Lion Group First Delivery of Airbus Aircraft

Indonesia’s Lion Group has celebrated the delivery of its first three Airbus aircraft at a special ceremony in Toulouse today. The event was attended by Rusdi Kirana, Chairman and Co-Founder of Lion Group and Fabrice Brégier, Airbus President and CEO.

The aircraft are the first from an order placed by Lion Group in March 2013 for 234 A320 Family aircraft, comprising 109 A320neo, 65 A321neo and 60 A320ceo. The initial batch of A320s are set to join the fleet of the Group’s full service subsidiary Batik Air, flying on domestic and regional services. The Batik aircraft are powered by CFM56 engines and feature a premium two class layout seating a total of 156 passengers.

“We are delighted to celebrate the delivery of our first Airbus aircraft. These A320s, and later the A320neo and larger A321neo, will allow us to continue our expansion with one of the most modern and advanced fleets in the world,” said Rusdi Kirana. “In service with Batik Air, the A320s will combine the highest levels of in-flight comfort for our premium services with the lowest operating costs the industry has to offer. We will be looking forward to take delivery of our Airbus aircraft in the months and years to come.”

"This ceremony marks a new exciting milestone in our relationship with Lion Group and with Indonesia, one of the most promising, fastest-growing markets in the world,” said Fabrice Brégier. “We are particularly proud to welcome Batik Air as our newest Airbus operator and we are sure that the incredible flexibility offered throughout the A320 Family will perfectly fit Lion Group’s ongoing expansion plans.”

Offering the lowest operating costs in its class, the A320 Family is the world's best-selling single-aisle product line. To date, nearly 11,000 aircraft have been ordered and more than 6,200 delivered to over 400 customers and operators worldwide. The A320ceo and A320neo share over 95 percent airframe commonality, enabling seamless operation of the various models in a single fleet. The A320neo (new engine option) incorporates cabin innovations, new generation engines and Sharklets (large wing tip devices) which together will deliver 20 percent in fuel savings per seat by 2020.

Since taking to the skies in 2000, Jakarta-based Lion Group has become one of Asia’s fastest-growing airlines. Today the Group operates an extensive network covering over 70 destinations in South East Asia. The Groups’ units comprise low cost Lion Air, full service Batik Air and domestic regional unit Wings Air. In addition, the Group owns 49 per cent of Malaysia-based Malindo Air, combining low cost and premium service options.