Airbus Updates No.3627

 Air France’s Airbus A220 Enters Revenue Service

It has finally happened, and it’s no trick: on October 31st, Air France operated its initial A220 on its first revenue-generating service. The route: Paris CDG to Berlin. It was followed the same day by a round-trip to Venice. The A220 will primarily replace the A318/A319 and will operate nine routes from CDG this winter.

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What’s happening?

One month and two days after Air France took delivery of its first A220-300 and following many flights across France and beyond to train crew, F-HZUA has entered commercial service. The 148-seat aircraft is one of 60 A220s that will eventually be operated by Air France, although it has expressed its keenness for a stretched and higher-density A220 (the A220-500) to replace the A320.

Air France’s first scheduled A220-300 flight was on October 31st, the first day of the aviation winter season. According to Flightradar24, AF1734 departed CDG at 10:17 and arrived in Berlin at 11:35. Returning, AF1735 took off at 12:53 and arrived back after a flight of one hour and 25 minutes. After returning to CDG from Berlin, a return trip to Venice (AF1226/AF1227) was then operated, with the aircraft’s first day in action completed shortly after 20:00 in France.

Paris CDG to Barcelona & Madrid on day two

At the time of writing, on day two, F-HZUA has just landed in Barcelona. AF1148 took off from CDG at 07:46 and landed at 09:09. After returning to CDG, it’ll then operate a round-trip to Madrid as AF1600/1601. Slowly and surely, the A220 is increasingly being rolled out across Air France’s short-haul network.

The A220-300 will replace the A318 and A319

The A220 will primarily Air France’s fleet of 18 131-seat A318s and 30 141/142/143-seat A319s and will be vital in improving the airline’s short-haul economics. The A220 has a 4% higher maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) than the A318, yet 13% more seats. Meanwhile, the A220 has a 6% lower MTOW than the A319, yet around 4% more seats.

Along with much better fuel efficiency, the upgauging will play a crucial role in reducing Air France’s seat-mile costs, growing trip revenue, and helping to increase overall route performance. And while the United States dominates the use of the A220, Air France’s first example joins those operated by fellow European carriers airBaltic and Swiss.

Air France’s A220 route map this winter

In November, Air France will use the A220-300 from CDG to Berlin, Barcelona, Madrid, Milan Linate, and Venice, OAG schedules information shows. And later this winter, they’ll also be used to Copenhagen (January), Bologna (December), Lisbon (December), and Rome Fiumicino (January). Of course, additional destinations may be added before the summer 2022 season begins.