Air France-KLM Group is busy with Airbus again – this time firming up an order for some of its short-haul aircraft.
The airline has firmed up its order for the Airbus A220, following on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in June this year.
Air France Airbus A220-300, Rendering – Airbus.
They will take delivery of 60 Airbus A220-300 (the larger variant of the A220).
The aircraft will go to Air France, which will be used to replace older short-haul aircraft.
In Quotes
Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer said
“We are glad to see that Air France is endorsing the A220 as a great step towards fleet optimisation for large network carriers. The largest Airbus A220 order from a European carrier to date speaks volumes on Air France’s ambitious sustainability drive. The modern and fuel efficient Airbus A220 will contribute to lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions significantly compared to older generation aircraft,”
Saying farewell to the A318 and A319
Currently, Air France is a major Airbus operator – with a fleet of 159 Airbus aircraft. In terms of narrow-bodied aircraft, this is split down by
- 18 Airbus A318
- 33 Airbus A319
- 44 Airbus A320
- 20 Airbus A321
In total, the 60 aircraft will replace the smaller narrow-bodied aircraft (A318 and A319) – 51 frames in total.
The order for 60 A220s (which can hold 149 passengers in its densest configuration) should cover these aircraft nicely (with the A318 holding 131 passengers and the A319 holding 143 passengers), whilst providing some room for growth.
Passengers should notice the difference too – with a 2-3 seating layout to boot.
How the aircraft will be configured inside and what seating products Air France will install on their new aircraft – is, of course, another matter.
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