EVA Air of Taiwan has taken delivery of its first Sharklet equipped A321 aircraft, on lease from GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS). The aircraft was handed over during a ceremony in Hamburg attended by Chang Kuo Wei, Chairman of EVA Air, and Norman Liu, President and CEO of GECAS.

This A321 is the first of eight A321s with Sharklets that will be operated by EVA Air under lease agreement from GECAS.

“We are very pleased to be Taiwan’s first operator bringing the latest version of the cost efficient A321 equipped with Sharklets,” Chang Kuo Wei, Chairman of EVA Air said. “Thanks to our new Sharklet-equipped A321s, we will continue to offer superior value and service to our customers.”

“We are pleased to be partnering with EVA Air on their fleet expansion and the introduction of the fuel saving Sharklets. It is of particular importance to us to have the most modern aircraft in our portfolio and the A321 equipped with Sharklets is a perfect fit,” said Norman Liu, President and CEO of GECAS.

“The Sharklets deliver up to four per cent fuel burn reduction on longer sectors, and this translates into impressive cost savings,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer, Customers. “In addition, EVA Air’s passengers can fly assured that they are travelling on board the world’s most efficient single aisle aircraft.”

Sharklets are made from light-weight composites and are 2.4 meters tall. They are an option on new-build A320 Family aircraft and standard on all members of the new A320neo family. They offer operators up to four percent fuel burn reduction on longer range sectors and provide the flexibility of either adding an additional 100 nautical miles range or increased payload capability of up to 450 kilograms.

The Airbus A321 is the largest member of the world’s best-selling A320 Family. As of today, over 9,900 A320 Family aircraft have been sold worldwide and almost 5,800 aircraft delivered to some 390 customers and operators.

Airbus press release