Greek carrier Aegean is expecting to expand its fleet with six aircraft this year, five of which will be Airbus single-aisle jets.

Aegean says, in a first-quarter statement, that it is “committed” to its fleet investment.

It is scheduled to receive three A321neos and two A320neos, plus an ATR 72-600.

“We are expanding our network with new routes, further enhancing connectivity and strengthening our presence in strategic destinations,” says chief executive Dimitris Gerogiannis.

He says the seasonal losses over the first quarter have “substantially” reduced.

Aegean turned in a net loss of €6.6 million ($7.4 million) in contrast to the previous figure of €21 million, with operating losses falling by nearly two-thirds.

The carrier adds that, owing to US-European exchange rates it also benefited from positive valuation effects on aircraft lease liabilities.

Gerogiannis says the results “validate” its strategy.

“We strengthened our passenger traffic, especially in international routes and boosted our network by adding more frequencies in winter for the second consecutive year to selected destinations,” he states.

“Investing in the winter is costly and requires time to mature but remains essential for Aegean and the broader Greek economy.”