airBaltic Unveils its 40th Airbus A220-300 aircraft in Latvian flag livery in Canada

Mirabel – 11 March 2023 – The Latvian airline airBaltic in a special event together with the aircraft manufacturer Airbus unveiled its 40th A220-300 aircraft in a livery of the Latvian flag colours, honouring the great, long-standing collaboration ties between Latvia and Canada.

Martin Gauss, President and CEO of airBaltic: “More than six years ago, airBaltic became the global launch operator of the A220-300 aircraft. Over the years, the aircraft type has grown to be the backbone of our operations, and we continue to be a proud ambassador of it. These years have shown a great collaboration and friendship between us as the national airline of Latvia and our partners in Canada, therefore we are glad to be here today, celebrating this aircraft and all the work we have done together. It is an incredible pride and honour to have this aircraft be a part of our growing fleet of A220-300s.”

Rob Dewar, Senior Vice President, Customer Satisfaction, Services, and A220 Product Policy at Airbus Canada: “The unveiling of airBaltic’s 40th A220-300, which will be proudly flying in the colours of the Latvian flag, is an important moment for us all at Airbus Canada. This aircraft symbolises a long-standing collaboration and continued partnership with airBaltic as we are pursuing our shared journey to bring passengers the most sustainable and comfortable flying experience. The A220 has reached over 1 million flight hours and connected more than 70 million passengers thus far.”

airBaltic’s 40th A220-300 aircraft, registered as YL-ABN, is planned to join the airline’s fleet in early April 2023 with a special event also held in Riga, Latvia, to celebrate this milestone. This will be the second A220-300 in the airline’s fleet with a special Latvian flag livery.

Thus far, airBaltic has carried nearly 11 000 000 passengers on the Airbus A220-300 aircraft. Airbus A220-300s of the airline have completed more than 126 000 flights and flown over 275 000 block hours.

Since May 2020, airBaltic operates all its flights with a single aircraft type – Airbus A220-300 – thus minimizing the complexity and benefiting from the additional efficiency provided by the aircraft.

The Airbus A220-300 has performed beyond the company’s expectations, delivering better overall performance, fuel efficiency and convenience for both passengers and staff. This aircraft offers an excellent flying experience with such benefits for passengers as wider seats, larger windows, more hand luggage space in the cabin, improved lavatories and much more.

In addition, the aircraft is also considerably quieter – with a noise footprint area up to 50% smaller than previous generation aircraft. Moreover, at the moment, the A220 has the world’s smallest single-aisle carbon footprint, helping to reduce CO2 and NOX emissions by 25% and 50%, respectively. It was also the first aircraft to have a transparent declaration of the life-cycle environmental impact.

airBaltic in brief:

airBaltic (Air Baltic Corporation AS) connects the Baltic region with over 70 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and the CIS. Over the last 27 years, airBaltic has developed as a strong, profitable, and internationally respected airline, which employs more than 2200 employees. airBaltic is by far the best-known international brand in Latvia and responsible for more than 2.5% of the Latvian GDP. airBaltic operates 39 Airbus A220-300 aircraft. airBaltic has received numerous international awards for excellence and innovative services. Skytrax has awarded Latvian airline airBaltic a five–star COVID-19 safety rating and the Best Airline in Eastern Europe in 2022. In addition, airBaltic is one of the Top twenty airlines for COVID-19 compliance by the safety, product, and COVID-19 rating agency Airlineratings.com. In 2018 and 2019 airBaltic received the ATW Airline Industry Achievement Award as the Market Leader of the Year. In addition, in 2019 airBaltic received Sector Leadership Award by Airline Business. airBaltic is a joint stock company that was established in 1995.

Airbus Continues to Expand Its Canadian Footprint: Airbus Looking to Fill over 800 Positions

Airbus is stepping up its search for new talent to continue supporting the local aerospace industry and accelerate the production rate of the A220 aircraft

MIRABEL, QC, Feb. 22, 2023 /CNW/ – To support the ramp-up of its A220 commercial aircraft production and to meet opportunities in the helicopters and defence, and space fields, Airbus plans to recruit more than 800 new employees in Canada in 2023, including approximately 500 for the creation of new positions, reflecting the growth of its operations in Canada. These new hires will be essential to maintaining its position as a leading player in the Canadian aerospace sector, ensuring the full potential of the A220 and supporting the decarbonization of air transport.

