JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU) has signed a firm order with Airbus (OTC: EADSY) for an additional 30 A220-300 aircraft. This takes the airline’s firm commitment for the A220-300 to 100 aircraft. This latest agreement lifts the total firm order book for the A220 to 740.
Jetblue started A220-300 operations in April 2021 and currently operates eight A220s in a 140-seat configuration, with USB-C, USB-A and AC power at every seat. The A220 also offers the largest cabin, highest ceiling, biggest windows and most spacious overhead bins in its class.
The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market, bringing together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines. The A220 brings customers a 50% reduced noise footprint and up to 25% lower fuel burn per seat and CO2 emissions compared to previous generation aircraft, as well as around 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards.
Toulouse, France 30 December 2021 – Global full-service aircraft lessor Aviation Capital Group (ACG), wholly owned by Tokyo Century Corporation, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus (OTC: EADSY) for 20 A220’s and a firm contract for 40 A320neo Family aircraft, of which five are A321XLR’s.
The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market and brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines. Featuring a 50% reduced noise footprint and up to 25% lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, as well as around 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards, the A220 is a great aircraft for regional as well as long distance routes operations.
With this order ACG is supporting the recently launched multi-million dollar ESG fund initiative by Airbus that will contribute towards investment into sustainable aviation development projects.
Mobile, Alabama, 13 September 2021 – Breeze Airways has revealed its new A220-300 livery, while confirming that it has reached a purchase agreement with Airbus for 20 more of the aircraft. This previously undisclosed order for 20 brings Breeze’s total order book to 80 A220-300’s, the first of which will be delivered in Q4 2021.
The aircraft’s fresh paint job was completed at the Airbus facility in Mobile, Alabama, which will deliver approximately one A220 per month to Breeze over the next six-and-a-half years. The airline plans to begin flights with the Airbus fleet in the second quarter of 2022.
The A220 superior efficiency will support the new airline’s business objectives to offer a great travel experience, with low fares and high flexibility. Breeze is expected to provide nonstop service between underserved routes across the U.S. at affordable fares.
Breeze started airline operations in May 2021. This first A220 is the first new aircraft that will be operated by the airline.
The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market and brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines. Benefitting from the latest technologies, the A220 is the quietest, cleanest and most eco-friendly aircraft in its category. Featuring a 50% reduced noise footprint and up to 25% lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, as well as around 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards, the A220 is a great aircraft for urban operations.
Over 170 A220s have been delivered to ten operators in Asia, North Americas, Europe, and Africa, proving the great versatility of Airbus’ latest family member.
(Reuters) – An AirBaltic A220 flight diverted to France on Wednesday because of an engine issue is the fourth reported case involving the Pratt & Whitney engine powering the Airbus jet, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said.
The A220-300 flight, traveling from Riga, Latvia, to Malaga, Spain, was diverted to Bordeaux because of a technical failure in the left engine, France’s Bureau d’Enquêtes et ‘Analyses (BEA) said on Twitter. The flight landed safely.
Airbus SE and United Technologies Corp, maker of the Pratt PW1500G engines, confirmed in statements that they were aware of the flight and working “to provide assistance” as required.
The incident follows three emergency landings involving the GTF engine on Airbus’s smallest jet, the A220.
“NTSB has accepted delegation for 3 previous incidents so NTSB will also look at the most recent incident,” a spokesman for the U.S. government investigative agency said by email.
“NTSB is in the process of gathering initial data. It is still in the early stage of any investigation cannot make any conclusions at this time.”
Pratt & Whitney has said that a software update for the GTF engine on the A220 is expected in the spring, pending regulatory approval.
(Reporting by Allison Lampert Editing by Leslie Adler)
Czech Airlines has ordered four Airbus A220-300 aircraft and opted for additional range by upsizing a previous order for three A320neo to A321XLR.
