Air Canada has taken delivery of its first of 45 A220-300, designed, built and delivered from the Mirabel A220 programme facilities in Canada. The first aircraft will enter service in January 2020, which will make Air Canada the first airline to operate the A220-300 in North America.
Air Canada currently operates a fleet of 116 Airbus aircraft. The Air Canada A220 features a dual-class cabin with capacity for 137 passengers; 12 in business class and 125 in economy class.
“This is a highly anticipated moment for Air Canada as we welcome this game-changing aircraft into our fleet, the next step in our fleet modernization. It will not only allow us to transport our customers in comfort, but also further our environmental commitment with its improved efficiency. The A220 will enable Air Canada to strengthen our position on transborder and transcontinental markets and will be key to our continued growth. Our customers will benefit from the A220’s innovative design features, including a choice of two spacious and comfortable cabins, larger overhead bins, bigger windows and a quieter experience in flight,” said Michael Rousseau, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Air Canada.
“This delivery is a historical moment and makes all of us at Airbus Canada extremely proud. In just a few weeks, Canadians will be able to fly on board this Canadian-designed and assembled aircraft for the first time in Air Canada’s distinctive and emblematic Maple Leaf livery that symbolizes Canada around the world,” said Philippe Balducchi, CEO, Airbus Canada Limited Partnership and Head of Country, Canada for Airbus.
Air Canada will fly the A220Aircraft on routes between the U.S. and Canada including Montreal to Seattle as well as Toronto to San Jose, beginning in the Spring of 2020.
The A220-300 also supports Air Canada’s commitment to sustainability, with a 50% reduction in noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft and 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards.
The A220 was purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market. It delivers fuel efficiency and widebody passenger comfort in a single-aisle aircraft and brings together optimized aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines. Airbus says the aircraft delivers at least 20% lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, and performance comparable to larger single-aisle aircraft.
The first Air Canada A220 will be unveiled to the public and media during a ceremony at the airline’s headquarters in Montreal on January 15, 2020.
By the end of November 2019, the A220 had accumulated 530 orders. Around 100 A220s are currently in service with 6 operators worldwide.