Story ID: GPa220delta10262018
Delta Takes Its First A220 from Airbus
By: Gregory Polek
Caption: 109-seat narrowbody to fly out of New York-LaGuardia Airport
Word Count: 247
Delta Air Lines on Friday accepted the first delivery by Airbus of an A220 to a new operator since the European airframer assumed control of the narrowbody program previously known as the C Series from Bombardier in June. The delivery ceremony, held at Bombardier’s factory in Mirabel, Quebec, also marked the first delivery of the model to a U.S. carrier.

Delta plans to place into service its first 109-seat A220 early next year, when it becomes the fourth airline to operate the aircraft. Delta placed an order for 75 C Series jets with Bombardier in 2016 and ranks as the largest customer for the A220-100, the smaller of a narrowbody duo that includes the A220-300.

Delta’s A220 marks its latest investment in a fleet modernization program aimed at replacing 20 percent of its aging aircraft by 2020.

Delta plans to base its first A220 at New York La Guardia Airport and launch service on January 31 to Boston and Dallas. Next, in March, it expects to fly an A220 from Detroit to Dallas. Schedules also call for flights from La Guardia to Houston starting in April, from Salt Lake City to Dallas in May, from Minneapolis to Dallas in June, from Houston to Detroit, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City in July and from New York-JFK to Dallas in August.

The airplanes’ 109-seat interior includes 12 seats in first class and 15 in Delta’s Comfort Plus premium economy section.