AEGEAN Airlines has made a strategic decision to invest in an extended range and upgraded cabin quality version on 4 Airbus A321neo jets having additional fuel tanks, enabling flights of up to 7.5 hours and making them ideal for non-EU markets.
AEGEAN Airlines has made a strategic decision to invest in an extended range and upgraded cabin quality version of the Airbus A321neo, creating a “special purpose” sub-fleet initially comprising four aircraft. These specially configured A321neo aircraft will have additional fuel tanks, enabling flights of up to 7.5 hours and making them ideal for non-EU markets, particularly to the South and South-East of Greece. The cabin configuration will be significantly different, offering higher comfort levels for both Economy and Business Class passengers with a reduced seat count from the standard A321neo version.
Key features of these upgraded aircraft include satellite connectivity, in-flight entertainment (IFE screens) in every seat, and a premium lie-flat seat Business Class product. AEGEAN plans to host a media event in Q2 2024 to showcase these new product features to the public.
The airline intends to use this new product to serve existing and potentially new non-EU destinations with flight times ranging from approximately 4 to 7.5 hours. Examples of these destinations include various locations in the Gulf region, Central Africa, and Asia. By offering an extended range and higher comfort, AEGEAN aims to capture opportunities in these longer flight markets typically served by carriers with superior cabin configurations.
Dimitris Gerogiannis, CEO, AEGEAN said, “We believe in the great opportunity for AEGEAN and for our country that lies in developing markets beyond the EU, either in the Gulf area, Africa or in regions of Asia which could be served with a special, extended range, version of the A321neo given our location in the southeast edge of Europe. We further recognize the necessity of a cabin with a significantly higher comfort and experience features to effectively represent AEGEAN’s service values, for our passengers in these markets. We are making a significant investment in the extended range and a totally new level of comfort for an initial four aircraft sub-fleet to give our crews the right tool to best represent AEGEAN values for these longer flight markets. It’s one more big step towards growing our reach and capabilities and we look forward to welcoming our passengers from these markets to this new level of experience with us in the years to come.”
In late 2023, AEGEAN exercised options for three additional Airbus A321neo aircraft and converted five firm orders from A320neo to A321neo. This brings the total number of A320/321 family neo aircraft to 50, with 29 of them being A321neo. Out of these, 25 will have the standard configuration while four will be upgraded with the new “special purpose” configuration for longer-range destinations. AEGEAN has already received 28 Airbus 320/321 neo aircraft, with an additional 22 expected to be delivered between 2024 and 2028.
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This strategic move by AEGEAN reflects its commitment to growth, expanding its reach into new markets while ensuring passengers experience enhanced comfort and service quality on longer flights.
