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Air Niugini Takes Delivery of Their First New Airbus A220-300

Air Niugini has taken delivery of their first Airbus A220-300 on lease from Azorra, becoming the 25th global A220 operator. The carrier has eight A220-100s on direct order with Airbus, and three A220-300s are being leased from Azorra.


Air Niugini Takes Delivery of Their First Airbus A220-300 on September 11, 2025 - Courtesy Airbus
Air Niugini Takes Delivery of Their First Airbus A220-300 on September 11, 2025 - Courtesy Airbus

On Thursday (September 11, 2025), Airbus announced that Air Niugini, the national carrier of Papua, New Guinea, has taken delivery of their first Airbus A220-300 on lease from Azorra.  The aircraft, named the ‘People’s Balus,’ departed Airbus’ Final Assemble Line (FAL) in Mirabel, Canada for a delivery flight to Port Moresby, with interim stops in Vancouver, Honolulu and Fiji.  The aircraft’s bespoke livery marks the 50th Anniversary of the Independence of Papua New Guinea.   As part of their fleet renewal program, Air Niugini has eight A220-100s on direct order with Airbus, and three A220-300s are being leased from Azorra.


The Airbus A220 Family offers a best-in-class range of 3,618 nautical miles (6,700 km) and a 25 percent reduction in fuel consumption compared to previous generation aircraft.  While the A220-100 can accommodate 100-135 passengers, the larger A220-300 variant can accommodate 120-160 passengers.  Air Niugini’s new A220-300 has been configured to accommodate 138 customers.  The A220 airframe incorporates 40 percent advanced materials, resulting in a lighter weight, as well as optimized aerodynamics with a newly designed nose and tail cone, which reduce drag.  According the Airbus, the A220 has the smallest ‘fuselage wetted area’ in its class, which is the surface in direct contact with the air.


Air Niugini's New Airbus A220-300, the 'People's Balus,' in Flight - Courtesy Airbus
Air Niugini's New Airbus A220-300, the 'People's Balus,' in Flight - Courtesy Airbus

Powered by Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation GTF™ engines, the Airbus A220 delivers a 25 percent reduction in carbon emissions per seat compared with previous-generation aircraft.  Like all in-production Airbus aircraft, the A220 can already operate with up to 50 percent SAF, with a target for all aircraft to be capable of operating with up to 100 percent SAF by 2030.


As of August 31, 2025, The Airbus A220 Family had won over 940 orders from more than 30 customers worldwide, and has delivered over 440 aircraft.  Currently, the A220 is flying on more than 1,800 routes to over 480 destinations worldwide.



Source: Airbus

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