“Airbus continues to have great ambitions for Canada. After recruiting more than 800 new employees and creating more than 400 positions for the A220 in Mirabel in 2022, we are pleased to announce that we will hire more than 800 additional employees across the country in 2023 – including approximately 700 in Quebec,” said Benoît Schultz, President and CEO of Airbus Canada.

Airbus’s recruitment needs in Canada are diverse, ranging from helicopters to defence, space to commercial aircraft – from sub-component assembly to flight operations – and include production and quality, engineering, IT and customer service. Two-thirds of the workforce will be in support functions, while one-third will be in production.

An Inclusive Employer with a Reputation for Excellence

“I call on those who want to make sustainable aerospace a reality to join our team. In 2023, we aim to allocate one-third of our positions to young graduates and early-career professionals and maintain our goal to have 33% of new hires and promotions allocated to women, supporting our commitment to being an inclusive employer and contributing to diversity within our industry,” concluded Benoît Schultz, President and CEO of Airbus Canada.

Airbus was recently awarded the “Top Employers” certification in Canada by the Top Employers Institute, an independent global authority that recognizes excellence in people management and human resources policies. Indeed, Airbus Canada offers some of the most competitive working conditions on the market, including numerous benefits and an attractive teleworking policy. Airbus Canada will also maintain its university scholarship program worth $200,000 in various Quebec institutions until 2024, in addition to numerous partnerships within institutions in Ontario and Quebec.

A Strong and Growing Canadian Presence

In Canada, more than 4,000 individuals work at the ten sites and offices of Airbus and its subsidiaries. Major manufacturing facilities include the A220 commercial aircraft program headquarters (close to 3,000) and Stelia Aerospace (approximately 600), both located in Mirabel, Quebec, and Airbus Helicopters Canada (approximately 250) in Fort Erie, Ontario and Navblue (over 160) in Waterloo, Ontario. Additional Airbus sites and subsidiaries are located in Ontario, Nova Scotia and Quebec.

Airbus’ presence in Canada contributes to approximately 23,000 indirect jobs and generates nearly CA $2 billion in revenues for around 700 Canadian companies.

To learn more about the wide range of opportunities at Airbus, potential candidates can visit the Airbus job platform at airbus.com/en/careers, where more than 150 positions are already posted.

For more information about Airbus in Canada, please visit our website here.

The Airbus A220: A Story Of Success and Future Growth

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Airbus invests in climate solutions company, Carbon Engineering Ltd. to support world’s largest direct air carbon capture R&D facility

Airbus @CarbonEngineer #DACCS #SustainableAviation

TOULOUSE, FRANCE, Nov. 17, 2022 /CNW/ – Airbus invests in Carbon Engineering Ltd., a Canadian-based climate solutions company, operating the largest Direct Air Carbon Capture (DACC) Research & Development facility in the world. 

The investment will contribute to funding part of Carbon Engineering’s advanced direct air capture R&D technologies at the company’s Innovation Centre in Squamish, B.C., Canada.

“Carbon Engineering’s Direct Air Capture technology provides a scalable, affordable solution to decarbonize aviation,” said Daniel Friedmann, CEO, Carbon Engineering. “We are thankful to Airbus for taking action and continuing to lead the way by helping accelerate solutions for the industry and for the climate.”

“We are proud to be investing in Carbon Engineering, reaffirming our commitment to the use of direct air carbon capture as a two-fold solution for the decarbonisation of the aviation industry,” said Karine Guenan, VP ZEROe Ecosystem, Airbus.

DACC is a high-potential technology that involves capturing CO2 emissions directly from the air using high powered fans. Once removed from the air, the CO2 can be used to produce power-to-liquid Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) that is drop-in compatible with today’s aircraft. 

