easyJet flies on more of Europe’s most popular routes than any other airline and carried more than 82 million passengers in 2023 with more than 11.3 million travelling for business. The airline has over 300 aircraft flying on nearly 1000 routes to more than 155 airports across 35 countries. Over 300 million Europeans live within one hour's drive of an easyJet airport.

easyJet aims to be a good corporate citizen, employing people on local contracts in eight countries across Europe in full compliance with national laws and recognising their trade unions. The airline supports several local charities and has a corporate partnership with UNICEF which has raised nearly £17m for the most vulnerable children since it was established in 2012.

In 2022, easyJet published its roadmap to net zero by 2050. The roadmap, which also features a combination of fleet renewal, operational efficiencies, airspace modernisation, Sustainable Aviation Fuel and carbon removal technology, has set an ambitious interim carbon emissions intensity reduction target of 35% by 2035. The airline’s ultimate aim is to fully transition its fleet to zero carbon emission technology, which it will achieve through a number of strategic partnerships including with Airbus, Rolls-Royce and GKN Aerospace Solutions. Since 2000, the airline has successfully reduced its carbon emissions per passenger, per kilometre by one-third.  

Innovation is in easyJet’s DNA – since launching nearly 30 years ago, easyJet changed the way people fly to the present day where the airline leads the industry in digital and operational innovations to make travel more easy and affordable for its passengers.

In 2023 easyJet was named by TIME as one of the World’s Best Companies and a Leader in Diversity 2024 by The Financial Times.