Eurowings has taken over its first Airbus A320neo, with the code D-AENA. The reception took place at the Airbus base in Toulouse. Following the event, the aircraft operated special flight EW6971 from Toulouse to Dusseldorf. After landing, the Airbus A320neo (meaning "new engine option") was officially handed over to Eurowings Technik. The technical department in Düsseldorf will carry out the necessary upgrades, which will last for several weeks. The first commercial passenger flight is expected to take place in early June.
Airbus A320neo is the most efficient and quietest aircraft dedicated to short and medium flights in the world. With state-of-the-art Airbus technology and CFM LEAP engines, the aircraft has significantly improved environmental performance compared to previous generations. Noise emissions are reduced by 50% and fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been reduced by up to 20%.
Eurowings is the first and only airline in the Lufthansa group to equip all 13 NEO aircraft with the LEAP (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion) engine from CFM. Significantly larger new engines can save CO2 equivalent to 3.700 tons / aircraft / year. The 2,40-meter wingtips, known as sharklets, help reduce CO2 by the equivalent of another 800 tons per aircraft per year.
Due to its low fuel consumption, the NEO also has an increased range of 500 kilometers compared to its predecessor.
Eurowings will receive a total of eight A320neo aircraft with 180 seats and five A321neo aircraft with 232 seats. A total of seven A320neo aircraft will be added to the fleet in 2022, another in 2024, and five Airbus A321neo aircraft will be delivered in 2023.
All NEO Eurowings aircraft will include the familiar Eurowings fares: BIZclass, SMART and BASIC. The new luggage compartments in the Airspace Cabin have a 40% larger volume and can hold up to 60% more suitcases, as they can be stored vertically in the compartments. Another advantage is the new flexible lighting system, which adapts to the biorhythms of the passengers depending on the flight phase and the time of day, illuminating the cabin either in warm orange tones or in cooler blue tones.