Aircraft
Airbus Delivers First A321neo to Virgin America
Airline plans to place CFM Leap-powered narrowbody into service on May 31
The first of 10 Virgin America A321neos takes off from Hamburg, Germany. (Photo: Airbus)
The first of 10 Virgin America A321neos takes off from Hamburg, Germany. (Photo: Airbus)

Virgin America took delivery of the first Airbus A321neo—a CFM Leap-1A-powered variant—during a Thursday handover ceremony in Hamburg, Germany. Airbus announced joint FAA-EASA certification of the Leap-powered A321neo on March 1, two-and-a-half months after the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-powered version gained its approval. The first Pratt-powered version remains undelivered, however, as Airbus continues to grapple with its engines’ “maturity issues.”