The Airbus A220 faces a challenging year in 2024, with order figures falling below expectations. By the end of November, the manufacturer had secured only one new firm order for the model, a stark contrast to the successes of previous years.
In 2022, the A220 achieved a respectable performance, particularly with the A220-300 variant, which garnered 104 net orders. The following year, 2023, brought even more optimism, with orders for seven A220-100 aircraft and 135 A220-300 aircraft, where Lufthansa played a significant role by ordering 40 A220-300s.
Unexpected challenges
However, 2024 brought unexpected challenges. So far, there have been no new orders for the A220-100. As for the A220-300, only Air Baltic converted its options into a firm order for ten aircraft in August, as reported by the affiliated outlet Aeroin.
Additionally, Nordic Aviation Capital reduced its order from 20 to eight A220s, and Airbus removed an order for 14 A220-300s from Russian company Ilyushin Finance from its books, as disputes had already created uncertainty.
By the end of November, Airbus recorded a drop of 16 aircraft in A220 orders. Consequently, the European manufacturer is eagerly anticipating a significant order in December, similar to Lufthansa’s order last year, which could rejuvenate the prospects for this aircraft line and sustain its competitiveness in the regional aviation market.
