By Robert Wall 
 

LONDON--Airbus Group SE (AIR.FR) on Tuesday said it had received European and U.S. regulatory approval for its A320neo single-aisle jet clearing the way for first customer deliveries of the plane.

Both the European Aviation Safety Agency and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration granted the so-called type certification for the A320neo powered by PW1100G engines from Pratt & Whitney, the engine unit of United Technologies Corp.

The plane is an upgrade of Airbus's popular single-aisle family. The Toulouse-based aircraft maker is introducing new engines and other enhancements to improve fuel efficiency of the plane. The company said the A320neo, for new engine option, should be 15% more efficient than planes it replaces.

Airbus is promising to deliver the first of the new narrow-body planes this year. Qatar Airways is the lead operator of the new plane.

Airbus also is working with a joint venture of General Electric Co. (GE) and France's Safran SA (SAF.FR) for an alternative engine offering for the A320neo family. Planes powered by that engine are due for first customer deliveries next year.

Boeing Co. (BA) also is working on an engine upgrade to its 737 planes. The first 737 Max is due for delivery in 2017.

Airbus recently announced plans to boost single-aisle production to 60 planes a month from mid-2019. It currently builds 42 narrow-body aircraft a month.

 

Write to Robert Wall at robert.wall@wsj.com

 

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 24, 2015 10:06 ET (15:06 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2015 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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