SPECIAL COLORS / FLEET - QANTAS’ first A220-300 goes into the test phase in Montreal QANTAS Airways made this announcement: Our brand new QantasLink A220 has completed its first test flight, taking off from Airbus’ production site in Mirabel, Canada today.

The aircraft will go through some further testing in the coming weeks before officially being handed over to QantasLink.

Qantas
 

SPECIAL COLORS - Qantas unveils special livery for 1st A220

Qantas has decided to mark the moment of the introduction of the Airbus A220 with a special livery. Its first A220-300, currently registered C-FPGP (55253), is almost ready for delivery and will become VH-X4A. The green livery is designed by Balarinji and is part of the Flying Art-series of the Qantas that started with the "Wunala Dreaming" Boeing B747-400.

In total, Qantas has ordered 29 A220-300s which the airline will use to replace its thirteen Boeing B717s and eighteen Fokker 100s. They will be operated under the QantasLink-brand and operated by fully-owned subsidiary National Jet Systems. The A220 will feature 137 seats, ten business class and the rest economy seats.

QantasLink will use the type to connect smaller Australian cities with the large Qantas-bases at Melbourne and Sydney. The first commercial service will be between Melbourne and Canberra and is set to launch in January 2024.

Photo by Qantas.

 

DUBAI AIR SHOW 2023 - airBaltic to become largest Airbus A220 customer in Europe

 

Dubai, 13 November 2023 - airBaltic will become the largest A220 customer in Europe after confirming an incremental order for an additional 30 A220-300s. This new order will take the airline’s total firm orderbook to 80 aircraft.
Already operating a 44 strong fleet of A220-300s, airBaltic is currently the largest A220-300 operator in the world.

The airline’s history with the Airbus A220-300 dates back to 2016 where it was the launch customer, and in 2020, it refreshed its fleet to solely operate this aircraft type.

“This day marks a significant milestone in the history of airBaltic – our plans for the first time ever to operate a fleet of 100 aircraft by 2030. For almost seven years already, the Airbus A220-300 has been the backbone of our operations and has played an integral role in the international success story of airBaltic”, said Martin Gauss, President and CEO of airBaltic. “Being the global launch customer of the Airbus A220-300, we continue to be a proud ambassador of it. We are grateful to our partners at Airbus for the incredible support, trust, and collaboration over these years.”

“Thank you to airBaltic for being such an ambassador for the A220 with this repeat order. The A220 has been the instrument for airBaltic in its success and growth thus far and we are particularly proud to be extending this partnership well into the future with this latest order”, said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International. “The A220 offers a unique capability in terms of range, performance, and not to forget, passenger appeal. It is a gamechanger for our customers in this important market segment, which we are serving with less fuel-burn, lower emissions and noise, making the A220 a global citizen of choice.”

The A220-300 is the most modern airliner in its size category, carrying between 120 to 150 passengers on flights of up to 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km). The aircraft offers 25% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. It also has the largest cabin, seats and windows in its class, ensuring superior comfort.

As with all Airbus aircraft, the A220 is already able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Airbus aims for all its aircraft to be capable of operating with 100% SAF by 2030.

As at the end of October, Airbus won close to 820 orders from around 30 customers for the A220, of which more than 295 have been delivered, including 50 deliveries so far in 2023. The A220 is already in successful service with 17 airlines worldwide on 1,350+ routes.

Iraqi Airways launched inaugural A220-300 scheduled operations on the Baghdad – Cairo.service on 06 November 2022.

 Iraqi Airways

Airbus and Green Africa announce strategic partnership with MoU for 50 A220s

Singapore – Green Africa Airways, Nigeria’s Lagos-based airline, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 50 A220-300 aircraft, one of the major orders to be placed globally for the A220 programme and the largest ever from the African continent.

Babawande Afolabi, Founder & CEO of Green Africa Airways said, “Together with Airbus, we are incredibly proud to announce the largest order ever for the A220 from the African continent. The Green Africa story is a story of entrepreneurial boldness, strategic foresight and an unwavering commitment to using the power of air travel to create a better future”.

Airbus Chief Commercial Officer, Christian Scherer, speaking from the Singapore Airshow, added, “We are excited about the Green Africa project, its legitimate ambition and its professionalism, evidenced by their most discerning choice for their operating assets. The unique characteristics of the A220 will allow the airline to unlock destinations and route pairs that previously would have been considered non-viable. We look forward to our partnership with Green Africa and to accompany their development with the most efficient aircraft in its class”.

The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market; it delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and widebody passenger comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20 percent lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, along with significantly lower emissions and a reduced noise footprint. The A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft. At the end of January 2020, the A220 had accumulated 658 orders.

