Having placed an order in 2019 for three of this particular model of aircraft, Air Austral, based in Réunion has taken delivery of its first Airbus A220-300 aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, becoming the first French carrier to do so.
“We are excited to fly our first Airbus A220 with Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, becoming the first French operator to fly this type of aircraft,” said Marie-Joseph Male, CEO for Air Austral. “This game-changing engine and aircraft combination will deliver superior economics to develop our network, quiet flights for our passengers, and low fuel burn and emissions for our environment. We look forward to flying this aircraft for years to come.” Air Austral currently operates an ATR 72-500 aircraft powered by PW100 turboprop engines, in addition to two Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, each equipped with a Pratt & Whitney APS5000 auxiliary power unit (APU).