Air Austral Receives first A220-300
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Air Austral has officially received the first of the three A220-300s it ordered from Airbus in October 2019. The second and third aircraft will be delivered shortly. The three new aircraft will land in Reunion Island on 12 August 2021 and will streamline and modernise Air Austral’s medium-haul fleet by replacing two Boeing 737-800NGs and the ATR 72-500.
Air Austral is continuing with its progressive strategy and is now the first French airline to have added this type of latest-generation aircraft to its fleet.
“The arrival of this new aircraft is a significant moment for Air Austral, even more so in the current health crisis which we have been enduring for more than a year now. I would like to thank and congratulate the teams and partners who made this important and strategic acquisition possible for Air Austral, and for its future. This is an essential and responsible investment for us: the Airbus A220-300 will open up new horizons for us. It is the aircraft we needed to reinforce our pioneering position in the Indian Ocean and offer long-term profitability. The A220-300’s level of comfort and performance means that we have been able to make a major leap in operational and environmental efficiency. Our regional service is going from strength to strength. We look forward to sharing this new travel experience with our customers and will do so once the health situation improves. We are, more than ever before, ready for business recovery.” Marie-Joseph Malé, Air Austral CEO
“We extend a warm welcome to Air Austral, who has just joined the ever-growing community of A220 customers and operators. With the efficient A220, Air Austral will be able to extend its domestic and regional offer in the Indian Ocean and passengers will enjoy travelling in a spacious, bright and modern cabin.” Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer