Air Niugini, the national carrier of Papua New Guinea, has taken delivery of its first A-220/300 aircraft, on lease from Azorra. The airline becomes the 25th global operator of this model, which is now flying with carriers on five continents.

The airplane, dubbed "People's Balus", departed the Airbus Final Assembly Line in Mirabel for a delivery flight to Port Moresby, with scheduled stops in Vancouver, Honolulu and Fiji. The delivery represents a significant milestone in Air Niugini’s fleet modernisation programme, with eight A-220/100s on direct order with Airbus and three A-220/300s being leased from Azorra.

The aircraft’s special livery marks the 50th anniversary of the Independence of Papua New Guinea. The intricate design was brought to life by a dedicated Airbus team of 120 painters who worked to apply 11 distinct colours using a special airbrushing technique.

The A-220/100, which serves the 100-135 seat market, is a crucial component of this modern airliner family, while the larger A-220/300 is tailored for the 120-160 seat segment. This Air Niugini A-220/300 is configured to accommodate a total of 138 passengers.

The airframe integrates 40% advanced materials, resulting in a lighter-weight aircraft. The model also incorporates optimised aerodynamics with a newly designed nose and tail cone, both of which contribute to reducing drag. In fact, the A-220 has the smallest fuselage wetted area -the surface directly in contact with the air- in its class.

The plane is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s latest-generation GTF engines, offering a reduction in carbon emissions per seat compared with previous-generation aircraft. As with all Airbus aircraft, the A-220 is already able to operate with up to 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with a target for all aircraft to be capable of operating with up to 100% SAF by 2030.

As of the end of August 2025, the industry has secured more than 940 orders for the A-220 from over 30 customers, and has delivered over 440 units. This model is already flying on more than 1,800 routes to more than 480 destinations worldwide, confirming its reference position in the small single-aisle market.