A bit more from CNN...
In Economy, travelers may like the seat width — measuring 18.6 inches — the widest main cabin seats in Delta’s fleet. If you’re wondering about leg room in coach, the seat pitch ranges from 30 to 32 inches. Delta’s Boeing 717s, which seat about the same number of passengers, have a seat pitch of 31 inches in economy. Another reason the main cabin feels big is the 2-3 seat configuration.
That means fewer middle seats — which is great news if you hate that “trapped feeling” some folks get when they’re in a middle seat.
If you’re in a window seat, you’ve got a bit more shoulder room, thanks to cleverly designed indentations in the cabin walls. For the window shades, this plane went old school. No push-button electronic dimmers required. Just your typical pull-down window shades...
Delta’s A220 also offers full LED spectrum lighting, so crew members can change the color and brightness of the interior light based on various moods throughout the day.
Main cabin seats will include seat-back screens for in-flight entertainment. In first class, the A220 offers the largest seatback in-flight entertainment screens in Delta’s fleet.
The jet’s Wi-FI uses a 2Ku satellite system, which Mapes said is the fastest in the fleet. It’s designed to provide around 70-100 megabits per second, he said, “which will allow anybody to do what they need.”
The jet can fly nearly 3,400 miles, so Delta says it plans to use it for direct routes to cities that don’t usually fill larger planes.
But for many aviation enthusiasts, the weirdest thing about the A220 is the fact that for the first time in Airbus’s nearly half-century-long history, it’s selling a plane designed and built by another company. How did that happen? Basically, France-based Airbus stepped in last year and bought a controlling interest in the plane from a rival manufacturer — Canada’s Bombardier.
Before that, the plane — and its larger version — actually had different names — the CS100 and CS300. Airbus simply renamed them the A220-100 and A220-300. Experts say Bombardier was driven to make the deal because they feared the Trump administration’s trade policies with Canada would sink the company. “Bombardier simply said, if we keep going with this program on our own, it’s doomed and it will drag us down with it,” Aboulafia said. “So by giving it to our arch rival, Airbus, then they can rescue it and at least we can build structures for it.” “Airbus has spent the past ten years trying to kill this jet — and now it gets it for free,” he said.
Of the four major US carriers, American Airlines boasts the youngest fleet. Its planes are an average of 10.5 years old, according to airfleets.net. Delta’s fleet is the oldest — averaging 16.3 years.
But that statistic will likely begin to change next year when Delta accepts delivery of new Airbus A330neos. These fuel-saving twin-engine widebodies will be used for medium haul trans-Atlantic routes and flights connecting Asia with the US West Coast.
Another jet — Boeing’s super-efficient 777-9X — is expected to make its first test flight next year. That plane — expected to be the world’s largest twin-engine jet — will have an all-metal body, but its wings will be made from light-weight, super strong carbon fiber composite material.
A very POOR attempt at the b 737.
While likely competent, NOT a “Fat Albert”. EVER!
BTW, I like most Bombardier aircraft, and I think that Boeing are a bunch of anti-competitive thieves, but this is NOT something to crow about. Hell, there are many Brazilian aircraft that are VERY good...
Nevermind, the hounds have already got a scent.
Plastic seats. Ugh.
I don’t see a forward cabin
A must for this sixty year old beat up six foot five 235 pounder
I ain’t flying coach unless it’s an emergency and last option
Coach seats and leg room. Is 25-30 percent less roomy than the 80s
This is HILARIOIUS!!!!
Bombardier could not get orders for the CS100 and CS300. Nobody wanted the plane because it was poorly designed and inefficient compared to the competition.
Slap an Airbus label on it and the rubes lines up to buy them...probably only because they are selling far, far below the competition (737 Max and A320 Neo).
This is pure socialism where the Europeans bail out the Canadians and waste billions in taxpayer dollars in the process.
Bombardier should have gone under.
Give me Boeing or I ain’t going
Delta, the airline trying to kill the 2nd amendment.
Airbus. Another reason to avoid Delta.
Never flown on an Airbus, never will. It has been a while, but there was what seemed like a rash of crashes, issues, problems, all Airbus.
Only concern is new Airbus design/build location.
Safety record TBD.
Airbus is going to move some of the production from Canada to Alabama.
The last commercial airliner I enjoyed riding in was the Boeing 707. Two leather bucket seats per side with plenty of leg room. Ashtray in the center arm rest. Good ventilation for the non-smokers. Needless to say I don’t fly much at all anymore.
One "reliability" factor would be demonstrating routine one-wing landings on an airport runway... One-wing landings in other random places do not count...
Why don’t they stagger the 2-3 rows to allow for more legroom?
Would lead to a zig-zag center aisle but would make each row far more comfortable.
It was a brand new plane five years ago. Airbus just bought it from Bombardier last year.
If it ain’t a Boeing, I ain’t going