Earlier this month, Airbus said that Lufthansa would replace Qatar Airways as the launch customer for the company’s brand new A320neo passenger jet. At the time, Airbus still planned to deliver the first plane by the end of December. That no longer appears to be what will happen.
Airbus said Wednesday that the first A320neo will be handed over to Lufthansa by the end of January 2016. The A320neo is a re-engined version of the company’s best-selling narrow-body A320 and is touted to provide a 15% improvement in fuel efficiency.
Lufthansa has said the delay is due to acceptance issues that are the result of the complexity of the new plane. Airbus and the aircraft’s engine maker need to make sure the delivered plane has all its documentation completed and is ready to fly from the day it is accepted by the airline.
Qatar Airways held back on accepting delivery of the first new plane as a result of some start-up issues with the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM engines. Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX). The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last month certified the P&W engine, clearing the way for the A320neo be delivered to its first customer.
Lufthansa has ordered 101 of the A320neo and 40 more of the slightly larger A321neo. The Germany-based airline is also the launch customer for Bombardier’s CSeries passenger jets, a competitor to the A320 and the 737 family from Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA).
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