Air Niugini, the national carrier of Papua New Guinea, has signed a firm order with Airbus for two additional latest generation A220-100 single-aisle aircraft.
The new order was disclosed as the first A220 for the airline entered final assembly at Airbus facilities in Mirabel in Canada, Airbus announced in a statement on May 28, 2025.
Air Niugini placed an initial order for six A220 aircraft in 2023, in addition to signing lease agreements for three A220-300s with US-based lessor Azorra.
“We are committed to working closely with the airline as we support its fleet renewal program,” said Benoît de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales of Airbus’ Commercial Aircraft business. “The A220 is quite simply the most efficient aircraft in its size category, with a wider and spacious cabin and the range to fly non-stop to any destination on the carrier’s network.”
According to Airbus, the A220 is “the most modern airliner in its size category,” carrying between 100 to 160 passengers on flights of up to 6,700 kilometers (3,600 nautical miles). The A220-100 serves the 100-135 seat market, while the larger A220-300 is tailored for the 120-160 seat market.
The A220 is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation GTF™ engines and offers a 25% reduction in fuel consumption and carbon emissions per seat compared to previous generation aircraft. The aircraft is already able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
“The A220 is set to form the backbone of our domestic and regional fleet and will support economic development in Papua New Guinea,” said Gary Seddon, CEO of Air Niugini. “As we continue to forecast strong growth we have made the decision to increase our orders for this fuel efficient type, bringing a whole new level of efficiency and comfort for our operations.”
By the end of April 2025, Airbus had secured over 900 orders for the A220 from more than 30 customers, of which over 410 have already been delivered.
According to the planemaker, the A220 is already successfully operating with 24 airlines around the world. The aircraft is currently flying on more than 1,600 routes and more than 470 destinations globally.
