Airbus announced Wednesday that the Air France-KLM Group has ordered ten additional A350 XWBs. In a separate press release, the company announced that Air Canada’s first A220-300 has made its inaugural flight from the factory in Mirabel, Canada.
Airbus announced yesterday that the Air France-KLM Group has ordered ten additional A350 XWBs, bringing their total order for the aircraft type to 38. The new aircraft will be operated by Air France and promise to deliver a substantial reduction in fuel burn and CO2 emissions. In Wednesday’s announcement, Air France KLM Group’s CEO, Benjamin Smith said,
“Rationalizing and modernizing our fleet is central to our effort to regain our leading position in Europe. It will strengthen our performance from both an economic and operational standpoint and will help us deliver on our ambitious sustainability agenda. Offering a 25% reduction in fuel consumption compared to previous-generation aircraft, the Airbus A350-900 is a jewel of European expertise and a passenger favorite. We are excited to see it become a core asset of the Air France Fleet.”
The airline group currently operates a fleet of 159 airbus aircraft. In addition to fuel savings and reduced emissions, the A350 XWB’s “Airspace by Airbus” cabin offers travelers the quietest cabin of any widebody aircraft. At the close of November 2019, Airbus had received 959 firm orders for the A350 XWB Family of aircraft, making it one of the most successful twin-aisle aircraft in history.
Air Canada’s First A220-300 Takes Flight
In a separate press release, Airbus announced Wednesday that Air Canada’s first A220-300 has completed its inaugural test flight from the company’s Mirabel, Canada factory. Air Canada has 45 A220-300s on order and will receive their first aircraft in a few weeks. The airline will launch revenue service with the aircraft in early 2020, becoming the first North American operator of the variant. Air Canada will deploy their A220-300s on domestic Canadian routes as well as trans-border service to the U.S. The aircraft’s range will allow it to fly routes such as Montreal to Seattle and Toronto to San Jose, California.
The Airbus A220-300 offers a 20% reduction in fuel burn per seat and a 50% reduction in noise footprint. The aircraft also offers a 50% reduction in NOx emissions, compared to industry standards. About 100 Airbus A220 Family aircraft are currently operating with six operators in Asia, the U.S., Europe and Africa.
Source: Airbus