As the aviation industry cannot capture all CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere at source, captured atmospheric CO2 can also be safely and permanently stored in geologic reservoirs. This latter carbon removal solution would allow the sector to extract the equivalent amount of emissions from its operations directly from the air, thereby counterbalancing residual emissions.

The investment in Carbon Engineering is a key part of Airbus’ global climate strategy, which encourages the development and deployment of direct air capture technology, among a number of technological pathways in support of the aviation industry’s decarbonisation ambitions. The transaction is also a key element of Airbus’ strategy to grow its contribution to the Canadian economy. Airbus supports the recently-launched Clean Technology Key Industrial Capability in Canada, under the Industrial and Technological Benefits Policy.

For more information on Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage, click here.

Airbus, Air Canada, Air France-KLM, easyJet, International Airlines Group, LATAM Airlines Group, Lufthansa Group and Virgin Atlantic sign Letters of Intent to explore carbon removal solutions for aviation

Farnborough, 18 July 2022 – Airbus and a number of major airlines – Air Canada, Air France-KLM, easyJet, International Airlines Group, LATAM Airlines Group, Lufthansa Group and Virgin Atlantic – have signed Letters of Intent (LoI) to explore opportunities for a future supply of carbon removal credits from direct air carbon capture technology. 

Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) is a high-potential technology that involves filtering and removing CO₂ emissions directly from the air using high powered fans. Once removed from the air, the CO₂ is safely and permanently stored in geologic reservoirs. As the aviation industry cannot capture CO₂ emissions released into the atmosphere at source, a direct air carbon capture and storage solution would allow the sector to extract the equivalent amount of emissions from its operations directly from atmospheric air. 

Carbon removals via direct air capture technology complement other solutions that deliver CO₂ reductions, such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), by addressing remaining emissions that cannot be directly eliminated.

As part of the agreements, the airlines have committed to engage in negotiations on the possible pre-purchase of verified and durable carbon removal credits starting in 2025 through to 2028. The carbon removal credits will be issued by Airbus’ partner 1PointFive – a subsidiary of Occidental’s Low Carbon Ventures business and the global deployment partner of direct air capture company Carbon Engineering. Airbus’ partnership with 1PointFive includes the pre-purchase of 400,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits to be delivered over four years. 

“We are already seeing strong interest from airlines to explore affordable and scalable carbon removals,” said Julie Kitcher, Executive Vice President Communications and Corporate Affairs, Airbus. “These first letters of intent mark a concrete step towards the use of this promising technology for both Airbus’ own decarbonisation plan and the aviation sector’s ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

“We’re excited to partner with Airbus. Carbon removal credits from direct air capture offer a practical, near-term and lower cost pathway that enables the aviation industry to advance its decarbonisation goals,” said Michael Avery, 1PointFive’s President.

“Air Canada is proud to support the early adoption of direct air capture and storage as we and the aviation industry move forward on the path to decarbonisation,” said Teresa Ehman, Senior Director, Environmental Affairs at Air Canada. “While we are in the early days of a long journey and much remains to be done, this technology is one of the many important levers that will be needed, along with many others, including sustainable aviation fuel and increasingly efficient and new technology aircraft, to decarbonise the aviation industry.”

“Sustainability is an integral part of the Air France-KLM Group’s strategy. While we activate all levers already at our disposal to reduce our carbon footprint – including fleet renewal, SAF incorporation and eco-piloting, we are also active partners in research and innovation, advancing knowledge on emerging technology in order to improve its price and efficiency. In addition to CO2 capture and storage, the technology opens up very interesting perspectives for the production of synthetic sustainable aviation fuel. The letter of intent we are signing with Airbus today embodies the collaborative approach the aviation industry has initiated to find effective solutions that meet the challenge of our environmental transition. Only together can we address the climate emergency,” said Fatima da Gloria de Sousa, VP Sustainability Air France-KLM.

Jane Ashton, easyJet’s Director of Sustainability, said: “Direct air capture is a nascent technology with a huge potential, so we are very pleased to be part of this important initiative. We believe that carbon removal solutions will be an essential element of our pathway to net zero, complementing other components and helping us to neutralise any residual emissions in the future. Ultimately, our ambition is to achieve zero carbon emission flying, and we are working with partners across the industry, including Airbus, on several dedicated projects to accelerate the development of future zero carbon emission aircraft technology.” 

