Air France has taken delivery of its first A220 jet, an aircraft set to shakeup the way we travel

Air France took delivery of its first ‘tiny’ Airbus A220 plane on Tuesday, as the airline expands its fleet of smaller jets.

Pledging greater comfort and lower emissions on short routes, the new aircraft is set to be a game-changer in the aviation industry.

Unveiling the jet to a crowd of employees, the airline thanked those working within the company’s project team for their “investment” over the past two years.

The French airline, which is owned by KLM group, stated that the new 148-seat plane is set to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by 20 per cent while it is in service.

Back in 2019, Air France ordered 60 of the planes, with options for at least 30 more as the carrier begins to replace the smallest members of the Airbus single-aisle portfolio, the A318 and A319.

The delivery of the A220 illustrates the demand for eco-friendly jets

Airlines are consistently eyeing off ways and new aircraft that are cheaper to run and more fuel efficient, and the latest jetliner from Airbus has showcased the future of the industry.

As the impacts of COVID-19 on the aviation sector slowly wind down, airlines have voiced intentions to transition to smaller aircraft which are lighter on fuel.

Once upon a time the A380 “superjumbo” and Boeing 747 “Queen of the skies” were hailed as game changers in the aviation market – but the demand for bigger aircraft has rapidly declined in recent years and even more so over the course of the pandemic.