Airbus launches A220 demonstration tour of the Pacific region

Airbus has launched an extensive tour of the Pacific region to showcase the A220, its latest family member. The aircraft being used for the tour is an A220-300 leased from Latvia’s airBaltic, which will visit nine destinations in seven countries. These will include three stops in Asia on the return journey to Europe.

The first stop of the tour will be the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, home to the region’s A220 launch customer Air Vanuatu. The aircraft will then visit Australia (Sydney and Brisbane), New Zealand (Auckland), New Caledonia (Noumea) and Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby). On the way back to Europe, the aircraft will stop in Cambodia (Phnom Penh) and India (Bangalore and New Delhi).

Static displays are planned at each stop, as well as demonstration flights for airline executives and other invited guests.

The A220 is the only new design aircraft in the 100-150 seat market and incorporates state-of-the-art technologies, the latest aerodynamic design and new-generation engines. Together, these advances generate fuel savings of at least 20% compared with older-generation aircraft of a similar size.

In addition, the A220 offers extended range capability of up to 3,400 nautical miles. This makes the aircraft especially suitable for the kind of operations seen in the Pacific region, including short- to medium-haul operations between the various island nations, as well as longer routes to Australia and New Zealand.

The airBaltic A220-300 is fitted with a single-class passenger cabin with 145 seats. As on all A220 aircraft, the layout comprises three seats on one side of the aisle and two on the other. The cabin is the largest in its size category, with wider economy class seats and spacious overhead storage bins.



The A220 is available in two versions, with the A220-100 seating between 100 and 130 passengers and the larger A220-300 seating between 130 and 160 in typical airline layouts. At the end of September 2019, customers worldwide had placed orders for 525 A220 aircraft with 90 already in service with six operators.

Austral sign a purchase agreement for three A220s

Air Austral, France’s Réunion Island-based airline, has signed a firm order for three A220 aircraft, Airbus’ newest family member. With this order Air Austral becomes the first A220 customer based in the Indian Ocean region. Benefitting from a 20% reduction in fuel burn and CO2 emissions, the A220s will enable Air Austral to reduce its costs and carbon footprint on international routes in the region.

"Air Austral has chosen the A220-300 as part of the renewal of its Medium and Short Haul fleet. These new-generation aircraft will join the airline from the end of 2020 with the aim of harmonising part of its fleet and strengthening its operations,” said Marie-Joseph Malé, Chief Executive Officer of Air Austral. The economic and operational performance of the A220 opens new possibilities for the development of our regional network from our main base - Réunion Island - in an efficient and rational way. The 132-seat capacity module, which is more flexible, will allow us to increase our frequencies while offering more comfort to our customers and crews," he added.

“With its unrivalled performance and operational flexibility, the A220 is the perfect aircraft for Air Austral to reinforce routes between Réunion Island and its neighbours in the Indian Ocean, as well as connecting the island further afield,” said Christopher Buckley, Executive Vice-President Commercial – Airbus. “Airlines from all around the world are acknowledging the A220’s economics and it is a great honour that Air Austral will be the first A220 operator in the region.”

The design of the new clean sheet single-aisle aircraft allows for more seats, offering extra revenue potential to airlines, especially to those located in remote areas, and extra usable cargo volume capacity.

The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market; it delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and widebody passenger comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least a 20% lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, along with significantly lower emissions and a reduced noise footprint. The A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft.

The A220 had an order book of over 500 aircraft at the end of September 2019.



@Airbus #A220 @FlyAirAustral

airBaltic Repaints Airbus A220 in Lithuanian Flag

Air Baltic

Airbus Canada Limited Partnership new name comes into effect June 1

Change from C Series Aircraft Limited Partnership (CSALP) reflects Airbus’ majority stake in the A220

The change of name of CSALP to Airbus Canada Limited Partnership, which was announced in March 2019, will come into effect on June 1, 2019.

The new name reflects the majority interest of Airbus in the partnership since July 1, 2018. The partnership is adopting the Airbus logo as its single visual identity.

Over the course of the coming weeks, the new name will be applied to the limited partnership’s documentation, materials and branded items. The Airbus and Bombardier logos will continue to be displayed side-by-side on the building exteriors in Mirabel, reflecting production activities on the site for both the Airbus A220 and Bombardier CRJ aircraft families.

About the limited partnership



Headquartered in Mirabel, Québec, the limited partnership is responsible for the development and manufacturing of the Airbus A220 Family of single-aisle passenger aircraft. Majority owned by Airbus SE, partners include Bombardier Inc. and Investissement Québec (acting as mandatory for the government of Québec). The limited partnership employs approximately 2,200 at its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Mirabel. The second A220 manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama will start production in the third quarter of 2019.

