TunisAir beefs up fleet with a new A320neo

Tunisia’s national carrier TunisAir took delivery Saturday of a new aircraft, A320neo type, as part of efforts to revamp its fleet.

The aircraft is the fourth the airline is receiving after three it received in December 2021, February and November this year. The airline is set to take delivery of another narrow body passenger jet capable of carrying over 13 passengers in business class and 135 in economic class.

The jet saves 20 per cent of fuel consumption and emits less CO2 compared to previous generation of Airbus.

The airline Chairman and CEO Khaled Chelly signed the deal in October last year in a bid to revamp and increase the aging fleet of the troubled company. Chelly was appointed following the sacking, in February 2021, of Olfa Hamdi who headed the carrier for less than two months.

The airline has been in financial distress compounded by mismanagement. The carrier had been unable to pay salaries and owes Turkish airport operator TAV Airports multiple millions of dollars.

TunisAir currently operates 29 aircraft made of 22 Airbus and 7 Boeings.