Airbus has celebrated the fifth year anniversary of when its newest family member landed in its new livery and officially became the A220.

The aircraft was a strategic addition that has enabled the company to offer a comprehensive range of commercial aircraft.

Since joining the Airbus family in July 2018, the A220 has significantly spread its wings over the past five years. The aircraft has more than doubled its order book and multiplied by more than five the number of operators worldwide.

The A220’s significant growth during the past years was made possible as the programme’s industrial means were substantially strengthened. This includes the addition of a final assembly line at the Airbus site in Mobile, Alabama, US in 2020 and a sub-assembly line at the Airbus A220 programme’s headquarters in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada in 2022.

These investments have allowed the A220’s production rate to accelerate, confirming that the programme is on the right track to reach its maximum production capacity of 14 aircraft per month towards the middle of the decade.

Today, with more than 260 aircraft in service, the A220 fleet has travelled over one billion kilometres and connected more than 90 million passengers across the globe. Flying on more than 1,100 routes – ranging from 30 minutes to 8 hours, thanks to the aircraft’s high versatility – to over 375 destinations worldwide. This small but mighty bird offers 25% less fuel burn and CO2 emissions compared with previous-generation aircraft.

The A220 also offers 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards – and with an order book for around 800 aircraft, the flightpath ahead is a promising one.

Being part of the Airbus family has certainly propelled the A220, an aircraft that plays an essential role in the company’s commitment to its decarbonisation targets. The A220 is already capable of flying with a blend of up to 50% of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and, like all other Airbus commercial aircraft, will be certified for 100% SAF capability by 2030.

The A220’s continued growth since July 2018 was made possible thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Airbus teams around the world. Since its establishment in Quebec five years ago, Airbus has created more than 1,000 direct jobs in this Canadian province and is looking to hire an additional 700 people in 2023 to work on the A220 Programme.

Airbus will continue to invest locally in research and development, collaborate with local partners and contribute to the sustainable growth of the aerospace industry. This includes the preparation of the next generation, where hundreds of thousands of dollars have been donated locally, namely in scholarships to institutions, and via a mentoring programme initiated by the Airbus Foundation.

www.airbus.com