Air Niugini, the national carrier of Papua New Guinea, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A220-300 aircraft, which it is leasing from Azorra. The airline becomes the 25th operator of the A220 worldwide, which is now in service with carriers across five continents.
The aircraft, named “People’s Balus”, departed the Airbus Final Assembly Line in Mirabel on its delivery flight to Port Moresby, with planned stopovers in Vancouver, Honolulu and Fiji. The delivery marks a significant milestone in Air Niugini’s fleet modernisation programme, which includes eight Airbus A220-100 aircraft on direct order from Airbus and three Airbus A220-300 aircraft being leased from Azorra.
The aircraft’s special livery commemorates the 50th anniversary of Papua New Guinea’s independence. The intricate design was created by a dedicated Airbus team of 120 painters, who applied 11 distinct colours using a specialist airbrushing technique.
The Airbus A220 is set to become the centrepiece of the airline’s regional and international fleet, offering a new standard of operational efficiency and passenger comfort. Its exceptional efficiency, combined with a spacious cabin and the range to serve a variety of destinations, makes it an ideal choice for the carrier’s network and its broader ambitions for long-term growth.
The Airbus A220 is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation GTF engines, delivering a 25% reduction in carbon emissions per seat compared with previous-generation aircraft. As with all Airbus aircraft, the A220 is already capable of operating with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with a target for all aircraft to be able to operate with up to 100% SAF by 2030.
As of the end of August 2025, Airbus has secured more than 940 orders for the Airbus A220 from over 30 customers and has delivered more than 440 aircraft. The A220 is already operating on more than 1,800 routes to over 480 destinations worldwide, underscoring its leading position in the small single-aisle market.
