Belgian flag carrier Brussels Airlines has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320neo.
The brand new A320neo, delivered directly by Airbus, is the first of five new A320neos the airline has on order. The other four will arrive by the end of 2024.
It is also the first brand-new aircraft the airline has ever received.
The new aircraft has a single class layout with 180 seats – the same as the airline’s current A320 fleet.
The first commercial flight is in a few weeks after Brussels Airlines makes some upgrades to the aircraft at their Brussels base.
Enhanced passenger experience
As the new aircraft features the Airbus Airspace cabin, it will improve the passenger experience with these new features:
- quiet cabin – a 50% noise reduction, compared to its predecessors
- more overhead space for bags – new baggage compartments have a 40% larger volume and can hold 60% more suitcases, as these can be stowed vertically in the compartments
- the new flexible lighting system – adapts to passengers’ biorhythms depending on the phase of the flight and time of day, illuminating the cabin in either warm orange or cooler blue tones
Benefits of the A320neo
Neo stands for “New Engine Option”. Brussels Airlines is equipping its A320neos with the LEAP-1A engine from CFM International.
The A320neo has a number of significant improvements compared to previous generation aircraft, including:
- uses up to 20% less fuel
- produces less CO2-emissions
- up to a 50% noise reduction
The A320neo will replace smaller A319 aircraft in the Brussels Airlines fleet, carrying more passengers with less fuel – 30% less fuel per seat.
The A320 Family has over 9,700 orders from more than 130 customers worldwide.
Dorothea von Boxberg, CEO, Brussels Airlines:
“Brussels Airlines has worked hard on becoming profitable. The first brand-new aircraft for our airline shows the continued support and trust of Lufthansa Group in our team.
“I would like to thank all our team members working on making Brussels Airlines successful – whether they offer excellent customer service or help in making us more effective.
“We’ve come a long way at Brussels Airlines, and we are happy that we start picking the fruit of our work.”
About Brussels Airlines (SN)
Brussels Airlines is the largest airline in Belgium. Headquartered in Brussels, it is a member of the Lufthansa Group.
Routes: Over 500 flights daily, connecting Brussels to 85 European and African destinations and New York JFK.
Fleet: The airline currently operates an all-Airbus fleet of 43 aircraft:
- 16 Airbus A319
- 18 Airbus A320
- 9 Airbus A330-300
Alliance: Star Alliance