Aviation

Pegasus Airlines orders 25 A321neo ACF

Toulouse, 21 December 2017 Pegasus Airlines, the leading Low-Cost-Carrier (LCC) in Turkey, has placed an order for 25 A321neo ACF (Airbus Cabin Flex configuration). This comes on top of 18 A321neo and 57 A320neos already on order bringing Pegasus Airlines total firm order to 100 Airbus A320 Family aircraft.

Pegasus’ selection to move to an all-Airbus fleet reflects its strategy to grow its domestic as well as its international network with the best middle-of-the-market aircraft available.

Pegasus Airlines General Manager Mehmet T. Nane: “Turkey keeps strengthening its position in the World aviation market everyday and we as Pegasus are an important part of this transformation. The order we placed in 2012 for 100 Airbus aircraft was the biggest order in Turkey’s aviation history at the time. We received the first aircraft of this order in Q3 2016 and now we have an agreement to convert 25 options into firm orders. We will continue to grow our fleet one step at a time and with our new aircraft we will continue to offer more comfortable flights for our passengers.”

“The latest Pegasus Airlines’ order for the A321neo ACF variant underlines that Airbus offers the best, most efficient and most comfortable solution in the Middle of the Market segment”, said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer – Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft. “Combining latest innovations in cabin design with unprecedented capacity and range capabilities, the A321 ACF will further boost the airline’s passenger experience and competitiveness in the highly contested growth market while reducing its environmental footprint”.

Aviation

COMAC Unveils Plans for the C929 to Rival Airbus and Boeing

After the success of China’s first C919 aircraft, the country is setting its sights on developing a larger plane. COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China) has officially confirmed plans to build a widebody aircraft, marking a significant step in its aircraft lineup.

Traditionally, Airbus and Boeing dominate the widebody aircraft market, with decades of expertise in developing planes and engines capable of carrying heavy payloads. China, which currently relies on imported engines, is now aiming to challenge these giants with its own widebody jet, the C929, designed to compete with the Airbus A350 and Boeing 777.

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The C929 will be China’s first independently developed long-range widebody aircraft. It adheres to international airworthiness standards and boasts independent intellectual property rights. The baseline version is designed to seat 280 passengers and offers a range of 12,000 kilometers, catering to global demand for both regional and international air travel.

Russia, which also needs reliable narrowbody and widebody aircraft, could become a key customer for the C929. Additionally, China plans to target the broader Asian market as it continues to expand its aviation capabilities.

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China’s aviation progress includes the ARJ21 (now called C909), a regional jet with 100 seats for shorter routes, and the C919, a narrowbody jet with 180 seats designed to rival the Boeing 737 MAX and Airbus A320. Both models have found increasing demand in the domestic market.

At China’s largest air show in Zhuhai, COMAC announced that Air China will be the launch customer for the C929 widebody jet, though details about order size and delivery timelines were not disclosed.

Other major deals announced by COMAC include:

Hainan Airlines: Firm orders for 60 C919 and 40 C909 regional jets.
Colorful Guizhou Airlines: 30 C909 jets, with 20 firm orders and 10 provisional agreements.

The C929, renamed from the CR929 after Russia withdrew from the joint development project in 2023, is expected to carry 280–400 passengers with a range of 12,000 kilometers, competing directly with Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

According to COMAC’s deputy general manager, Tong Yu, the first fuselage section of the C929 is expected by September 2027, with prototype test flights anticipated soon after.