A220, a backlog to be filled
The takeover of the A220 by Airbus has raised hopes for new orders for this range of aircraft. As we have written in another text, the A220’s firm order backlog is at 365 aircraft, but 106 of these are uncertain.
Filling the order book is a task that Airbus needs to tackle quickly; several rumors are circulating about potential customers, here is a summary of the most significant.
After the order just passed by Jetblue, existing customers who have options are priority targets and Airbus will certainly try to convince Lufthansa that has 30 options, as well as Korean Air which has 10, to go from intention to gesture.
Next is the discount carrier Moxy, whose flight operations are expected to begin in 2020, but with the JetBlue order it will be very difficult to deliver aircraft to this carrier by that date. Spirit and Frontier are also on the list and American Airlines could join the group in the coming year.
The European discount carrier EasyJet and its two subsidiaries have 130 A319s in its fleet with an average age of 11 years. Perhaps she could place an order with the first delivery in 2021, unless her expansion plan would prompt her to want A220s by 2020.
Lastly, Ethiopian Airlines is ready to place an order since December 2016; according to some rumors it is funding that would be problematic. Will Airbus manage to resolve this impasse?
With the announcement of the order for JetBlue, Airbus did make a jump start and it will be interesting to see if other orders are announced next week at Farnborough.
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