Jonathon Counsell, IAG´s Head of Sustainability, said: “Our industry’s transition will require a

variety of solutions, including new aircraft, sustainable aviation fuels and emerging technologies. Carbon removal will play an important role in enabling our sector to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

“DACCS represents an innovative way not only to remove net carbon from the atmosphere, but it also has the potential to play a part in the development of synthetic sustainable aviation fuels,” said Juan José Tohá, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director, LATAM Airlines Group. “There is no silver bullet for decarbonising the industry and we will rely on a combination of measures to reach our net-zero ambitions, including greater efficiencies, sustainable aviation fuels and new technologies, supported by the conservation of strategic ecosystems and quality offsets.”

Caroline Drischel, Head of Corporate Responsibility of Lufthansa Group said: “Achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 is key for the Lufthansa Group. This involves billion euro investments in continuous fleet modernisation and our strong commitment to Sustainable Aviation Fuels. In addition we are exploring new technologies, like advanced and safe carbon capture and storage processes.”

Holly Boyd-Boland, Virgin Atlantic’s VP Corporate Development, said: “Reducing Virgin Atlantic’s carbon footprint is our number one climate action priority. Alongside our fleet transformation programme, fuel-efficient operations and supporting the commercial scalability of sustainable aviation fuels, the removal of CO₂ directly from the atmosphere through innovative carbon capture and storage technologies becomes a powerful tool in reaching our target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. We look forward to partnering with Airbus and 1PointFive to accelerate the development of Direct Air Carbon Capture and Permanent Storage solutions alongside our industry peers.”

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), carbon removal is required to help the world go beyond climate mitigation and to support the achievement of net-zero targets. In addition, according to the Air Transport Action Group’s (ATAG) Waypoint 2050 report, offsets (mainly in the form of carbon removals) will be needed – between 6% and 8% – to make up any remaining shortfalls in emissions above the goal. 

For more information on Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage, click here.

Airbus Canada Delivers its 220th A220

12 July 2022

The A220 confirms its breakthrough on the small single-aisle market

60 millions passengers, more than 700 routes and over 760 orders in the backlog. Airbus celebrates this week the 220^th A220 delivery six years after its entry into service. A fast growth that highlights the A220 breakthrough on the small single-aisle market. Check-it out!

The 220^th A220 – an A220-300 – was recently delivered to JetBlue, the largest A220 customer with 100 A220s on order and already 10 in service. Beyond a symbol, the 220^th A220 marks an important milestone for Airbus and its successful single-aisle Family six years after the first aircraft – an A220-100 – was handed over to the Programme’s launch operator SWISS International Air Lines. 
 

A game-changing aircraft for operator

Six years later, the A220 continuously attracts operators and passengers, offering both high flexibility – from 30 minutes to seven hours flights – and efficiency – with 25% less fuel burn & CO₂ emissions and 50% less noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft. And many airlines across the world including Air Canada, Air France and JetBlue have selected the A220 to reach their environmental targets, as part of a collective effort to lead the aerospace industry’s decarbonisation journey. To date, the A220 Family proudly flies in the liveries of more than 15 airlines on over 700 routes and 300 destinations worldwide.

Opening new horizons for passengers

In the last six years, the A220 has been able to unlock numerous routes for passengers from North America to Asia Pacific, Africa and Europe, connecting around 60 millions passengers who enjoyed a bright cabin with large panoramic windows, wider seats, offering them superior comfort and personal space. On the North American continent, where the A220 is headquartered and built, airlines such as JetBlue, Breeze Airways, Air Canada and Delta Air Lines, have always been focused on the passenger experience, and the A220 fits perfectly with that philosophy by offering true widebody comfort in a single-aisle aircraft. This is also the case in Europe with Latvia-based airBaltic which has been flying an exclusive A220-300 fleet since 2020 and has made the A220 its operation backbone offering passengers a unique flying experience. In the U.S., the A220 is also highly appreciated for providing non-stop service between underserved routes at affordable fares, offering point-to-point flights from smaller secondary airports, and bypassing hubs for shorter travel times.

