SPIRIT AIRLINES has placed its first ever order for new Airbus models, as it continues it dramatic expansion. Just a month after announcing plans to replace its current fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-80s with modern equipment the airline has signed formal orders with the European manufacturer and International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) to add up to 90 new aircraft to its fleet over the next five years. This will see the Fort Lauderdale-based carrier not only replace its current 32 MD-80s but also more than double its fleet. The airline is looking to take advantage of a growth in low-cost demand in the US by expanding its current network of 16 destinations and become one of the leading operators in this sector alongside JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines. The new order breaks down to include 15 firm orders (11 A319s and four A321s) and 50 options with lease arrangements made for 24 additional aircraft (a mix of A319, A320s and A321s). First deliveries will begin in September this year, at which time Spirit will become only the second operator of the A321 in North America.
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