Air Lease Corporation (ALC), the aircraft financing and leasing company, has taken delivery of its first brand new A320 aircraft directly ordered from Airbus and to be leased to and operated by Air New Zealand.

Air New Zealand has designed a one-off livery for the new aircraft as part of its Crazy About Rugby campaign, evoking the colours of New Zealand’s world famous national rugby team, the “All Blacks”.

It is the first of two A320s powered by IAE to be delivered to ALC and operated by Air New Zealand.

“We are very pleased to be delivering the first A320 from our aircraft order with Airbus, to Air New Zealand. The aircraft’s bold all black livery speaks to the success of Air New Zealand as one of the world’s most innovative and leading airlines” said Steven F. Udvar-Hazy, ALC’s Chairman and CEO.

“This is the first of our new Airbus domestic fleet, with thirteen more A320 aircraft due to be delivered over the next five years,” said Rob McDonald, Air New Zealand’s Chief Financial Officer. “The aircraft will enable us to increase capacity on routes that are beginning to face capacity constraints at some airports during peak times.

“We expected something special to mark the first Airbus delivery to Steven Udvar-Hazy’s new company, ALC, and the Air New Zealand A320 lives up to this. The livery is every bit as stunning as the performance and comfort of the aircraft. We wish both ALC and Air New Zealand a championship year,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.

The aircraft is part of an ALC order for 31 A320s and 20 A321s placed at the Farnborough International Air-Show in 2010.

The A320 Family (A318, A319, A320 and A321) is recognised as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. With close to 7,000 aircraft sold, and more than 4,500 aircraft delivered to more than 320 customers and operators worldwide, the A320 Family is the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family.

Source and photo: EADS