Air Canada has unveiled its newest A220-300 aircraft, which will offer customers a choice of Business and Economy Class, more space and high-tech amenities, including its newest in-flight entertainment system, onboard Wi-Fi, ambient mood lighting and more.
The carrier also announced the first two new routes to be operated with the A220-300, the only non-stop service between Montreal and Seattle and between Toronto and San Jose, California, both beginning in spring 2020.
“This aircraft is a game changer for Air Canada as there is simply no rival in this category,” said Mark Galardo, Vice President of Network Planning at Air Canada. “The A220 will further strengthen our position on trans-border and transcontinental markets and be instrumental in our continued growth. Our customers will benefit from innovative design features in a spacious and comfortable cabin. When connecting through our hubs across Canada onward to international destinations, customers travelling on an A220 will benefit from a virtually seamless cabin experience offering the same level of service and comforts as on a wide-body aircraft.”
He added: “The two routes announced today are the first of many future possibilities as the A220 will allow us to further develop our North American network, offering customers new routes and more robust year-round schedules.”
Air Canada will receive 45 new A220-300s in total with the first aircraft scheduled to be delivered later this year. The aircraft will be initially deployed from Montreal and Toronto on existing Canadian and trans-border routes, including Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and New York from LaGuardia.
The two-class cabin will have a total of 137 seats – 12 in a 2×2 configuration in Business Class and 125 in a 3×2 layout for Economy passengers. Customers will have more personal space thanks to the widest economy seats in the fleet, and the largest overhead stowage bins for an aircraft this size.
Additional features include larger windows and full-colour LED ambient and customisable mood lighting that contribute to reducing fatigue while travelling. The high ceilings, extra shoulder room and storage make this an unparalleled interior in the narrow-body segment.
Every seat on the A220 features a Panasonic eX1 in-flight entertainment system with content available in 15 languages and featuring more than 1,000 hours of entertainment, including access to Bell Media’s premium entertainment service, Crave, and Canadian-based multi-platform audio service, Stingray. Furthermore, the A220 will come equipped with satellite based high-speed connectivity for Wi-Fi access with USB A, USB C, and AC power available to every passenger.
The A220 will also further Air Canada’s environmental commitment, with the innovative Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofan engines projected to yield a 20% reduction in fuel consumption per seat. The A220 is also the quietest aircraft in its category.
