Air Canada has converted options for an additional 15 Canadian-built Airbus A220-300s, for a total of 60 aircraft. The carrier currently operates a fleet of 31 A220s, with two more deliveries expected by the end of 2022, six more in each of 2024 and 2025, and 15 in 2026.
On Wednesday (October 26, 2022), Airbus announced that Air Canada has converted options for 15 additional Airbus A220-300s which will be built at Airbus’ Mirabel, Canada facility. With the additional aircraft, Air Canada will expand their A220 fleet to 60 aircraft. Currently, Air Canada operates 31 of the type and expects to receive two more by the end of 2022, six more in each of 2025 and 2016, and 15 more in 2026. Originally, Air Canada placed an order for 45 A220s with 30 options in 2016 when the aircraft was known as the Bombardier C series, with the aircraft type first entering service with the carrier in January 2020.
In Wednesday’s announcement, Air Canada’s SVP – Network Planning and Revenue Management, Mark Galardo, said,
“The A220 has become an important component in the modernization of Air Canada’s fleet and a key part of our narrowbody fleet, thanks to its performance and passenger comfort. Our customers truly enjoy the benefits of the A220, from its quieter cabin, larger overhead bins and comfortable seating. The A220 is the perfect aircraft for our North American network thanks to its economics, and its fuel efficiency also supports Air Canada’s commitment to reduce emissions on the way to its goal of net zero emissions from all global operations by 2050.”
In a separate announcement from Air Canada on the incremental A220 order, Air Canada’s President and Chief Executive Officer, Michael Rousseau, said,
“This expanded order for the A220, built up the road from our Montreal headquarters, is an important development in the modernization of our fleet and a clear indication that we are emerging from the pandemic solidly positioned for the future. The A220 has become a mainstay of our narrowbody fleet, and its performance and passenger comfort are enabling us to compete effectively in the North American market. We are also proud to support the Canadian aerospace industry. This increased order will support jobs at Airbus' Mirabel factory and affirms Air Canada's positive economic impact in Montreal, Quebec and throughout Canada.”
Also commenting on the order, Airbus’ Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International, Christian Scherer, said,
“We are honored that Air Canada is coming back for more A220s. This demonstrates the value the aircraft is bringing and we are proud to provide our customer with a high level of flexibility, great economics and a real passenger-appeal. With already over 30 aircraft in service with the airline, the A220 has established itself as an efficient route-opener, as well as mainline workhorse, strengthening the carriers’ continental network while delivering on Air Canada’s ambitious decarbonization targets. We thank Air Canada for their continued trust in Airbus.”
Airbus Canada’s CEO, Benoît Schultz, added,
“This third re-order for the A220 in 2022 confirms the strong confidence that airlines worldwide have for this game-changing aircraft. With already over 30 aircraft in service in the country, this Canadian-designed and built aircraft has positively contributed to opening new routes as well as to making strides in reaching ambitious environmental goals for Air Canada – thanks to its unmatched efficiency.”
The modern, fuel-efficient, Airbus A220-300 delivers a 25 percent reduction in fuel consumption per seat and 25 percent less CO2 emissions compared to previous generation aircraft, along with NOx emissions that are 50 percent below CAEP/6 standards. The aircraft also has a noise footprint that is 50 percent smaller than previous generation aircraft. Development and manufacturing of the A220 Family is located in Mirabel, Canada, where Airbus currently supports 2,500 jobs, and expects to grow to 3,000 in the near future. Currently, six A220s are produced monthly, with production ramping up to 14 aircraft per month by the middle of the decade. Air Canada’s 137-seat A220-300s are configured with Business Class and Economy Class cabins, and have accumulated nearly 120,000 hours with the carrier since entering service in January 2020.
To date, Airbus has delivered over 220 A220 Family aircraft to 16 airlines operating on four continents, and the fleet is currently flying on over 800 routes to 325 destinations worldwide. As of September 30, 2022, more than 25 operators have ordered over 770 A220s, confirming the aircraft’s strong position in the small single-aisle market.
Source(s): Airbus, Air Canada/CNW Telbec