Delta Air Lines, Airbus and United Technologies Corporation this morning (February 7) celebrated the entry into service (EIS) of the airline’s first Airbus A220 aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engines. The momentous occasion makes Delta the first A220 operator in North America. The event was commemorated with a gate celebration at LaGuardia Airport in New York.
In April 2016, Delta announced its order of 75 firm Airbus A220 aircraft with options for up to 50 additional aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines.
In January, Delta added 15 firm aircraft, increasing its total firm order to 90 A220 aircraft.
Delta also announced selection of the GTF engine to power its order of 100 firm A321neo aircraft in December 2017 with options for up to 100 additional aircraft. Additionally, Delta TechOps joined Pratt & Whitney’s growing MRO network which supports the GTF engine fleet and Pratt & Whitney customers worldwide.
The A220, exclusively powered by the GTF engine, offers double-digit improvement in operating costs compared to current generation aircraft. It’s 20% more fuel efficient and provides a 75% reduction in noise footprint and NOx emissions 50% below the ICAO CAEP 6 regulation.
Later Delta made this announcement:
PHOTO BY NOAM GALAI
Delta’s Airbus A220 has made its official debut — a moment years in the making for customers and employees across the airline.
In the early hours this morning, Delta flight 744 pushed back from the gate at New York’s LaGuardia Airport carrying customers for the first time on board Delta’s newest narrow body jet, the state-of-the-art A220-100.
(Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Delta)
Terminal C was bustling with excitement as customers, employees and aviation enthusiasts gathered to celebrate the first flight’s departure.
(Cooper Neill / Getty Images for Delta)
Likewise, gatehouse festivities were underway this morning in Texas, where customers and employees eagerly awaited the morning’s first A220 departure from Dallas/Ft. Worth.
Outfitted with a state-of-the art interior, Delta’s A220 brings elements of international widebody travel to domestic routes for customers to enjoy at home.
Highlights of Delta’s A220 include:
- 109 seats total, including seating for 12 in First Class, 15 in Delta Comfort+ and 82 in Main Cabin
- State-of-the-art interior featuring seat-back screens, 2Ku Wi-Fi and among the widest seats of any narrowbody aircraft
- Thoughtful innovations like high-capacity overhead bins, extra-large windows and full-spectrum LED ambient lighting
Delta’s A220, which takes advantage of advanced technology and composite materials designed to deliver considerable improvements in fuel efficiency, is the latest investment in a fleet modernization program that aims to replace 20 percent of older, less-efficient aircraft by 2020.
Delta took delivery of its first A220 in October 2018, and recently announced an order for 15 additional A220s, extending its order book to 90 total aircraft.
Photo: United Technologies Corporation and Delta.