Construction begins on Airbus’ U.S. A220 Manufacturing Facility

Airbus’ manufacturing growth in the United States advanced another step today in Mobile, Alabama, as construction of the company’s A220 Manufacturing Facility officially launched with a groundbreaking ceremony. The assembly line will satisfy the strong and growing U.S. demand for the A220 aircraft, the newest offering in Airbus’ commercial aircraft product line.

Tom Enders, CEO of Airbus, and Guillaume Faury, President Airbus Commercial Aircraft led the celebration and welcomed approximately 700 attendees including Airbus and other industry executives, Airbus manufacturing employees, state and national dignitaries, and local community leaders.

The new assembly line, which is the company’s second U.S.-based commercial aircraft production facility, will be located at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley adjacent to the A320 Family production line and will facilitate assembly of A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft for U.S. customers. Aircraft production is planned to begin in Q3 2019; with first delivery of a Mobile-assembled A220 aircraft scheduled for 2020. The new A220 production facilities will be complete by next year.

Airbus has strong and longstanding ties to the United States, with Airbus aircraft being operated by the largest airlines in America. Additionally, Airbus is a major partner of U.S. aerospace companies and workers. In the last three years, Airbus spent $48 billion in the United States with hundreds of U.S. suppliers in more than 40 states, translating into Airbus support of more than 275,000 American jobs. Among its facilities in the U.S. Airbus has: engineering centers in Kansas and Alabama; a major training facility in Florida and soon one in Colorado; materials support and headquarters in Virginia; an A320 Family assembly line delivering aircraft in Alabama; an innovative think tank (A3) in California; a drone data analysis business (Airbus Aerial) in Atlanta, Georgia; helicopter manufacturing and assembly facilities in Texas and Mississippi; and a satellite manufacturing facility (OneWeb) in Florida.

The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market; it delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and true widebody comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20 percent lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. With a range of up to 3,200 nm (5920 km), the A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft.

With an order book of more than 500 aircraft to date, the A220 has all the credentials to win the lion’s share of the 100- to 150-seat aircraft market estimated to represent at least 7,000 aircraft over the next 20 years.

Airbus displays latest member of aircraft family in Turkey

First time for A220 in Turkey after joining the Airbus Family

An airBaltic A220, the latest member of Airbus’ commercial aircraft family, landed at Istanbul Ataturk International Airport on Monday, 12 November. It represents the first visit to Turkey by an A220 Family aircraft since becoming part of the Airbus portfolio in July 2018.

This visit to Istanbul is part of a world demonstration tour that is taking the airBaltic A220-300 aircraft across the Asia-Pacific/Europe region. During its stay in Istanbul, the aircraft will conduct a demonstration flight for representatives from the government, airlines and aviation authorities. It will then return to its home base in Riga, Latvia, on 14 November.

Powered by Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines, the aircraft features a single economy class layout of 145 seats.

Complementing the A320 Family, the A220-100 and A220-300 models cover the segment between 100 and 150 seats and offer a comfortable five-abreast cabin. With the most advanced aerodynamics, composite materials, high-bypass engines and fly-by-wire controls, the A220 delivers 20% lower fuel burn per seat compared with previous generation aircraft.

With a range of up to 3,200 nm (5,020 km), the A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft.



With an order book of over 400 aircraft to date, the A220 has all the credentials to win the lion’s share of the 100 to 150 seat aircraft market.

Airbus introduces the A220-100 and A220-300

Québec-born aircraft join the Airbus family
Airbus has revealed the A220 at a ceremony held at its Henri-Ziegler Delivery Centre, near Toulouse. Witnessed by Airbus employees and members of the global news media, the A220-300 landed directly from the painting at 12:25 am CEST wearing its new Airbus name and colours.

The A220 family comprises two models, the A220-100 and A220-300, formerly Bombardier Inc.’s C Series (CS100 and CS300). The aircraft are fully optimized for the 100 to 150 seat market and perfectly complement Airbus’ existing best-selling A320neo family.

“Everyone at Airbus has been looking forward to this historic moment. Today, we are thrilled to welcome the A220 to the Airbus family and are honoured to see it wearing its new Airbus colours for the first time,” said Guillaume Faury, Airbus President Commercial Aircraft. “I pay tribute to all the women and men at Bombardier and the supply chain who have strived over the past years to bring this fantastic aircraft to the world. The A220 now enters a new phase in its career with all Airbus’ ressources behind it to further its commercial success worldwide."

Eric Schulz, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer, added: “We are enthusiastic about incorporating the A220 in the Airbus Family. I have received positive feedback from customers, and this contributes to my optimism that within the Airbus network, we will make the A220 a great commercial success."