Air Canada today announced that it has converted options for 15 Airbus A220-300 aircraft into firm orders, bringing to 60 the total number of the Canadian-built aircraft it will acquire for its fleet.
“This expanded order for the A220, built up the road from our Montreal headquarters, is an important development in the modernization of our fleet and a clear indication that we are emerging from the pandemic solidly positioned for the future.
The A220 has become a mainstay of our narrowbody fleet, and its performance and passenger comfort are enabling us to compete effectively in the North American market,” said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive of Air Canada.
With a firm order for 45 aircraft and 30 options, Air Canada placed its inaugural order for the A220, also known as the Bombardier C Series, in 2016.
Air Canada received its first A220 in January 2020, the airline has 31 A220s in its fleet, with two more deliveries anticipated in 2022. The 15 further aircraft are expected to be delivered in 2026, with six more being delivered in 2024 and five more in 2025. The A220s used by Air Canada are all produced at Mirabel.
The cutting-edge and fuel-efficient A220 is helping Air Canada stick to its promise to achieve net zero emissions from all global operations by 2050. When compared to aircraft of an earlier generation, it results in fuel consumption per seat reductions of 25%, CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions reductions of 25%, and NOx (nitrogen oxides) emissions that are 50% below CAEP/6 norms. Additionally, the A220 reduces airplane noise by 50% compared to earlier generations.
The Airbus A220 Family’s development and production facilities are in Mirabel, Quebec. At its A220 headquarters and manufacturing facilities, Airbus presently employs more than 2,500 people, and it anticipates reaching over 3,000 in the near future.
As the program ramps up to reach its maximum production capacity in the middle of the decade, there are now 6 A220s manufactured per month and 14 A220s are anticipated to be produced each month.
Since going into service, the Air Canada-owned A220-300, which has 137 seats in Business and Economy, has accumulated approximately 120,000 flight hours.
