Summary
- Condor ordered 13 A320neos & 28 A321neos for its short/medium-haul fleet renewal.
- The new A320neos will initially operate from Frankfurt & Düsseldorf.
- The 14 new A320neo family aircraft will support the airline’s transition from the Boeing 757 fleet by 2025.
Germany’s Condor is now focusing on renewing its short and medium-haul fleet, having recently begun expanding and refurbishing its widebodies. The leisure-focused carrier also intends to initially deploy the planes on specific routes, broadening the network scope once the additional aircraft join the fleet.
Condor ordered 13 A320neo aircraft and 28 A321neos from Airbus in July 2022 as part of its fleet renewal plan. Per aeroTELEGRAPH, the first plane to be delivered will be D-ANCZ, an Airbus A320neo. The aircraft is expected to be delivered later this month.
Holiday preparations
A spokesperson tells aeroTELEGRAPH that the A320neos will be operated on flights “from Frankfurt and Düsseldorf” to holiday destinations such as Palma de Mallorca and the Greek Islands.
While this may be the initial plan, the A320neos will also feature at other German airports as the fleet expands and as we approach the peak of the summer season.
“Certainly, however, the aircraft will also fly to other stations in Germany and use them on various routes […].”
The spokesperson also confirmed that the type will enter into commercial service as of mid-May.
New widebodies
In September, Condor announced that it had already renewed half of its long-haul fleet, switching from its aging Boeing 767 fleet to the Airbus A330neo. The former has now been completely withdrawn from service. Condor took delivery of its first A330neo in December 2022.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
Airbus underlined the advantage of operating the Airbus A320neo family and the Airbus A330neo on the occasion of the delivery of the new widebody to the German carrier:
“By operating the A320neo and A330neo aircraft side by side, Condor will benefit from the commonality economics these two aircraft Families offer.”
In total, Condor expects to have a fleet of 18 Airbus A330neos. According to data from planespotters.net, it currently operates 15 and will receive an additional three shortly. Note that its A330neo induction has been particularly fast-paced, with one widebody jet entering the airline’s fleet virtually every month since the first plane was delivered.
In September, the airline’s Chief Operations Officer, Cristian Schmitt, stated:
“The feedback on the new long-haul aircraft, the comfort and design, and the amenities has been great. We are proud to be able to offer our guests a completely new Condor border experience in a class of its own with this, and to be flying the A330neo on all long-haul routes by 2024.”
Goodbye to the 757
With the widebody renewal nearing completion, Condor is now focussing on its short/medium-haul fleet. The induction of the Airbus A320neo family of aircraft will allow the carrier to withdraw its older A320ceos and, more notably, its Boeing 757s.
Photo: InsectWorld I Shutterstock
For the Boeing 757, the airline has not identified a direct replacement: airlines in the US and elsewhere have been pushing the US aircraft manufacturer Boeing for a so-called middle-of-the-market to serve as a modern replacement. So far, however, the only aircraft that comes close is the Airbus A321neo, which prompted an order from Condor.
At present, Condor has nine Boeing 757-300s in service. They feature 275 seats in an all-economy layout, a testament to their deployment on demand-heavy leisure routes to sunny destinations in the Mediterranean. Their average age is 24.5, the oldest being D-ABOB, which is nearly 26 years old.
Related
Flying Pencil: Where Is Condor Flying Its Boeing 757-300s In 2024?
A look at how you can fly on the rare stretched 757 with the German leisure carrier.
Condor expects to take delivery of 14 Airbus A320neo family aircraft throughout 2024 and 2025.
Are you planning to fly on the new Condor aircraft? Let us know in the comments below.
