Brazil's TAM Airline has the newest aircraft fleet in Brazil, according to Avião Revue, a Brazilian publication specialized in aviation.
The magazine publishes in its January issue a cover story – The Age of All Brazilian Aircraft – showing that the average age of TAM's fleet is 7.1 years, compared to 11.2 in the sector.
Quite a feat when you know that bankrupted Vasp, for example, used to fly planes as old as 35 years.
The Avião Revue 2007 ranking includes all Brazilian airlines' aircraft, with information regarding each model, prefix, delivery and first flight date.
Concluded on December 10, 2006, this research shows TAM's total fleet grew from 80 to 93 aircraft in one year, as well as its average age decreased from 7.5 to 7.1 years. The total fleet in Brazil decreased from 279 to 264 aircraft in the same period.
TAM currently has 97 aircraft, including 76 Airbus models – 14 A319, 52 A320, and 10 A330. A new Airbus A320 aircraft was delivered from Airbus last weekend. With this new aircraft, the company strengthens its policy of operating a newer fleet, providing passengers with more comfort. The average age of TAM's Airbus fleet is 5.7 years.
TAM expects its fleet to have 109 airplanes at the end of 2007. The company fleet plan has contracts that still foresee the acquisition of 56 Airbus aircraft – 15 A319, 35 A320 and 6 A330 – to be delivered by 2010.
The contracts include the option of an additional 20 aircraft. The company also announced the acquisition of four new Boeing 777-300ER and four more options, with deliveries by 2008. TAM's strategic plan foresees an operational fleet of 132 Airbus aircraft by the end of 2010.