Issue 371: A220

How the A220 fits into the ranks at Airbus

In 2016, Airbus’ former chief operating officer for customers John Leahy called the Bombardier C Series “a cute little airplane”. The aircraft, which fits somewhere in a category between large regional jet and small airliner, is indeed ‘little’ as far as Airbus is concerned.

But its substantial composite structural materials, latest-generation aerodynamics, brand new flightdeck and strong passenger experience selling points – wide seats, large windows and huge bins for any narrowbody, let alone in its class – proved eventually more popular than the Airbus A319neo, the aircraft with which it was being compared when Leahy gave the now-infamous quote.