JetBlue has announced it has formally taken delivery of its first Airbus A220-300 Aircraft.
The aircraft is scheduled to arrive at New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport from Airbus’s U.S production facility in Mobile, Ala. It is the first delivery of 70 A220 aircraft JetBlue has on order, which will be phased in to replace the existing fleet of 60 Embraer 190 aircraft.
Robin Hayes, Chief Executive Officer JetBlue said “as we evolve our fleet for the future, the A220’s significant reduction in per-seat emissions supports our ongoing commitment to carbon neutrality for all our domestic flights, and moves us closer to achieving our pledge of net zero carbon emissions across all operations by 2040.”
The A220 boasts a nearly 30% lower direct operating cost per seat than the current E190. Lower seat costs come from both fuel and non-fuel savings. The A220 fleet will also help to further reset JetBlue’s maintenance costs well into the decade. The airline anticipates the A220 fleet, with improved reliability and longer maintenance intervals, will have a maintenance cost per seat that is more than 40 percent lower than E190s.
A220-300 Aircraft – Image Credit: JetBlue
Transformed Interior
The new aircrafts interior is as impressive as its operating capabilities. Customers can enjoy an elevated inflight experience with wider seats, spacious overhead bins and extra-large windows. JetBlue will reveal further details in January.
“JetBlue has revolutionized air travel, and we at Airbus are proud that our 20-year relationship has played a role in the airline’s many successes,” said C. Jeffrey Knittel, Chairman & CEO Airbus Americas, Inc. “This first A220-300 delivery creates new route possibilities for JetBlue, and raises their passenger experience to even higher standards.”
The investment in the A220 allows the airline to continue to execute its low cost business model, and enables JetBlue to continue to offer low fares to more customers.
Credit: JetBlue
