Hearing the words “ultra high capacity” and “Airbus A220” in the same sentence might seem a little bit strange. However, AirAsia has really done exactly what I state. They have ordered a staggering 150 Airbus A220s with an ultra-high capacity. So high that the A220 will need an alteration to pass safety certifications.
In this post:
- AirAsia’s Massive Airbus A220 order
- The Sardine Can Configuration and Needed Alteration
- How the A220s fit into the AirAsia fleet strategy
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AirAsia’s Massive Airbus A220 order
Let’s talk first about the massive scale of Air Asia’s order. The Asian low-cost carrier has just placed an order for 150 Airbus A220-300s. That is firm orders for 150 planes, no options, just firm orders.
That is truly massive for the Airbus A220 program, which, thanks to this order, has passed 1000 firm orders globally.
Deliveries are expected to commence in 2027 Q4 and continuing through 2033.
The first ten airframes ordered have already been assigned to two of the airline’s hubs, which will be Kuala Lumpur (KUL) and Bangkok (DMK). There, they will be replacing aging A320ceo, but more on that later.
The Sardine Can Configuration and Needed Alteration
What makes this order truly stand out is not only the scale and the proportions of the number of aircraft, but also the configuration the airline has chosen.
Each and every one of these Airbus A220-300s will feature a 160-passenger configuration. That is a number of passengers within the range seen on many A320s.
Of course, having so many seats on such a small plane comes at a cost, and passengers will be paying it. It means that every passenger will have significantly less personal space and leg room than found on legacy airline A220s. Realistically, seat pitch will drop to an airline minimum of about 28 to 29 inches.
Not only the fact that there are so many passengers on this aircraft, which was designed for fewer passengers, has made an alteration necessary to pass safety certifications.
Not only the fact that there are so many passengers on this aircraft, which was designed for fewer passengers, has made an alteration necessary to pass safety certifications to enable evacuation within 90 seconds.
From the airline’s point of view, having so many passengers on such a fuel-efficient aircraft, which unlocks up to a 25% reduction in fuel burn compared to previous-generation aircraft, is a dream come true. These A220s will have an ultra low unit cost, aimed to undercut competitors on regional routes.
How the A220s fit into the AirAsia fleet strategy
These A220s ordered by AirAsia make perfect sense from keeping in mind what the overarching fleet strategy is for the airline.
AirAsia is looking to divest from its wide-body aircraft, investing heavily on narrow-body and highly fuel-efficient aircraft such as the A320neo family and now the A220s.
In the next months or years, AirAsia will eventually be getting rid of its A330s.
The A220s will take over much of the Southeast Asian medium and short-haul network, leaving the A320s and A321s for longer and higher-demand routes.
I’m sure of one thing: I don’t know if I would like to be sitting on an A220 with 28 in of seat pitch on a five-hour flight.