China Aircraft Leasing Group, the Hong-Kong based lessor, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320neo aircraft, and in parallel celebrated handing it over to lessee Frontier Airlines.

CALC has 68 A320neo family aircraft on order and a total of 147 Airbus aircraft in its orderbook.

The A320neo powered by CFM engines and equipped with Frontier Airlines latest cabin products including new seats will offer passengers unparalleled levels of comfort and convenience.

Mike Poon, chief executive, CALC, said: “We are pleased to celebrate CALC‘s 100th aircraft delivery including sale and leasebacks with the debut delivery of an A320neo to Frontier Airlines.

“From zero to 100 aircraft, CALC has come a long way thanks to the dedication of our team and the support from our business partners.

“Since its founding, CALC has been committed to product innovation, with a focus on providing reliable and flexible services for our clients around the world.

“This latest step in our evolution reflects our desire to deliver greater value to our airline customers and stakeholders.

“Having now delivered our first A320neo, not only have we commenced our cooperation with Indigo Partners, but we have also embarked on a new journey of continuous growth for the Group.”

The A320neo family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines and Sharklets, which together deliver at least 15 per cent fuel savings at delivery and 20 per cent by 2020.

With more than 5,200 orders received from 95 customers since its launch in 2010, the A320neo family has captured some 60 per cent share of the market.

“We have experienced great success with the A320neo and we are pleased to have the latest one join our fleet with such a momentous delivery,” said Barry Biffle, president, Frontier Airlines.

“In ten years’ time, we will have tripled the size of our fleet and based on the efficiency of the Airbus A320 family, we will be in a position to deliver Low Fares Done Right to more than 50 million passengers a year.”