EasyJet, which flies more passengers through Bristol Airport than any other airline, is “cautiously optimistic” about prospects for the summer although it expects the following 18 months to be tougher. Carolyn McCall, the budget airline’s chief executive, said yesterday: “We have over half of all seats sold now for the summer and our yields are a little higher than last year.” She was speaking following delivery of easyJet’s 200th Airbus A320 airliner. The aircraft, completely painted in the easyJet orange, was unveiled at a ceremony at Airbus’s Toulouse headquarters. Ms McCall added, however, that a combination of consumer uncertainty, oil prices and austerity measures “and other things” would make life harder in 2012. The handover ceremony for the 200th A320 was an opportunity for Airbus to give an upbeat forecast for next month’s Paris Air Show. The planemaker, with a workforce of more than 5,000 at Filton, which designs wing parts, landing gear and fuel systems, says it is on target to book 500 orders for its revamped A320neo (new engine option) by the time the show starts on June 20. The re-designed aircraft will cut fuel consumption by 15%, largely due to work carried out by Filton-based engineers.Airbus president Tom Enders said: “The tremendous success achieved by easyJet in growing to be one of Europe’s major carriers, and one of Airbus’ top A320 family customers in just eight years is unique and impressive.”He added that the airline has grown to be Europe’s largest A320 family operator. Since it took delivery of its first Airbus aircraft (an A319) in September 2003, Airbus has delivered an aircraft to the airline on average every 14 days over the last eight years.Airbus sales chief John Leahy said A320neo announcements could include what Airbus describes as the biggest commercial jet plane deal in history by number of airplanes involved. This is a $16bn (£9.7bn) deal the planemaker reached earlier this year with Indian budget carrier Indigo. “I think we will have the Indigo order finalised and announced by the Paris Air Show,” he said. Airbus is also hoping seal another potentially big new deal with Malaysia’s AirAsia during the Paris Air show.
