Air Canada orders fifteen more Airbus A220s for a total of sixty aircraft

Air Canada has confirmed the conversion of options for 15 Airbus A220-300 aircraft into a firm order, bringing the Canadian flag carrier’s total order from an initial 45 to 60 aircraft. The airline started its A220 service in January 2020 and currently operates over 30 A220s on transcontinental routes in Canada, as well as to the U.S. and to Latin America.

“The A220 has become an important component in the modernisation 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 reducing emissions on the way to its goal of net zero emissions from all global operations by 2050,” said Mark Galardo, Senior Vice President, Network Planning and Revenue Management at Air Canada.

“We are honoured 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,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of International. “With already over 30 aircraft in service with the airline, the A220 has established itself as an efficient route-opener, as well as a mainline workhorse, strengthening the carriers’ continental network while delivering on Air Canada’s ambitious decarbonisation targets. We thank Air Canada for their continued trust in Airbus.”

Air Canada operates a fleet of over 125 Airbus aircraft, including 78 A320 Family aircraft, 16 A330 Family aircraft and 31 A220-300 aircraft. Air Canada also has a direct order for 10 A321 XLRs. The airline took delivery of its first Airbus A220-300 in December 2019 and was the first airline to operate this model in North America. Born from a clean-sheet design, the A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market, bringing together innovative design features, state-of-the-art aerodynamics and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation GTF™ engines.

Offering 25 percent lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, in addition to around 50 percent lower NOx emissions than industry standards, the A220 is the most eco-efficient aircraft in its category. With 20 percent more overhead stowage space per passenger, the widest seats and the largest windows in its class, the A220 also provides unmatched comfort to travelers.