Air France took delivery of its first A220-300 at a ceremony held at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. The aircraft was built in Mirabel, Canada, and is part of an order for 60 jets closed with Airbus in December 2019.
In the European carrier, the A220 will have the mission to replace the old Airbus A318 and A319. More efficient and quieter, the jets will be configured with 148 single-class seats and will have features such as Wi-Fi and two USB sockets in each seat.
According to planemaker, the A220 consumes 25% fuel, emits 50% less NOx and is 50% quieter than previous generation aircraft.
“This new aircraft with an unparalleled energy performance represents a major asset for Air France. To date, fleet renewal is the main source of reducing CO2 emissions, and this is why we are continuing to invest in latest-generation aircraft,” said Benjamin Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM.
“The arrival of a new aircraft is always a special occasion for an airline. All the Air France teams have spent over two years preparing for this moment and we are excited to see our customers discover the optimal comfort offered by this aircraft,” added Anne Rigail, CEO of Air France.
As usual, the airline named the A220-300, which received the name “Le Bourget”, famous Parisian airport where one of the largest aerospace salons in the world is located.
Air France will debut the A220-300 from October 31 on flights to Berlin (Germany), Barcelona, Madrid (Spain), Milan-Linate and Venice (Italy), always from the hub of Charles de Gaulle.
During the 2021-2022 winter season, the aircraft will operate on routes to Bologna, Rome (Italy), Lisbon (Portugal) and Copenhagen (Denmark).
Air France hopes to have another five A220 this year, and complete deliveries by 2025.
