On 4 September 2025, Air Côte d'Ivoire took delivery of its first Airbus A330-900. The aircraft, registered TU-TRG (2086), was handed-over with a special delivery ceremony and departed to Abidjan.
It's the first of two A330-900s the airline ordered in 2022. Initially, the type will be deployed between Abidjan and Paris-Charles de Gaulle. Air Côte d'Ivoire, however, has also said it has interest in using the A330-900 on new routes to Brussels, London-Heathrow, and New York-JFK.
Next to its new A330neo, the fleet of airline is made-up of five A319s, two A320s, one A320neo, and four DHC-8-400s.
On 25 October 2022, Airbus and Air Côte d’Ivoire signed a firm for two Airbus A330neos. Although the press-release doesn't mention the exact type, other sources are claiming that the two aircraft will be A330-900s. Both will be delivered in 2024 and used by the airline to expand its international network.
Air Côte d’Ivoire currently operates a fleet of two A319s, two A320s, one A320neo and four DHC-8-400s.
Airbus has logged eleven new orders, 32 deliveries and 92 cancellations in February and has moved into a net negative amount of orders for this year.
Last month, a single A330-200 was ordered by Airbus Defense & Space for conversion to a MRTT and an undisclosed customer ordered ten A320neos.
The manufacturer delivered:
1 A220-300 to Air Canada
1 A320neo to Air China (leased via BOC)
1 A350-900 to Air China
1 A320neo to Air Cote d'Ivoire
2 A321neos to All Nippon Airways
1 A321neo to Asiana Airlines
3 A320neos to China Eastern Airlines
1 A320neo to China Southern Airlines
1 A220-100 to Delta Air Lines
2 A321s to Delta Air Lines
1 A321neo to Gulf Air
3 A321neo to Indigo
1 A320neo to Jazeera Airways (leased via ICBC)
3 A321neos to Jetblue Airways
2 A320neos to Pegasus Airlines
1 A320neo to Shenzhen Airlines
1 A320neo to Sichuan Airlines (leased via CALC)
1 A320neo to SKY Airline (leased via ALAFCO)
2 A321neos to Spring Airlines
1 A320neo to Vietnam Airlines (leased via ICBC)
1 A320neo to Vistara Airlines (leased via Avolon)
1 A320neo to Volaris
The following was cancelled in February:
1 A220-300 by MacQuarie Finance
58 A320neos by Norwegian
30 A321neos by Norwegian
1 ACJ320neo by a Private customer
2 A350-900s by an Undisclosed customer
Another interesting thing in Airbus' February Orders & Deliveries was that the manufacturer unveiled that four Undisclosed orders for the A330-800 are destined for Garuda Indonesia. The Indonesian airline has now ordered for a total of sixteen A330neos; the four -800s and twelve -900s. So far, three A330-900s have been delivered.
Airbus now has logged this year a total of eleven orders and 92 cancellations, meaning it has a net total of -81 orders for 2021.
Air Côte d’Ivoire Takes Delivery Of Its First Airbus A320neo
Air Côte d’Ivoire has become the first A320neo operator in the West-African region. On Thursday, the carrier took delivery of its first New Engine Option of the A320 family, as the plane carried humanitarian supplies from Toulouse to Abidjan. The airline will begin deploying the jet on regional routes but eyes an expansion to destinations in South Africa in the future.
On Thursday, Air Côte d’Ivoire took delivery of its very first A320neo, and the jet did not come empty-handed. Photo: Airbus
Ferried a ton of supplies for health and education
On Thursday, February 18th, Air Côte d’Ivoire took delivery of its first Airbus A320neo. This makes the Abidjan-based carrier the first operator of the type in the West-African region. Ownership was transferred on Wednesday, and one day later, the aircraft took off from the manufacturer’s facilities in Toulouse.
Not only on delivery, the jet also had a second mission. It carried over a ton of humanitarian goods such as medical supplies and children’s toys. The initiative is a partnership between Aviation sans Frontiéres and the Airbus Foundation and part of Air Côte d’Ivoire’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) drive.
The aircraft, registered as TU-TSX, took off from Toulouse, France, at 11:12 local time. Following five hours and 38 minutes in the air, it landed at Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Côte d’Ivoire’s financial capital of Abidjan. Viewers could follow the live event and ceremony of the delivery streamed via the airline’s social media.
The A320neo joins The West African flag carrier’s fleet of four De Havilland DHC-8 Dash 8 turboprops, three Airbus A319, and two Airbus A320ceos. It is the third Airbus the airline has taken delivery of straight from the manufacturer.
