Airbus delivers first of 60 A220s to Air France

One of the world’s biggest carriers, Air France received its first A220-300 from an order for 60 aircraft of the type, the largest A220 order from a European carrier.

The aircraft was delivered from Airbus’ final assembly line in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, and officially unveiled to the public during a ceremony held at Paris Charles-De-Gaulle Airport.

The A220 is the most efficient and flexible aircraft in the 100 to 150 seat market segment today. The renewal of the Air France single-aisle fleet with this latest generation aircraft will increase efficiency along with customer comfort and support Air France to meet its environmental goals and sustainability objectives.

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Airbus’ assembly plant in Toulouse,

The first Air France A220-300 will be operated on its medium-haul network from the 2021 winter season. Currently, Air France operates a fleet of 136 Airbus aircraft. Air France is also renewing its long-haul fleet and has already taken delivery of 11 A350s out of an order of 38.

The Air France A220-300 cabin is configured in a single-class layout to comfortably welcome 148 passengers. Offering superior single-aisle comfort, with the widest leather seats, largest windows, and up to 20% more overhead stowage space per passenger, the Air France A220 also features full WiFi connectivity throughout the cabin and two USB sockets at each passenger seat.

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The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market and brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials, and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation geared turbofan engines.

With a range of up to 3,450 nm (6,390 km), the A220 gives airlines added operational flexibility. The A220 delivers up to 25% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, and 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards.

In addition, the aircraft noise footprint is reduced by 50% compared to previous generation aircraft – making the A220 a good neighbour around airports.

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As of the end of August, over 170 A220s have been delivered to 11 operators worldwide.

Wole Shadare