Delta Air Lines is adding a dozen Airbus A220-300s to its purchase plans, taking its total firm order count for the narrowbody aircraft to 107. The European airframer announced the deal on Tuesday, confirming that Delta is now set to take a further 62 A220-300s and 45 A220-100s, both of which are powered by Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engines.
The A220 family seats between 100 and 160 passengers, operating on routes of up to 3,450 nm. In October 2018, Delta became the U.S. launch operator for the former Bombardier CSeries aircraft when it received initial deliveries. As of the end of June, it had 56 A220s in its fleet, along with 249 A320s, 57 A330s, and 26 A350-900s.
“The A220-300 is economical, efficient, and delivers superior performance,” said Mahendra Nair, Delta senior v-p for fleet and TechOps supply chain. “These additional aircraft in the A220 family are an excellent investment for our customers and employees and will be fundamental as we work toward a more sustainable future for air travel.”
Airbus has delivered 220 A220s to 15 airlines on four continents. According to Airbus chief commercial officer Christian Scherer, its combination of transcontinental range and short airfield performance makes it a competitive option for airlines.
