Airlines First JetBlue Airbus A220 takes to the skies

The first JetBlue Airbus A220-300 has successfully taken off to its first flight at Airbus´s Final Assembly Line (FAL) at Mobile, Alabama. The aircraft performed its test sequences and landed safely in the afternoon.

It is the first of 70 A220 aircraft for the New York-based carrier and therefore represents a huge milestone for the airline. JetBlue is expecting to take delivery of the aircraft before year end.

During the 2019 Paris Air Show, JetBlue ordered 10 additional A220s, after the airline initially ordered 60 aircraft in January last year. When all aircraft are delivered, JetBlue is one of the largest A220 operators in the world.

The first A220-300 aircraft for JetBlue will be configured in a single-class cabin variant and is mainly introduced by the carrier to perform short-haul feeder flights to the hub´s of JetBlue. The aircraft features a new tailfin livery called “Hops”.

“The A220 aircraft’s combined range and seating capacity add flexibility to JetBlue’s network strategy, including the possibility to schedule the aircraft on transcontinental flights. The A220 aircraft’s unequaled economics also open new route possibilities that were not feasible with previous generation aircraft,” Airbus wrote in a statement.

Together with Aircraft from the A320 Family, JetBlue is building a strong backbone of its medium to short-haul fleet. The two aircraft types are very complementary and together provide a new network flexibility to the airline.

The delivery also underlines more and more the importance of the newly opened Final Assembly Line at Mobile, Alabama. With the A220 production fired up, Airbus is strengthening its presence in the United States.

Airbus´ A220-300 is the larger variant in the A220 family and features a 50% reduced noise footprint and 25% lower fuel burn per seat when compared to previous-generation aircraft. Currently, around 130 A220s are in service around the world,

JetBlue Airways was founded in 1999 and operates mainly from its operational hub at New York JFK. The current fleet included 130 Airbus A320s, 63 Airbus A321s, 12 A321neos and 33 Embraer ERJ-190 regional jets.