US low-cost carriers defer Airbuses

Over the last few weeks, three major US low-cost carriers have announced that they are deferring deliveries of new Airbus A320neo-family aircraft. They are doing this to reduce capital expenditure in the coming years, the expectation of lower passenger demand, as well as issues with the new engines.

On 1 July 2024, Spirit Airlines was the first to announce that they have deferred all new Airbuses it had planned to take delivery of between July 2025 and December 2026 until 2030 and 2031. How many aircraft are exactly involved hasn't been communicated. The airline currently has open orders for 23 A320neos and 30 A321neos.

JetBlue announced on 30 July 2024 that it has agreed with Airbus to defer 44 A321neos to 2030 onwards. The airline will not take delivery of any new Airbus between 2026 and 2029. JetBlue has open orders with Airbus for 49 A321neos. The delivery of new A220-300s will continue, of which they still have 66 on order.

The last airline to announce a deferral is Frontier Airlines, which did so on 8 August 2024. In total, the airline is deferring 54 A320neos and A321neos which it planned to take delivery of between 2025 and 2028. Instead, they now plan to take them on from 2029 onwards. Next to the deferral, Frontier Airlines also said it has decided to swap orders for eighteen A321XLRs into regular A320neos. The low-cost carrier currently has open orders with Airbus for 49 A320neos and 147 A321neos.

Photo by JetBlue.