Sichuan Airlines, the largest all-Airbus-fleet carrier in China, has taken delivery of its first A320neo, Airbus China said Wednesday.
Sichuan Airlines will operate the new aircraft on its domestic and international routes, Airbus said.
Powered by Pratt and Whitney Pure Power engines, the newly delivered A320neo aircraft features a comfortable two-class cabin layout, with eight business and 150 economy class seats.
Sichuan Airlines currently operates 126 Airbus aircraft, including 116 A320s and 10 A330s.
In 1995, the airline became the first to operate an A320, an Airbus fly-by-wire aircraft, on the Chinese mainland.
It was also the first operator to take delivery of Tianjin-assembled Airbus aircraft when it received an A320 from the Airbus A320 Family Assembly Line in Tianjin in 2009.
The A320neo family incorporates the very latest technology including new generation engines and "Sharklets," the Airbus term for vertical wingtip extensions, which together contribute to the fuel savings.
The company has received more than 5,000 orders from over 90 customers worldwide since the launch of the A320neo family in 2010, Airbus said.
In 2016, Airbus delivered 153 aircraft to Chinese operators, some 22 percent of the company's global commercial aircraft deliveries.
