SEPANG: The Airbus A220-300 – the latest addition to the Airbus 220 (A220) family – landed in Malaysia today as part of a two-week tour of the Asia-Pacific.
The flight test aircraft featured a brand new and comfortable layout of 143 seats in the single class passenger cabin.
The A220 programme, mooted in 2008 and developed by Bombardier in Canada as the C Series, is the only aircraft purpose-built for the 100 to 150 seat market.
It is designed to fly up to eight hours non-stop on medium to long haul trips. For regional flights, it can be used for up to 13 legs a day, according to Airbus marketing director Christine De Gagne.
She was speaking to reporters at a press briefing at the Bunga Raya Complex in Sepang before they were taken on an hour-long flight on the test aircraft today.
She said Airbus expected to sell at least 7,000 of the new aircraft over the next 20 years, and 20% of this would come from the Asia-Pacific.
The latest generation technology and engine also ensured a 20% improvement in fuel efficiency, she added.
“The A220 has the range and capacity that will make it ideal for carriers to serve regional routes out of Malaysia,“ De Gagne said.
Airbus head of communications for Asia-Pacific Sean Lee said the projected growth would be supported by the growing market for airports in the region, which is said to be expanding faster than elsewhere in the world.
“The A220 fills the gap between large single-aisle aircraft that have the capacity for more passengers and longer flights and regional aircraft that carry a maximum of 120 passengers on shorter travel time,“ Lee said.
Apart from the A220-300, there is also the A220-100 that is purpose-built for the 100 to 150-seat market.
De Gagne said the new aircraft was more cost-efficient and it offered seamless connections to and from international services to domestic and regional destinations.
