Colombia’s flagship carrier Avianca has received its first Airbus A320 equipped with Sharklets, becoming the first Latin American airline to operate the fuel-saving wing-tip.
Sharklets are an optional feature on the new-build A320 airliners, which are powered by CFM engines, and are standard on all the variants of the A320neo jets.
The wing-tip devices enable carriers to reduce fuel burn by up to 4% on long-haul routes, according to Airbus.
Made from lightweight composites, the 2.4m tall Sharklets offer the flexibility of adding about 100nm of range or increasing payload capability of up to 992lbs.
Avianca chief executive officer Fabio Villegas said: "With the delivery of this new aircraft equipped with Sharklets, Avianca advances the process of modernising its fleet, while improving efficiency, reducing fuel burn and increasing range."
Currently, Avianca operates 98 A320 airliners, and has 70 on order with the option to be fitted with Sharklets.
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By GlobalDataIn 2012, the flagship carrier placed a firm order for 33 A320neo aeroplanes, along with 18 A320ceos.
Avianca Airlines is a part of AviancaTaca Holding, which operates a fleet of more than 140 short, medium and long-haul aircraft flying to more than 100 destinations in the Americas and Europe.
With nearly an all-Airbus fleet, Avianca Taca has acquired 190 aeroplanes and has a backlog of 74 Airbus jets.
So far, Airbus has received more than 9,100 orders for A320 jetliners, with 5,400 having already been delivered to more than 380 customers and operators worldwide.
With a backlog of more than 370 jets, Airbus has sold more than 750 airliners throughout Latin America and the Caribbean.
Image: Avianca operates 98 A320 family airliners in its fleet. Photo: Fixion / Airbus SAS.
