EasyJet agrees to defer delivery of 22 Airbus aircraft

(Sharecast News) - EasyJet said on Tuesday that it has agreed to defer the delivery of 22 Airbus aircraft.
Delivery of the planes will be deferred from financial years 2022-2024 to 2027-2028.

The budget airline had the option until 31 December 2020 not to take up to seven aircraft scheduled for delivery between FY2022 and FY2026. It has agreed with Airbus to reallocate the aircraft to which this option applies, to seven aircraft due for delivery in FY2025-FY2026, with the deadline to exercise this option amended to the end of December 2021.

These changes will result in easyJet taking no deliveries in FY2021, eight deliveries in FY2022, seven deliveries in FY2023 and 18 deliveries in FY2024, with no change to the total number of firm Airbus A320 NEO family aircraft outstanding orders.

Chief executive officer Johan Lundgren said: "This latest amendment to our longstanding agreement with Airbus reflects easyJet's significant fleet flexibility as well as the benefit of highly attractive aircraft pricing. In this period of uncertainty, this flexibility is even more valuable, as it will enable us to quickly flex our fleet size in response to customer demand.

"EasyJet's unrivalled European network of number 1 and 2 positions in primary airports, strong liquidity and flexibility will enable us to capture pent-up demand as customers return to the skies."