TACA Orders 15 Airbus A320 Family for $1 Billion

El Salvador’s TACA airline said on Wednesday it will pay about $1 billion for 12 A320 and three A319 planes it has ordered from European manufacturer Airbus.

TACA, which operates 160 daily flights and carried 3.6 million passengers in 2007, already has 36 Airbus planes in its fleet. Delivery of the Airbus planes will start by 2011, a TACA spokeswoman said.

TACA Chief Executive Roberto Kriete said in a statement the new additions would strengthen TACA’s routes, which run mainly through Central and South America but extend as far north as Canada.

TACA was on a drive last year to more than double its market share in South American routes to 46 percent by adding new passenger seats and hiring new staff.

Last year, TACA ordered 11 190 Class jets from Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer in a $379.5 million deal.