Airbus launched the A220 Airspace cabin with Air Canada

A220 is joining the Airspace cabin Family and will take off for the first time with launch customer Air Canada. The new A220 cabin will boast the full Airspace suite including new Airspace XL bins with deliveries starting in early 2026.The A220 cabin provides a leading Airspace experience, combining new elements with the widest seats, aisle, and largest cabin and windows in its class. Onboard, new bins offer 20% increase in volume, are 10% lighter and will enable a faster turnaround for crew as they are easier to handle. The cabin also offers new Airspace lighting features, including an optional third LED lightstrip under the new bins, contributing to the great cabin ambience. 

Airbus announced the new Airspace cabin in 2023. A220 line-fit is expected later in 2025 with retrofitting being available to A220 customers in the coming years. The new Airspace XL bins design will increase bag capacity by 15% - or up to 19 more passenger bags - on the A220-300 and will accommodate longer and heavier payload items thanks to its four-frame design. To complement the Airspace XL bins, Airbus has also taken the opportunity to develop an improved Passenger Service Unit in line with Airspace design. 

John Moody, Managing Director, Onboard Product, at Air Canada, commented: “The A220 has already become a favourite among our customers, and we’re thrilled to be the launch customer for the next cabin evolution of this Canadian-designed and assembled aircraft. At Air Canada, we’re always looking for opportunities to evolve our products and make travel more comfortable and convenient. The introduction of larger overhead bins on future A220s means more space for your belongings, quicker boarding, and an even better experience on board.” 

Ingo Wuggetzer, Vice President Cabin Marketing, at Airbus, stated: “We are extremely happy to launch the A220 Airspace cabin with Air Canada and very proud the Canadian flag carrier is introducing our latest innovation to support its fleet renewal programme. Through the introduction of the A220 Airspace cabin, we now enable a fully consistent passenger experience on all our platforms providing widebody comfort on single aisle aircraft.” 

Other benefits of the A220 Airspace cabin include: increased reliability and reduced maintenance tasks due to the simplified movable mechanisms; enhanced passenger comfort by easing the boarding experience and providing a relaxed start to the overall journey. Crew experience will be improved significantly thanks to the handling of the new fixed bins which avoid lifting heavy pivoting bins while rearranging luggage. The simpler and lighter bins will also lead to an overall improvement of the turnaround time and will reduce the weight of the cabin structure by around 300 lbs – directly improving the airline’s operational efficiency and revenue generation. 

Including its latest reorder, Air Canada’s total firm orders for the A220-300 stands at 65 aircraft. Canada's flag carrier expects delivery of its first A220-300 with the new XL bins installed by early 2026. XL bins will become the new standard later in 2026.

The world's most prestigious honour for aircraft interior innovation, the Crystal Cabin Award, has recently announced the Airbus A220 Airspace cabin as a finalist in the category of passenger comfort which purpose is of a relaxed and enjoyable passenger experience. Winners will be announced on 8 April, 2025 during the Crystal Cabin Award Gala.