Airbus Considers Ending A319neo Production Amid Low Demand

Airbus is reviewing whether to halt production of the A319neo, the smallest aircraft in the A320neo family, due to persistently low demand and reduced profitability compared to its larger counterparts. Since its launch in 2010, the A319neo has received only 57 orders over 15 years, with many from a limited group of Chinese carriers.

“There is not much left in the order book, although we know it is an important product,” said Marc Guinot, Chief Engineer of the A320 family, in an interview with Airlines World. “We could consider stopping A319 production at some point, but to do that we would first need an A320neo with a very good level of performance for high-altitude airports.”

Of the 57 total A319neo orders, Airbus reports that approximately 32 aircraft have been delivered and are currently in service. Nearly half of the total orders were placed by Chinese airlines including Tibet Airlines, China Southern, West Air, and Air China. The remaining orders primarily come from corporate and government customers.

One of the aircraft’s main challenges is its limited profitability per seat, with a capacity of 120 to 150 passengers. The smaller size reduces efficiency gains and makes it less attractive to airlines compared to the A320neo, which seats between 150 and 180 passengers, and the A321neo, which accommodates 180 to 220 passengers. Both larger models offer improved economics and route flexibility without significantly increasing operational complexity, according to industry publication Simple Flying.

Outside China, Spirit Airlines had been a significant A319neo customer but canceled all 31 of its orders in 2023, converting them into larger A321neo aircraft. That cancellation alone accounted for more than half of the commercial A319neo orders at the time.

In contrast to the A319neo’s limited success, the A320neo has surpassed 4,000 orders and the A321neo has received over 7,000 orders, making the future of the smallest member of the A320 family increasingly uncertain. Airbus has not announced a final decision on the program's discontinuation but indicated that any move would be contingent on performance requirements for specific operational conditions.