Europe-based global aerospace group Airbus reports that its smallest airliner family, the A220, is proving a most useful asset, particularly in this time of the Covid-19 pandemic. Airbus acquired the A220 programme from Canadian group Bombardier, which had designated it the C-Series.

“We have seen that while most airlines have put jet orders on hold during the pandemic, our A220 fleet has remained one of the most active due to its small size and low operating costs,” Airbus president: Africa and the Middle East Mikail Houari tells Engineering News. “This aircraft is proving to be an asset as airlines look to cut costs with major airlines like Delta keeping their A220 fleet flying and nearly 50% of the global fleet is still flying.”

The family is composed of the A220-100 and the A220-300 and covers the 100- to 150-seat segment of the market. Airbus also believes that the A220 is an “ideal” airliner for Africa because it can provide both range and flexibility to operators in a market that is “diverse and vast”.  

The aircraft is now being produced at two facilities – the original one at Montreal in Quebec, Canada, and a new one at Mobile, Alabama, in the US. The first aircraft produced at the Mobile plant, ordered by Delta Airlines, made its maiden flight on June 2.

Further up the scale, Airbus is the only manufacturer that can, and does, offer aircraft for medium density long-haul routes (the so-called 'middle of the market'). These require single-aisle airliners with long range, and Airbus currently offers its A321LR (LR: long range) in this category. Next year, its first A321XLR (standing for extra-long range) will take to the sky. Both are versions of the A321 new engine option (neo) member of the A320neo family. The A321LR entered service in late 2018 and has a range of 4 000 nautical miles (nm) with 206 passengers. The A321XLR will enter service in 2023 and will have a range of 4 700 nm. More than 450 A321XLRs have been ordered so far. 

"The requirement to build the A321LR and A321XLR models was to enable airlines to operate a lower-cost single-aisle aircraft on long range markets that cannot sustain widebody operation," he explains. "Both these aircraft are excellent performers for long-haul routes that will evolve to widebody operations."

They will not displace widebodies on high density routes. "The vast majority of routes operated by widebody airliners today will continue to be operated by widebodies once the world reopens for business," he affirms. "During the crisis airlines have stored their widebody fleets in serviceable condition so that they can quickly return to service when demand returns."

Airbus' widebody types are the A330, A330neo, A350XWB families and the A380, with the conventionally engined A330 and A380 being phased out of production.

Nearly all operational A380s were grounded as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. "We are confident that the majority of the A380 fleet will return to service," says Houari. "Airlines do not want to be left short of capacity for the recovery. We believe there may still be opportunities for used A380s for specific operations or with existing operators looking to replace older examples of the type. The A380 works for airlines on dense routes where infrastructure is limited and second-hand A380s could offer opportunities to new operators."