Two Airbus A320neo aircraft previously owned by ultra-low-cost airline Spirit are about to be scrapped.
Irish aviation asset management and trading company EirTrade said on Monday it acquired the two aircraft in partnership with Chicago air and rail leasing company RESIDCO.
According to EirTrade officials, the aircraft are four and three-and-a-half years old respectively, making them the youngest A320neo airframes ever to be scrapped for parts.
Disassembly will take place in Goodyear, Arizona, and all parts will be shipped to the company’s center in Dallas to serve the aircraft’s ground needs throughout North and South America.
“We are focusing on newer vintage aircraft to ensure our inventory contains the highest quality rotatable aircraft, ensuring our customers have access to the latest retrofit standard components,” Bill Thompson, EirTrade’s vice president of origination and trading for the Americas, said in a release. “As part of this significant transaction, we have also procured four sets of much-needed LRU and BFE components from the PW1100 engine type.”
EirTrade estimates that there are currently more than 4,400 A320neos in commercial service with a further 7,200 on order, creating huge demand for parts. This figure does not include the active fleet of approximately 6,500 A320ceos, which use many of the same components.
Thompson added: “Given the fleet size and Airbus order book, the platform will remain the largest portion of the global commercial fleet and demand for USM will increase accordingly.”
EirTrade said all parts of the aircraft will be repaired and put on the market by the end of the first quarter.
Spirit Airlines has been selling planes to shrink its fleet and reduce costs. The airline has been under bankruptcy protection since August 2025.
