JetBlue Debuts Its New Airbus A220s
The 140-seat aircraft boasts an upgraded cabin with larger windows, bigger overhead bins and complimentary WiFi
JetBlue has revealed its newest aircraft, the Airbus A220-300. The carrier is the third North American airline to operate the A220, following Air Canada and Delta.
The first of 70 new aircraft on order which the airline has on order, the A220 features 140 seats in a 2-3 configuration, and boasts an upgraded cabin with larger windows, bigger overhead bins, and mood lighting.
The A220 is equipped with an 18.6-inch-wide Collins Meridian seat, similar to the carrier’s refreshed A320. Additionally, JetBlue is the first airline globally to receive an A220 equipped with Viasat connectivity, offering complimentary high-speed WiFi.
The inflight entertainment system is from Thales Avant with 10.1-inch HD screens, 30 channels of satellite TV, as well as in-seat power via AC and USB outlets.
The aircraft is expected to enter scheduled service by mid-June, beginning with JetBlue’s Boston to Fort Lauderdale route. It will eventually replace the carrier’s aging fleet of Embraer 190 regional jets, which the airline says will reduce operating costs per seat by 30 percent.
The A220’s longer range will also enable JetBlue to serve new markets and routes that would have previously been unprofitable. The carrier said it expects to receive seven more A220s by the end of this year.
The addition of the A220 to the fleet is part of JetBlue’s network expansion strategy, which includes the recently-approved alliance with American Airlines. The carrier says part of the plan is to accelerate the replacement of small regional jets with larger aircraft, and expand connectivity between each carrier’s network in the Northeast.
Additionally in the first half of 2021, JetBlue says it plans to launch 24 new routes overall as it explores a number of non-traditional city pairs within the US and to select destinations in Latin America.
“With the A220 we’ve taken a state-of-the-art aircraft and added our award-winning touch to bring to life an experience only JetBlue could dream up,” said Jayne O’Brien, the airline’s head of marketing and loyalty.