 

Meeting the growing demand

With an A220 order book that has more than doubled since 2018, Airbus is expanding its industrial footprint to support the increasing demand for the A220. In addition to the headquartered final assembly line (FAL) in Mirabel, Canada, Airbus extended its A220 assembly capacity to the U.S.-based A320 FAL located in Mobile, Alabama in January 2019. More recently, Mirabel welcomed an additional pre-assembly line, becoming the first Airbus pre-FAL located outside of Europe. This expansion will allow Airbus to more than double the current A220 production rates to 14 aircraft per month by the middle of this decade and meet a market need estimated to represent at least 7,000 aircraft over the next 20 years, namely due to the current acceleration in aging aircraft fleet replacement needs. The A220 has taken off and is on a path to great success, flying towards an exciting future, one that Airbus Teams around the world are committed to!

The A220 Family

Why the Qantas A220 will be a game-changer for passengers

Web News • 13 June 2022

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Airbus Canada A220 site in Mirabel expands with the addition of a 125,000 ft2 sub-assembly area

• Concentration of aircraft fuselage section preparation at one location
• Supporting A220 aircraft production ramp up, expected to more than double

MIRABEL, QC, March 29, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ – An additional 125,000 ft² (11,600 m²) area to support the upstream assembly of A220 aircraft subcomponents has been unveiled by Airbus in Mirabel. The additional space, equivalent to more than seven NHL ice hockey rinks, has been designed to support the A220 production ramp up capacity, which is expected to more than double in the next few years. It is Airbus’ first subcomponents pre-assembly zone (“pre-FAL”) outside Europe. With this latest addition, Airbus Canada’s A220 site in Mirabel is now close to 1.4 million ft² (130,000 m²) and employs over 2,500 people.

“It is a great pleasure to unveil today our new sub-assembly area, which will contribute to more than doubling the A220 aircraft production capacity over the next few years. The expansion of our Mirabel site, with the addition of this new zone, is a clear signal ofAirbus’ confidence in the A220 programme. The pre-FAL is central to ensuring the success of the A220 production ramp-up,” said Benoît Schultz, Chief Executive Officer, Airbus Canada, during the official visit, held in Mirabel with employees, the Quebec Minister of Economy and Innovation, M. Pierre Fitzgibbon, representatives of Investissement Quebec as well as Airbus executives.

“The new Mirabel pre-assembly plant will enable Airbus to reduce its assembly costs and boost the A220 program’s competitiveness. This news confirms the strategic positioning of the aerospace industry in Quebec,” said Pierre Fitzgibbon, Quebec Minister of Economy and Innovation.

This new sub-assembly area will increase the efficiency of A220 production operations and significantly reduce the time required for the aircraft final assembly. From now on, the preparation of aircraft fuselage sections will be concentrated in one location. After sub-assembly, these components will be sent to one of the two A220 final assembly sites in either Mirabel, Quebec or Mobile, Alabama. This new process will enable the A220 production rate to increase from six  aircraft a month to 14 aircraft per month by the middle of the decade.

The new A220 Pre-FAL construction works began about a year ago, and required collaboration with major local suppliers. Around 250 employees from the Mirabel A220 site supported the preparation of the new sub-assembly operations in this area. Over the past few months, these employees have received customized trainings to help them transition from working on a fixed workstation to working on a “pulsed line”.

🔗 Link to Video

The Mirabel A220 site is the headquarters of the A220 programme. In addition to this new pre-assembly line and two final assembly lines, Mirabel site also includes engineering, support functions, in-service support as well as development and delivery to customers. A second assembly site is also located in Mobile, Alabama, U.S.A., and is dedicated to the final assembly and delivery of A220 aircraft for the U.S. market.

To date, more than 25 customers have placed firm orders for 740 A220 aircraft out of which around 200 have been delivered to over 15 customers. The Airbus Canada Limited Partnership, which is responsible for the A220 aircraft programme, hastwo shareholders: Airbus, which holds 75% of the shares, and Investissement Québec, which holds 25%.