Regional with potential for expansion
Initially, it will deploy the jet on its regional network for Senegal, Gabon, and Cameroon. Meanwhile, the carrier intends to add South African destinations to the newcomer’s roster at a later stage, taking advantage of the jet’s operational flexibility.
Air Côte d’Ivoire is the flag carrier of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire. The airline was founded in May 2012 and commenced operations six months later. It succeeded the country’s former national airline, Air Ivoire, which went bankrupt in 2011.
It is owned 58% by Côte d’Ivoire’s government, 11% by Air France-KLM, 23% by a consortium of private Ivorian investors called Golden Road, and 8% by other investors.
The airline’s first A320s arrived in 2017. Photo: Getty Images
Air Côte d’Ivoire’s Airbus family
The airline took delivery of its first aircraft, an Airbus A319, on lease from Macquarie AirFinance and previously operated by Air France, in October 2012. The second jet of the type with the same arrangement and history arrived a few weeks later.
The third A319 did not arrive until 2017, when an aircraft leased from AirCap previously operated by Mexicana, AeroGal, and Avianca Ecuador arrived in Abidjan. The carrier’s two own A320s also arrived in 2017, the first in July and the second in September.
At the opening of the Farnborough Air Show, held in the United Kingdom from July 11th to 17th, Air Côte d’Ivoire, Ivory Coast’s national airline based in Abidjan, signed a firm order for the purchase of an additional A320neo to complete its fleet. Air Côte d'Ivoire already distinguished itself in the spring by becoming the first African airline to order the A320neo.
“This additional A320neo will allow Air Côte d’Ivoire to truly differentiate its product by offering a higher level of comfort to its customers with new aircraft. Thanks to this new Airbus aircraft, Air Côte d’Ivoire will also improve its operating efficiency to better meet the need for traffic growth,” said General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, Chairman of the Board.
In three years, Air Côte d’Ivoire has tripled its number of passengers, and, with its new fleet, will position itself as the leader in this highly competitive region. It currently flies to 23 international destinations located in West and Central Africa, and to five domestic destinations. Air Côte d’Ivoire already operates six Airbus aircraft (four A319s and two A320), and this new commitment follows its previous order for four aircraft placed in April.
“This vote of confidence from Air Côte d’Ivoire is further proof of the rapid traffic growth in Africa, and of the leading role that this dynamic airline aims to play in the development of air transport on this continent. Airbus is delighted to contribute to this," highlighted John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.
The A320 Family is the world’s best-selling single aisle product line with over 12,500 orders since launch and more than 7,000 aircraft delivered to some 400 customer and operators worldwide. Thanks to their widest cabin, all members of the A320 Family offer unmatched comfort in all classes and Airbus’ 18” wide seats in economy as standard. With one aircraft in four sizes (A318, A319, A320 & A321), the A320 Family, seating from 100 to 240 passengers, seamlessly covers the entire single-aisle segment from low to high-density domestic to longer range routes.
Air Côte D’Ivoire, the national airline of Ivory Coast based in Abidjan, has signed a firm order for two A320neo and two A320 aircraft. The agreement makes Air Côte D’Ivoire the first African airline to order the A320neo. The airline’s first purchase agreement directly with Airbus also makes Air Côte D’Ivoire a new customer.
Air Côte D’Ivoire selected the A320 Family for its wider cabin, low operating costs and excellent fuel efficiency. The airline has selected CFM engines for their A320 fleet. Air Côte D’Ivoire currently operates five Airbus aircraft on lease; 4 A319s and 1 A320.
The aircraft will feature a 2-class cabin layout. The new aircraft will fit seamlessly into the airline’s current fleet, thanks to Airbus’ fleet commonality, and best-in-class passenger comfort of any single aisle aircraft.
“With these new aircraft Air Côte d’Ivoire will position itself as a flagship airline in the region by offering its passengers the best on-board services. Air Côte d’Ivoire will also improve its punctuality and reliability thanks to these latest-generation Airbus aircraft,” said General Abdoulaye Coulibaly, Chairman of the Board.
“We are very pleased to welcome Air Côte D’Ivoire as our first customer for the A320neo in Africa. Our A320neo and A320 will offer Air Côte D’Ivoire the lowest operational costs and the highest seat comfort and widest cabins for its passengers. This order will play a key role in the development of Air Côte D’Ivoire with new routes to West and Central Africa,” said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.
This new order will strengthen the airline’s network that reaches today 23 international routes throughout West and Central Africa and 5 domestic destinations in Ivory Coast.
Air Côte d'Ivoire welcomes 1st Airbus A330-900
