Delta Air Lines

“In June Airbus cut output by 40% overall, but the manufacturer reportedly is communicating to suppliers that it will increase production of its A320 series to 47/month in the second half of next year.” – American Machinist, 10/25/2020

Airbus has just delivered its first U.S.-assembled A220 aircraft from Mobile, Alabama. With this sale, the global aircraft producer seems to be moving into a new era of U.S. aircraft production. The aircraft was delivered to Delta Air Lines.

“The delivery of the first U.S.-built A220-300 is a historic moment that highlights Airbus’ growing industrial footprint in North America and makes us all extremely proud,” said C. Jeffrey Knittel, Chairman & CEO Airbus Americas Inc. “We look forward to seeing passengers delighted by the experience of travelling on board this brand new A220-300 proudly built in Mobile, Alabama.”

To date, approximately 400 U.S. employees have been trained on A220 production – some in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada, where the A220 program and primary final assembly line are located. A year ago, the first U.S. based A220 production team, comprised of experienced and new team members, began assembling A220s in Mobile.

Benefitting from the latest technologies, the A220 offers a 50% reduced noise footprint compared to previous generation aircraft, 25% lower fuel burn per seat, and 50% lower NOx emissions than industry standards. Airbus claims the A220 offers 25% lower operating costs per seat compared to previous generation aircraft.

As of end September 2020, 123 A220s have been delivered to seven operators and are being flown on routes in Asia, America, Europe, and Africa.

Read more here.