Airbus delivers first revamped A320 to Lufthansa

20 Jan, 2016

DUBLIN: European planemaker Airbus said on Wednesday it had delivered the first A320neo, a fuel-efficient upgrade of its best-selling jetliner, to German carrier Lufthansa.

The delivery marks the culmination of a five-year plan to give a new lease of life to its profitable A320 narrowbody jet family by revamping it with new engines.

Both Airbus and its U.S. rival Boeing triggered thousands of new orders and dampened sales of new entrants to the global jet market by refreshing their short-haul models.

The jet was delivered in Hamburg, Germany, after a delay of three weeks caused by what Airbus officials described as problems with documentation for a new generation of engines, made by United Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney.

The plane is also offered with alternative engines supplied by French-American joint-venture CFM International, owned by Safran and General Electric.

Copyright Reuters, 2016

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