The two fuel-efficient aircraft types will complement Czech Airlines’ existing fleet of six A319 and one A330-300, and allow it to continue extending its network to reach more markets. The airline will also benefit from the commonality of Airbus Family aircraft. The A220-300 will be fitted with 149 seats, while the A321XLR will cater for top comfort in a two-class layout with 195 seats.
“The A220 and A321XLR fit well with our long-term business strategy in terms of network expansion. These aircraft will definitely give Czech Airlines a competitive advantage, and will increase the capacity of our regular flights. I believe that this step will be appreciated by our passengers, as the aircraft offer best in class comfort even during long haul flights thanks to a brand new cabin configuration,” said Petr Kudela, Chairman of the Board of Czech Airlines.
“What a winning combination for Czech Airlines! The A220 has proved to be a strong performer in Europe with its high daily utilisation being a testament to its versatility,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer. “The A321XLR has the longest range of our A320 Family. Passengers can now fly further without compromising on comfort, whilst Czech Airlines benefits from remarkably lower fuel consumption as it expands its network.”
The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market; it delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and wide-body passenger comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least a 20 percent lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft, along with significantly lower emissions and a reduced noise footprint. The A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft. The A220 had an order book of over 525 aircraft at the end of September 2019.
The A321XLR is the next evolutionary step from the A321LR which responds to market needs for even more range and payload, creating more value for the airlines. From 2023, it will deliver an unprecedented Xtra Long Range of up to 4,700nm – with 30 percent lower fuel burn per seat compared with previous generation competitor aircraft. To date, the A320neo Family has captured more than 6,650 orders from nearly 110 customers.
PARIS/ZURICH (Reuters) – U.S. engine maker Pratt & Whitney faces new checks on engines for small jetliners after an engine failure forced a Geneva-bound Swiss jet to divert to Paris and prompted a brief grounding of the rest of the airline’s Airbus A220 fleet.
French air crash investigators classified the problem that disrupted the Swiss flight shortly after departure from London Heathrow on Tuesday as a “serious incident” and said it would be investigated by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
It was the third engine incident involving the same airline and model of jet in as many months and resulted in a small amount of debris being scattered as the aircraft landed at Paris Charles de Gaulle, an airport source told Reuters.
It came just hours after France’s BEA agency launched an unusual appeal for 150 volunteers to scour an uninhabited wood in eastern France for a titanium engine part dating from the first blowout in July, which affected a Geneva-London flight.
A second incident in September caused a Swiss A220 to divert to Geneva, but on that occasion the engine’s housing contained fragments torn loose from the engine, the BEA said.
Swiss, owned by Germany’s Lufthansa <DLAKY>, said after Tuesday’s incident it had initially grounded its fleet of Airbus <EADSY> A220 jets for a “comprehensive inspection” of their engines.
Late on Tuesday, it said the first aircraft had already returned to service but that the inspections had forced it to cancel 100 flights, affecting 10,000 passengers.
Operations are expected to return to normal from Thursday.
ADDITIONAL CHECKS
Tuesday’s incident highlighted scrutiny of the performance of new-generation Geared Turbofan engines developed by Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp <UTX>.
A spokesman for the engine maker said it was recommending additional checks for versions of the engine that power the Airbus A220 – an engine known as the PW1500G – and a rival Brazilian jet, the Embraer 190/195-E2.
A similar engine for the larger A320neo family, Airbus’ most-sold aircraft, was not affected.
“Pratt & Whitney and our airframe OEMs (manufacturers), working in coordination with the regulatory authorities, have recommended additional inspections of the low-pressure compressor for PW1500G and PW1900G engines to keep the fleet operational,” a spokesman said.
“The engines continue to meet all criteria for continued airworthiness. We are working closely with our customers to minimise disruption to their operations.”
Prompted by the earlier incidents in July and September, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ordered inspections on the same engine part in A220s and some Embraer jets in September.
On Tuesday, Delta Air Lines <DAL> said its A220 jets were flying as normal.
Air Baltic, which also flies the A220, said it was closely following Pratt’s latest recommendations but that it used a different version of the PW1500G engine from Swiss.
