Papua New Guinea’s national carrier Air Niugini has signed a firm order for six Airbus A220-100s. The latest generation single aisle jets will help modernise the airline’s fleet in its 50th year. Air Niugini will also acquire three A220-300s and another two A220-100s from third party lessors.
The orders come as Airbus celebrated more than 800 orders from around 30 customers for the A220 at the end of September. More than 280 aircraft have been delivered to 17 airlines worldwide. The A220 will be operated by Air Niugini across its domestic and regional network.
“This is a momentous occasion for Air Niugini,” said William Duma, Minister for State Enterprises.
“Coinciding with the airline’s 50th Anniversary, Air Niugini secures six new regional jets that will revolutionise travel for the citizens of Papua New Guinea.
“I am looking forward to welcoming the ‘People’s Balus’ (the people’s plane) to our skies”.
Air Niugini also announced that it has selected a flight planning support system from Airbus subsidiary NAVBLUE for its fleet. Called N-Flight Planning (N-FP), the solution will help the airline optimise on fuel, time and cost to meet operational needs, while ensuring overall safety and compliance.
The A220 is the latest airliner in its size category, carrying between 100 to 150 passengers on flights of up to 3,450 nautical miles (6,390 km). Depending on cabin configuration, the A220-100 serves the 100-135 seat market, while the larger A220-300 serves the 120-150 seat market.
The aircraft is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation GTF™ engines. Offering 25% lower fuel burn and CO2 emissions per seat compared to previous generation aircraft.
