Ibom Air takes delivery of first out of 10 ordered new A220-300 aircraft
Akwa Ibom State-owned and operated Ibom Air has taken delivery of the first of 10 ordered Airbus 220-300 series aircraft.
The delivery undertaken, last weekend, in Canada has also seen the airline now become the first to operate the aircraft type described as being at the forefront of modern aviation technology.
Ibom Air signed an agreement for 10 new aircraft valued at $902 million in November 2021.
It would be recalled that former governor of Akwa Ibom and initiator of the Ibom Air project, Mr. Udom Emmanuel in 2019, had placed an order for 10 A220-300 aircraft during his tenure in 2021 when he led a delegation from the airline to the Dubai Air Show, that year where he agreed with Airbus to procure 10 of the new series aircraft.
Meanwhile, the ex-Governor Emmanuel was also was among the top dignitaries to inspect and take delivery of the aircraft in Montreal, Canada, on Friday, November 24.
Mr Emmanuel said Ibom Air is the first airline to take delivery of the all-new Airbus 220 in Nigeria, as he noted that during his term as governor, he envisaged the airline to become a dominant player in the aviation industry in West Africa and Africa.
Ibom Air CEO, Mr. Mfon Udom, Chairman of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema and former Akwa Ibom Governor, Udom Emmanuel (middle) in Canada to take delivery of the new Ibom Air’s A220-300 aircraft
While commending the incumbent Akwa Ibom governor, Umo Eno, for sustaining the project’s development, Emmanuel hailed the acquisition as a game changer in the civil aviation industry.
Mr. Benoit Schultz, Airbus Chief Executive Officer and Vice President; Daniel Wenninger, Head of Airbus A220 Delivery Centre; Marc Arpin and Cyrille Picard, Sales Director, and top management of Ibom Air were on ground during the aircraft presentation.
Also present at the handing over ceremony was Chairman of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema, who stated said that ‘Nigerian airlines are getting stronger by the day,’ adding further that ‘Ibom Air is making history in the Nigerian aviation industry by acquiring the new airline.’
Similarly, the Ibom Air CEO, Mr. Mfon Udom said: “Introducing the Airbus A220-300 to our fleet is a game-changing leap forward for Ibom Air.”
The Airbus A220-300 stands at the forefront of modern aviation technology, getting global attention for its fuel efficiency, cutting-edge technology, and passenger comfort and safety features.
The Airbus 220-300 series is adaptable for short and medium-haul commercial operations with a range of about seven hours.
It is expected that the new aircraft will deployed to service the newly-opened West African route of Ghana introduced last month by the airline.