Today, Airbus announced a firm order for three A220s by France’s Réunion Island based carrier Air Austral. The A220 will allow Air Austral to reduce costs by offering a 20% reduction in fuel burn and CO2 compared to previous generation aircraft.
In the Airbus Press Release, Marie Joseph Malé, Chief Executive Officer of Air Austral stated,
“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 harmonizing part of its fleet and strengthening its operations. 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 passengers and crews.”
About the Airbus A220
Originally developed by Canada’s Bombardier as the C-Series aircraft, the A220 is the only purpose-built aircraft for the 100-150 passenger market, offering increased fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. Airbus announced its intention to acquire a majority stake in the C-Series program in October 2017, with the deal closing in July 2018. As of September 2019, the company has booked over 500 orders of the aircraft, which Airbus claims offers “widebody passenger comfort in a single-aisle aircraft.” The A220 combines advanced aerodynamics and super-efficient Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofan engines to deliver one of the quietest and most fuel-efficient aircraft in its class. By all accounts, the A220 program has been very well received by the industry, even garnering a vote of confidence by airline industry veteran David Neeleman (founder JetBlue, Azul and others) who ordered 60 for his new U.S. regional startup code-named Moxy.
Source: Airbus
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