European plane maker Airbus said this morning that Aer Lingus had signed a final contract to purchase seven of its single-aisle A320 planes.
Airbus said Aer Lingus would also lease an additional 10 new A320s from leading aircraft leasing company International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC), a unit of insurance group AIG AIG.N .
The move will double the size of the Aer Lingus Airbus fleet, which is currently comprised of four A320s, six A321s and seven widebody A330s.
"On the basis of this decision we will open 15 new European routes over the next two years, adding to the 15 new routes we have opened over the past two years," Aer Lingus Chief Executive Mr Willie Walsh said in a statement.
All 17 jets are due to be delivered by the end of 2005 and will be powered by CFM 56-5 engines, made by a joint venture between General Electric Aircraft Engines GE.N and French state-owned Snecma.
The airline said in September that as part of the deal ILFC would take seven of its 11 remaining Boeing BA.N 737s on a sale and lease-back basis from January.
Airbus is 80-per cent owned by aerospace company and 20-per cent by Britain's BAE Systems.