Airbus A220-500 Launch Could Come Soon

Airbus expects to decide soon on the fate of its upcoming A220 Stretch, dubbed the A220-500, as it ramps up preparations to meet customer demand.

A decision on the A220-500 is expected before the end of the decade, according to commercial aircraft chief executive Lars Wagner, who spoke about the jet in Toulouse during media briefings.

The proposed A220-500 has been a talking point for some time, with the jet’s stretch making it ideal for expanding the existing family into a formally larger seating category at the request of airline customers.

A decision for the A220-500 looms

Speaking in Toulouse, Wagner said demand for a larger Airbus A220, like the A350, is in the market, and the timing of these two possible stretches will go hand in hand.

Airbus is currently deciding whether to proceed, and to do that, it must build a business case to present to the board for eventual approval, but Wagner said that won’t be a decade away, likely before 2030.

The timeframe of before 2030 is the first clear indication Airbus has given the public of its internal process for building a business case for these two stretches and then either proceeding with or abandoning the projects.

Airbus hasn’t named a specific year, choosing not to disclose it, but it’s the strongest indication that a decision will come within three years. That decision will fundamentally decide the fate of the A220 and A350, and for the A220, whether a -500 variant will move forward.

In June this year, Airbus Canada chief executive Guillaume Chevassons said it had accelerated stretch studies and was beginning internal engineering work to assess feasibility. These decisions, driven by strong customer interest, give Airbus the tools to eventually take the programme to the board for approval if it ticks all the key boxes.

While Airbus can study the feasibility of an A220-500 internally and present it to the board, it also needs to ensure airlines want the aircraft and will commit to it. AirAsia has been the largest backer of the A220-500, and Airbus has also indicated it wants anchor airlines to support the launch.

Capacity to replace range on an A220-500

The biggest tradeoff for customers considering an A220 Stretch will be how Airbus can modify the existing aircraft to add seating capacity without causing customers to lose too many key performance metrics that make the jet attractive.

According to previous reporting from Leeham News, Airbus favours a simpler approach to developing its A220-500, prioritising additional capacity while preserving the type’s range.

While Airbus executives keep the finer specifics of the A220 stretch close to the chest, Airbus must also weigh the ability to make aerodynamic changes to improve take-off performance and limit the range penalty.

Leeham News studies suggest the A220-500 would see a 13% range decrease over the A220-300. While this is independent modelling and approximate estimates, Airbus will need to manage this trade-off if it moves forward with the new stretch.

For passengers, the range trade-off is a key factor for airlines considering the jet and whether the range cut on the mid-ground A220-300 is worth it for the capacity increase.