Air Canada Orders Five New A220s, Lufthansa 5 Airbus A350s

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TOULOUSE- Today (December 20, 2024), Airbus secured a major follow-up order from Air Canada (AC) for five A220s and Lufthansa (LH) for an A350-1000.

This is the third order by Air Canada for A220s and the second one by Lufthansa.

Photo: Colin Cooke Photo | Wikimedia Commons

Air Canada Orders A220 Aircraft

Air Canada has strengthened its commitment to the Airbus A220 program by ordering five additional A220-300 aircraft. The announcement comes as the airline marks five years since receiving its first A220 delivery in December 2019.

The latest acquisition builds upon Air Canada’s strategic investment in the A220 program, which began with a 45-aircraft order in 2016 and expanded with 15 more planes in 2022. The new agreement brings Air Canada’s total A220-300 commitment to 65 aircraft.

Air Canada’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, John Di Bert said:

The A220 has delivered on its promises for Air Canada in its five years in service. It has allowed us to open new routes and better serve existing routes with an aircraft that has the right economics to support our profitable growth strategy. It is also very popular with customers. We are pleased to add an additional five of these aircraft, built in Mirabel, Quebec, right up the road from our Montreal headquarters and to further support Canada’s aerospace sector.”

Air Canada’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, John Di Bert

Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales Commercial Aircraft at Airbus said:

This is Air Canada’s third order for the A220 in a few years. We are committed to working closely with the flag carrier as we support its fleet renewal programme. The A220 is the most efficient aircraft in its size category, offering superior comfort with a spacious cabin and the range to fly numerous destinations on the carrier’s network.”

Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales Commercial Aircraft at Airbus

Photo: C-GJXN,17/09/20 | C-GJXN Air Canada Airbus A220-300 CYHZ | Mackenzie Cole | Flickr

First A220 Operator in North America

Air Canada established itself as North America’s first A220-300 operator in January 2020, expanding its network to serve over 70 destinations with the aircraft. The A220’s production in Mirabel, Quebec integrates directly into Canada’s aerospace industry infrastructure.

The A220 leads its market segment with superior performance metrics, accommodating 100 to 150 passengers across distances up to 3,600 nautical miles (6,700 km). Its cabin offers the widest dimensions in its class while achieving the lowest fuel consumption rates.

The aircraft’s Pratt & Whitney GTF engines deliver a 25% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions per seat. The A220 currently operates with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with Airbus targeting 100% SAF capability across its fleet by 2030.

Air Canada’s current Airbus fleet comprises 134 aircraft, including the A320 Family, A330 Family, and A220-300 models. The airline maintains an additional order for 26 A321XLRs, further expanding its Airbus fleet.

Airbus has secured nearly 900 A220 orders from 32 customers through November 2024, with approximately 380 deliveries completed. The A220 serves 23 global operators, covering more than 1,500 routes and 460 destinations.

Photo: Clément Alloing

Lufthansa Orders 5 A350-1000

Lufthansa Group has increased its A350-1000 aircraft order from ten to fifteen units, with deliveries scheduled between 2028 and 2030.

The expansion represents an investment of approximately two billion US dollars at list prices, positioning Lufthansa Group among the largest A350 customers globally with a combined fleet of 60 A350-900s and 15 A350-1000s.

Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG said:

Our today’s order underscores our great confidence in our long-standing, close and successful partnership with Airbus. With the state-of-the-art A350 long-haul jets, we are accelerating the largest fleet modernization in our history. We are investing more than ever before in our history to make air transport more sustainable, to achieve our CO₂ reduction targets and at the same time offer our customers the highest level of comfort with a first-class travel experience.

Including today’s order, the Lufthansa Group has ordered 770 aircraft from Airbus throughout its history and is proud to be the Airbus’ largest customer worldwide. With the upcoming integration of ITA Airways in January, the Airbus fleet of Lufthansa Group Airlines will grow by another 100 short- and long-haul aircraft.”

Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG

The Lufthansa Group placed an order for ten A350-1000 aircraft in March 2023, with deliveries scheduled to begin in April 2026. Measuring 73.8 meters in length, this model provides approximately 15% more capacity than the A350-900.

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