S.A.T., the holding of the Berlin-based German carrier Germania, has taken delivery of its first of five directly purchased A319s. The order is part of the airline’s fleet rollover to eco-efficient Airbus A319s, which is planned to be completed by the end of 2013. The carrier will fly the A319s to their 30 destinations in Germany, Europe, around the Mediterranean region and the Middle East.

“We are delighted to be taking delivery of our first brand-new Airbus A319 here in Hamburg. This delivery starts a new era in our fleet planning. The A319 is one of the most popular short-to medium-haul aircraft, and it will enable us to operate a large number of different routes in a particularly economic and flexible way - both for charter flights and scheduled flights. The fuel-efficient A319 makes an important contribution to environmental protection, and reflects ‘Germania green’ in the truest sense of the word,” said Axel Trampnau, Chief Executive Officer of Germania.

The airline has chosen a spacious single class cabin layout for 150 passengers, offering even more comfort and more space for their passengers. The cabin will be equipped with a state-of-the-art entertainment system, containing video screens and in-seat audio channels. Germania’s A319s will be powered by CFM engines.

“We look forward to assisting Germania with their fleet renewal as they introduce the comfortable, eco efficient A319,” said John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer – Customers.  “This truly is a solid base for a successful, long-term partnership."

Airbus aircraft share a unique cockpit and operational commonality, allowing airlines to use the same pool of pilots, cabin crews and maintenance engineers, bringing operational flexibility and resulting in significant cost savings.

The A320 Family (A318, A319, A320 and A321) is recognised as the benchmark single-aisle aircraft family. With nearly 7,000 aircraft sold, and more than 4,600 aircraft delivered to almost 330 customers and operators worldwide, the A320 Family is the world’s best-selling single-aisle aircraft family.