A total of 90 of the 110-130-seat A220 aircraft have been delivered, initially by Canada’s Bombardier <BDRBF> which designed the carbon-fibre jet, and later by Airbus, which bought the loss-making programme last year.
Airbus said it was working with Pratt & Whitneyand would co-operate with any investigation.
In Brazil, Embraer <ERJ> had no immediate comment.
The company uses Pratt’s PW1900G engine in larger versions of its upgraded 80-120-seat E2 jets.
It has delivered six E190-E2 planes split between Norwegian carrier Wideroe and lessor Aercap <AER>, and one E195-E2, which is not yet in commercial service but has been delivered to Brazilian airline Azul SA <AZUL>.
Azul said its operations were not affected.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher in Paris, Tracy Rucinski in Chicago, John Revill in Zurich, Michael Shields in Vienna, Marcelo Rochabrun in Sao Paulo, Allison Lampert in Montreal, Laurence Frost in Paris; Editing by Jane Merriman and Matthew Lewis)
The first A220-300 for EgyptAir has successfully completed its inaugural test flight from the Mirabel assembly line. The first of 12 aircraft EgyptAir has on order is due to be delivered to the Cairo-based airline in the coming weeks.
The A220 for EgyptAir will provide passengers with superior comfort, its innovative cabin design featuring the widest economy seats of any single-aisle aircraft, and panoramic windows for more natural light. The aircraft, which is outfitted with a brand new cabin layout of 134 seats, will now enter its final phase of completion before delivery.
The A220 delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and true wide-body comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20% lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. With a range of up to 3,400 nm (6,300 km), the A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft.
More than 80 A220 aircraft are flying with five operators on regional and transcontinental routes in Asia, America, Europe and Africa, proving the great versatility of Airbus’ latest addition.
Airbus has today officially begun manufacturing the A220 in the U.S. The first team of A220 production workers began work at Airbus’ Mobile, Alabama-based production facility following their recent return from on-the-job training in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, where the A220 programme and primary final assembly line are located.
“The expansion of our commercial aircraft production in Mobile to a second product line – with 400 additional jobs to support it – further solidifies Airbus’ standing as a truly global aircraft manufacturer, and confirms without a doubt that Airbus is an important part of America’s manufacturing landscape,” said Airbus Americas Chairman & CEO C. Jeffrey Knittel. “With Mobile, and our production network in Asia, Canada and Europe, we have strategically created a worldwide industrial base to better serve our customers.”
Airbus announced plans for the addition of A220 manufacturing in Mobile in October 2017. Construction on the main A220 flowline hangar and other support buildings for the new A220 began at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley at the beginning of this year. Airbus is producing the first few aircraft within some current A320 Family buildings and newly-built support hangars. The first U.S.-made A220 – an A220-300 destined for Delta Air Lines – is scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of 2020. By the middle of the next decade, the facility will produce between 40 and 50 A220 aircraft per year.
The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market; it delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and wide-body passenger comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20% lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. The A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft. With an order book of 551 aircraft as of end of June 2019, the A220 has all the credentials to win the lion’s share of the 100-to-150-seat aircraft market, estimated to represent 7,000 aircraft over the next 20 years.
Airbus has strong and longstanding ties to the United States, with Airbus aircraft being operated by the largest airlines in America. Additionally, Airbus is a major partner of U.S. aerospace companies and workers. The company has purchased $48 billion of components and materials from American suppliers in the last three years alone, and supports more than 275,000 American jobs. Among its facilities in the U.S. Airbus has: engineering centers in Kansas and Alabama; training facilities in Florida and Colorado; materials support and headquarters in Virginia; an innovative think tank (A3) in California; a drone data analysis business (Airbus Aerial) in Atlanta, Georgia; helicopter manufacturing and assembly facilities in Texas and Mississippi; and a satellite manufacturing facility (OneWeb) in Florida.
