Peach Aviation set to expand with aircraft order

Low-cost Japanese outfit Peach Aviation have announced their latest aircraft order with Airbus. In a deal with more than $1 billion, the carrier is set to receive 10 A320neo and three A320ceo aircraft.

The signing ceremony in Tokyo was attended by Shinichi Inoue, managing director and CEO of the airline and Fabrice Brégier, president and CEO of Airbus. The aircraft will join Peach’s A320 family fleet, currently consisting of 18 A320ceo with another two on order. With this addition, Peach will become the first low-cost carrier in Japan to operate the latest member of the A320 family.

Peach plan on expanding their fleet by at least 35 planes by 2020. The first aircraft in this order is scheduled for delivery in 2019.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Shinichi Inoue said: “Our A320 fleet is growing as our route network expands, not only in the domestic market but also to various Asian cities… We believe that the A320neo will strengthen our position in the competitive Japanese aviation market.”

Fabrice Brégier commented: “We are pleased that Peach Aviation has placed this additional order for the A320 Family. This further strengthens the position of the A320 Family as the aircraft of choice including the low cost sector in Japan. We are honoured by the confidence Peach Aviation has one again placed in our products and we are sure that the A320 Family will contribute to the airline’s ongoing success as it expands its domestic and regional markets.”

Peach Aviation have been in operation since 2012. The airline currently has a hub at Kansai International Airport, Osaka and a hub at Naha Airport, serving Routes Asia 2017 host Okinawa. The carrier plans on setting up another base in 2017 at Sendai International Airport, and a further addition in 2018 at Shin-Chitose Airport serving Hokkaido.

This month, Peach began service to Shanghai, becoming the first Japanese low-cost airline to open this route. The carrier began service to Shanghai from Kansai on November 1, with a route to Shanghai from Tokyo-Haneda a day later. Both routes operate on a five times weekly basis. These additional connections see Peach’s network expand to 26 routes – 12 international offerings and 14 domestic.

Laura Hamill

Originally from Belfast, Laura graduated from De Montfort University, Leicester with a BA Hons English and Journalism degree in 2014. She has…