Toulouse / Mirabel, 10 July 2018 – Airbus has revealed its new A220 family at a ceremony held at its Henri-Ziegler Delivery Centre, near Toulouse, France. Witnessed by Airbus employees and members of the global news media, the Bombardier C-series CS300 now transformed into the Airbus A220-300 landed directly from the painting shop at 12:25 am CEST wearing its new Airbus name and colours.
The newly named A220 family comprises two models, the A220-100 and A220-300, formerly Bombardier’s C Series (CS100 and CS300). The aircraft are fully optimized for the 100 to 150 seat market and quite perfectly complement Airbus’ current existing best-selling A320neo family.“Everyone at Airbus has been looking forward to this historic moment. Today, we are thrilled to welcome the A220 to the Airbus family and are honoured to see it wearing its new Airbus coloursfor the first time,” said Guillaume Faury, Airbus President Commercial Aircraft, “I pay tribute to all the women and men at Bombardier and the supply chain who have strived over the past years to bring this fantastic aircraft to the world. The A220 now enters a new phase in its career with all Airbus’ resources behind it to further its commercial success worldwide.”
Eric Schulz, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer, added: “We are enthusiastic about selling the A220 thanks in particular to its technology which gives it a decisive edge in a very competitive market. I have received a lot of positive feedback from customers regarding the aircraft’s outstanding passenger experience, its lower fuel burn, lower weight and quieter engines. All these reasons contribute to my optimism that Airbus will support to make the A220 a great commercial success.”
The former Bombardier single-aisle CS100 and CS300 are now part of the large Airbus airliner family since the recent take-over of the cash-strapped Canadian aeronautical company by European financial interests earlier this year, echoing Boeing take-over of Embraer’s civil line recently. By chance the “220” tag fits really well under that of Airbus’ A300 series epitomized by the A319/320/321. The A220 will also bring much fresh air to the European line of medium size single-aisle jetliners and all the while help in competing with Boeing-Embraer’s new E2 series.
