South African Airways (SAA) on Tuesday confirmed that it had taken delivery of the first two of the 20 A320s aircraft it ordered from Airbus in 2010.
The airline said the development would deliver cost efficiency, allow SAA to expand its sub-Sahara regional route network and boost revenue in the rapidly growing market.
The new A320s feature a two-class cabin layout, seating 24 passengers in business class and 114 in economy.
They will replace the airline’s present fleet of 737-800s and will augment the A319s it already has in service and mark the latest phase of SAA’s fleet modernisation plan.
“Operating a modern and homogenous fleet plays a significant role in cost reduction and boosting revenue. The A320 will assist SAA to achieve this while providing our passengers with a more superior cabin product,” SAA CEO Monwabisi Kalawe said in a statement.
The A320 is the world’s best-selling single aisle aircraft. To date, over 9,600 aircraft have been ordered and more than 5,600 delivered worldwide.