Airbus in Canada

With a presence in several Canadian provinces, Airbus has approximately 4,000 employees across the country and generates more than 23,000 indirect jobs in the Canadian aerospace sector through various collaborations. Thus, Airbus procures from approximately 665 suppliers in nine Canadian provinces, for an approximate value of CAD$ 1.8 billion. All Airbus divisions are present in Canada: commercial aircraft (A220) in Mirabel, QC, helicopters in Fort Erie, ON, and defence and space in Ottawa, ON. Airbus’ wholly-owned subsidiaries, STELIA Aerospace and NAVBLUE, also have operations in the country.

Air Canada reportedly in talks to add Airbus A321s as COVID subsides

From BNN Bloomberg News 🔗 link to source story

Charlotte Ryan, Siddharth Philip and Layan Odeh, Bloomberg News | 23 February 2022

Air Canada is in talks with Airbus SE about adding longer-distance A321neo jets alongside its fleet of Boeing Co. 737 narrowbodies as travel demand rebounds, people with knowledge of the matter said.

The carrier is looking at ordering 10 to 20 aircraft, one of the people said. The negotiations are preliminary and may not lead to a deal, according to the people, who asked not to be named discussing matters that aren’t public.

While Air Canada was an established operator of Airbus’s original A320 family, it chose the Boeing Max in the contest between new-generation planes. Adding a small fleet of A321neos would bring a further boost for an Airbus model that can carry 220 people in two classes over longer distances than the rival Max 10.

Air Canada is also talking with jet lessors about sourcing the A321s, one of the people said.

An Airbus spokeswoman declined to comment on any discussions the company may have with customers. 

Air Canada referenced a Feb. 18 conference call, when Chief Executive Officer Michael Rousseau discussed fleet renewal initiatives as the airline emerges from the pandemic. Last May, the CEO said that Airbus A321LR, or long range, models “potentially have a place in the Air Canada fleet as we go forward.”
 

AIRLINE PIVOTS

Other airlines have also returned to growth mode, looking ahead to fielding newer, less-polluting planes in the post-pandemic era as the drag on demand caused by the coronavirus starts to lift.

Qatar Airways, JetBlue Airways Corp. and Allegiant Travel Co. are among carriers making fresh narrow-body commitments since the start of the year. 

IAG SA, the parent of British Airways, is in advanced talks on a mixed order for dozens of single-aisle jets, including up to 50 Boeing Co. 737 Max and Airbus A320s also being discussed, Reuters reported earlier, citing industry sources. 

The order would be a step down from the 200-plane Max commitment to announced with fanfare at the Paris air show in 2019, yet it would still mark a victory for Boeing after IAG reopened the contest last year. IAG currently operates Airbus narrow-bodies.
 

AIR CANADA PLANS

Air Canada, which said Tuesday it will relaunch 34 international routes, announced last week that it had reinstated a commitment for 12 Airbus A220s, a smaller jet originally designed and built by Canada’s Bombardier Inc. 

The deliveries were canceled in 2020 after the virus stifled demand and Air Canada struggled to secure pandemic aid from the government. The carrier also scaled back its Boeing Max deal by a third to 40, and deferred some of those handovers. 

In November, Air Canada changed course, accelerating Max deliveries and reversing two of the A220 cancellations to restore its network.

As it stands, the fleet comprises around 170 aircraft, including older A320s and a Boeing-dominated wide-body lineup.

The A321, prized by airlines for its combination of capacity and range, is in short supply with yearslong production backlogs. Airbus’s cancellation of a Qatar Airways order amid a contract dispute could free up some capacity, though a London judge has ordered the manufacturer to hold the slots for now.

JetBlue Adds 30 Airbus A220s to Order Book, Further Enhancing the Financial and Operational Performance of Its Next Generation Fleet

JetBlue Converts 30 Aircraft Options to Firm Order, Accelerating E190 Retirement

Airbus A220 aircraft. Photo courtesy of JetBlue. (Photo: Business Wire)

February 15, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today announced an agreement to exercise its option to add 30 additional Airbus A220-300 aircraft to its order book, bringing the total number of A220s in the airline’s fleet and on order to 100. The aircraft’s strong economics and operational performance are a key to JetBlue’s long-term cost performance, while also enabling more sustainable flying, greater flexibility to support JetBlue’s network strategy, and the introduction of its all-new onboard experience to more customers.

