Air Berlin to acquire 70 Airbus A320s

Airline Industry Information, Nov 5, 2004

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2004 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

German airline Air Berlin, along with its Austrian partner airline Niki, has announced that it is to order 70 Airbus A320 aircraft with a list value of USD4.5bn.

The two airlines have also taken out options for another 40 aircraft. The new A320s will be delivered between 2005 and 2011 and represent Airbus' biggest order for two years. A spokesperson for Air Berlin said that the order ensures that it can continue to grow in the highly competitive low-cost sector.

Air Berlin until now has operated an almost entirely Boeing fleet and this new Airbus order will be something of a blow to the aircraft maker's US rival. A spokesperson for Airbus said that the order is excellent news for the company's civil aviation side and further proof of the success of its A320 series, reports Reuters.

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