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Fast-growing Spirit Airlines plans to purchase up to 150 Airbus narrowbodies by 2027.

“The additional aircraft will be used to support Spirit’s growth as we add destinations and expand our network across the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean,” CEO Ted Christie said in a statement.

A memorandum of understanding calls for the purchase of 100 aircraft — a mix of A319neo, A320neo and A321neo planes. Spirit has an option to purchase up to 50 more aircraft.

The South Florida-based budget carrier currently has a fleet of 138 Airbus narrowbodies. Plans call for the fleet to grow to 145 by the end of this year and to 193 by the end of 2021.

Those aircraft, combined with the new order, will allow Spirit to continue its rapid growth. The carrier expects capacity during the this year’s fourth quarter to be up 16% year over year.

Source: travelweekly.com