“We’re already seeing benefits from the eight A220s we’ve added to the fleet, and we’re very happy to have more on the way”

“We’re already seeing benefits from the eight A220s we’ve added to the fleet, and we’re very happy to have more on the way,” said Robin Hayes, chief executive officer, JetBlue. “We’ve seen double-digit increases in customer satisfaction scores, and these fuel-efficient aircraft support our leadership in reducing carbon emissions. With 30 additional A220s on order, we’re in a position to accelerate our fleet modernization plans to deliver stronger cost performance and support our focus city network strategy.”

“It is very rewarding to see a happy customer coming back for more aircraft not even a year after entry into service of its first A220. We salute our friends at JetBlue on this landmark deal,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and Head of Airbus International. “Over 700 A220 orders to date underscore the strong market appetite for this all-new single aisle aircraft.”

In 2018, JetBlue announced its initial order of 60 A220s and the option for 60 additional aircraft. JetBlue converted 10 of 60 options to firm orders in 2019, and the 30 A220s announced today will enable acceleration of the retirement of JetBlue’s Embraer E190 fleet.

Exceptional Fuel Efficiency & Economics

The A220 offers nearly 30 percent lower direct operating costs per seat compared to the fleet it is replacing, supporting the airline’s focus on keeping costs low. Additionally, the aircraft’s range and seating capacity will add flexibility to JetBlue’s network strategy as it targets growth in its focus cities, including options for transcontinental flying and opening the door to new markets and routes not feasible with the airline’s existing fleet.

The A220 is powered exclusively by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, which deliver double-digit improvements in fuel and carbon emissions. Optimizing fuel burn is an important first step in JetBlue’s sustainability strategy, and prioritizing fuel-efficient aircraft and engines aligns with JetBlue’s approach to reducing emissions. Earlier this year, JetBlue became the first major U.S. airline to achieve carbon neutrality for all domestic flights, and later announced its plans to achieve net zero carbon emissions across all operations by 2040.

Considerable Comfort

The A220’s spacious and comfortable cabin makes it the perfect fit for JetBlue, which has consistently led U.S. airlines in onboard experience.

The airline’s A220s are outfitted with 140 Collins Meridian seats, customized around customer feedback and featuring a number of design elements with comfort and convenience in mind. Seating is arranged in a two-by-three configuration offering multiple seating options for all party sizes and includes USB-C, USB-A and AC power at every seat. JetBlue – which offers the most legroom in coach^a – maximizes the A220’s ultra-modern design to create an elevated customer experience throughout the interior.

Keeping customers connected and entertained is also on display aboard JetBlue’s A220 with Thales AVANT and ViaSat-2 connectivity. With this system, JetBlue offers every customer high-definition screens at every seat and personalized entertainment choices. Additionally, JetBlue is the only U.S. carrier with free high-speed Fly-Fi^® on every plane, providing customers with the ability to connect an unlimited number of devices to stream, surf, or chat during the entire flight, from gate to gate. Fly-Fi^® connectivity is available in nearly every region that JetBlue flies^b.

Every aspect of the aircraft has been meticulously customized to create the perfect environment to deliver JetBlue’s award-winning service. Customer comfort is enhanced with bigger windows for better views and a more spacious feel, reconfigured overhead bins for additional carry-on bag capacity and custom LED mood lighting designed to provide a more soothing inflight experience with lighting scenarios that change with time of day or phase of flight.

Future of the Fleet

JetBlue’s first A220 aircraft arrived in December 2020 and the airline is on track to take delivery of its ninth A220 this month. Nine more are scheduled for delivery in 2022, followed by another 21 in 2023. Ultimately, these A220s will replace the airline’s E190s, with the last E190 exiting in 2026.

JetBlue’s initial order for 60 A220 aircraft was announced in July 2018.