Melbourne, 26th February 2019 – Air Vanuatu, the national flag carrier of the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, has signed a firm order with Airbus for four A220s (two A220-100s and two A220-300s). Air Vanuatu’s first ever order with Airbus makes it the launch customer of the A220 in the Pacific region.
Based at Bauerfield International Airport in the capital Port Vila, Air Vanuatu operates to 26 domestic airports and internationally to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and New Caledonia. It began services in 1987, and has played a vital role in establishing Vanuatu as a tourist and investment destination. Currently the airline operates a Boeing 737 and ATR 72 fleet.
Air Vanuatu Chief Executive Officer Derek Nice said: “We are proud to be the launch airline in the South Pacific of the best-in-class Airbus A220. These aircraft will be deployed to operate on our current domestic and international routes, including our newly announced non-stop Melbourne-Vanuatu service, and will bolster plans to expand our network in the South Pacific.”
“By ordering the A220 Air Vanuatu is making a significant investment in advanced technology and superior passenger comfort, while demonstrating its respect for fuel efficiency and the environment. Air Vanuatu’s decision to place the Airbus A220 at the centre of its expansion plans will surely keep it one step ahead of the competition,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer.
Passengers on board the A220 will experience superior cabin comfort, the widest seats and the largest windows in its market segment. The A220’s performance and range capabilities will enable Air Vanuatu to streamline its current operations and launch a growth plan that is a key pillar of Vanuatu’s economic development goals.
The A220 delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency. It brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20 percent lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft.
With an order book of over 530 aircraft to date, the A220 has all the credentials to win the lion’s share of the 100- to 150-seat aircraft market, estimated to represent at least 7,000 aircraft over the next 20 years.
About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018 it generated revenues of €64 billion restated for IFRS 15 and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.
Airbus’ manufacturing growth in the United States advanced another step today in Mobile, Alabama, as construction of the company’s A220 Manufacturing Facility officially launched with a groundbreaking ceremony. The assembly line will satisfy the strong and growing U.S. demand for the A220 aircraft, the newest offering in Airbus’ commercial aircraft product line.
Tom Enders, CEO of Airbus, and Guillaume Faury, President Airbus Commercial Aircraft led the celebration and welcomed approximately 700 attendees including Airbus and other industry executives, Airbus manufacturing employees, state and national dignitaries, and local community leaders.
The new assembly line, which is the company’s second U.S.-based commercial aircraft production facility, will be located at the Mobile Aeroplex at Brookley adjacent to the A320 Family production line and will facilitate assembly of A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft for U.S. customers. Aircraft production is planned to begin in Q3 2019; with first delivery of a Mobile assembled A220 aircraft scheduled for 2020. The new A220 production facilities will be complete by next year.
Airbus has strong and longstanding ties to the United States, with Airbus aircraft being operated by the largest airlines in America. Additionally, Airbus is a major partner of U.S. aerospace companies and workers. In the last three years, Airbus spent $48 billion in the United States with hundreds of U.S. suppliers in more than 40 states, translating into Airbus support of more than 275,000 American jobs. Among its facilities in the U.S. Airbus has: engineering centers in Kansas and Alabama; a major training facility in Florida and soon one in Colorado; materials support and headquarters in Virginia; an A320 Family assembly line delivering aircraft in Alabama; an innovative think tank (A3 ) in California; a drone data analysis business (Airbus Aerial) in Atlanta, Georgia; helicopter manufacturing and assembly facilities in Texas and Mississippi; and a satellite manufacturing facility (OneWeb) in Florida.
The A220 is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100-150 seat market; it delivers unbeatable fuel efficiency and true widebody comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. The A220 brings together state-of-the-art aerodynamics, advanced materials and Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation PW1500G geared turbofan engines to offer at least 20 percent lower fuel burn per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. With a range of up to 3,200 nm (5920 km), the A220 offers the performance of larger single-aisle aircraft.
With an order book of more than 500 aircraft to date, the A220 has all the credentials to win the lion’s share of the 100- to 150-seat aircraft market estimated to represent at least 7,000 aircraft over the next 20 years.
