Good news for Iraqi Airways as they’ve just added the last piece to their Airbus A220-300 puzzle. The airline’s fifth A220 touched down at Baghdad International Airport on August 27, 2023. This plane had quite the journey, flying from Montreal Mirabel International Airport in Canada and making a pit stop at Oslo Gardermoen Airport.
A Long-Awaited Arrival
This isn’t just any plane; it’s the final one in a series of five that Iraqi Airways ordered way back in December 2013. Initially, these planes were part of the Bombardier CSeries. But things changed in the aviation world, and Airbus took over the program, renaming it the Airbus A220. The Canadian company Bombardier stepped away from the A220 program entirely in February 2020.
The plane was in the air for 12 hours and 11 minutes before it finally landed in Baghdad. According to data from ch-aviation.com, the aircraft had its first flight earlier in the month, on August 4, 2023.
Why the Airbus A220?
So, why did Iraqi Airways go for the Airbus A220? Saad Al-Khafaji, the CEO and Director General of Iraqi Airways, said, “The CS300 aircraft’s range, fuel efficiency and comfortable, widebody-like cabin will permit us to respond to growing passenger demand and reach destinations across the Middle East, Northern Africa and Europe.”
Past and Present Fleet Status
Iraqi Airways is the only airline in the Middle East to have ordered and received this type of aircraft, according to Airbus Orders & Deliveries filings for July 2023. But it hasn’t been all smooth sailing. The Iraq Civil Aviation Authority grounded the Airbus A220 in May 2023 due to issues with the Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engine, which is the only engine used for this type of aircraft. Since then, two of the planes have returned to the skies, while the other two haven’t flown since April and May 2023.
Iraqi Airways has completed its Airbus A220-300 fleet with the arrival of its fifth and final aircraft. This marks a significant step for the airline, which aims to expand its reach across various regions.
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