Comlux, headquartered in Switzerland, has placed a firm order for three Airbus ACJ320neo aircraft, becoming the largest customer for Airbus' latest corporate jet family. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2018, and the operator has selected CFM International LEAP-1A engines to power the jet. Cabin outfitting will be undertaken by Comlux America in Indianapolis.

“Comlux is proud to add to its order book the ACJ320neo which, with its new CFMI engines, sharklets and increased fuel capacity, brings the extra range that our VVIP clients seek without compromising on baggage space,” says president and CEO Richard Gaona.

Comlux has ordered corporate jet versions of all of the ACJ320 family, and was the first to operate the Airbus ACJ318 and ACJ321. The Airbus ACJ320neo can fly 25 passengers over 6,000 nm or 13 hours. Executive VP Arnaud Martin says that the company also considered the BBJ before making its decision. “We acquired two BBJ MAX last year but a couple of our customers prefer Airbus to Boeing. I think Airbus has presented a very good product with the 320neo. It is very close to the BBJ on a lot of things that they were competing on. They have improved the cabin altitude and of course the range, and increased the number of fuel tanks that they put inside. All in all, to keep the choice open for our customers, I think it was good to have both products on our portfolio for future operations. We now have a more or less balanced portfolio.”

The ACJ320neo will open up Far East routes which were not previously accessible. “The BBJ does have a slightly better range while the Airbus has a bigger cabin. The Airbus to me is a slightly more modern aircraft, but at the end of the day it comes down to what each individual customer wants. Some customers prefer Boeing and some prefer Airbus; fortunately we can offer both. This order positions us as an important player in the market.”

Martin anticipates growth at the top end of the market, with the latest ACJs offering a range close to that of a Global 7000 or G650 along with a more spacious interior. “Many people will make the step up to these aircraft. I think there will be a lot of renewals too from customers that previously flew on the ACJ319 or ACJ320, because it gives them more range and less fuel consumption,” he concludes.