Controladora Vuela Compañía de Aviación, S.A.B. de C.V. ("Volaris" or the "Company") (NYSE: VLRS and BMV: VOLAR), the ultra-low-cost airline serving Mexico, the United States and Central America, today announces the addition of eight more A320 NEO aircraft to its fleet in 2021, on top of the three aircraft from its purchase order with Airbus, closing the year with at least 98 aircraft.
Volaris has been able to take advantage of the favorable leasing market conditions under which these aircraft can be added to the fleet, all on long-term leases. Our competitors have been scaling down and this has represented an unprecedented opportunity for Volaris to add additional healthy capacity.
As the vaccination rollout gains momentum in our markets, confidence in air travel has accelerated accordingly and therefore Volaris will be incorporating eight additional A320 NEO aircraft to its fleet in 2021 through straight operating leases, five of which will enter into service this summer. This additional capacity will be deployed primarily to strengthen our leading position in the Mexican domestic market. The Company is evaluating further market opportunities to add additional aircraft.
These fuel-efficient aircraft will enable Volaris to take advantage of market opportunities in the second half of the year and will further increase the percentage of A320 NEO family aircraft in its fleet. All this aligned to the Company's sustainability strategy to ensure industry and business viability in the future.