Cyprus Airways Wednesday operated the first commercial flight from Larnaca with its new flagship aircraft in its fleet, the Airbus A220.
The flight (CY310) flew to the Greek capital, Athens, the most popular destination on the Island’s flag carrier network.
Celebrations for the flight’s passengers started with a cake-cutting event and photo opportunity at Larnaca Airport’s departure gate and continued onboard, where they were treated with a small gift.
Present for the occasion were the airline’s Chief Executive, Paul Sies, and Chief Commercial Officer, Christos Limnatitis, who greeted and accompanied the passengers on the flight.
Sies welcomed the airline’s passengers and said the A220 would shape Cyprus Airways’ new standard of customer experience.
He said the aircraft offered the airline a win-win situation by striking the best balance between passenger comfort, operational efficiency and sustainability.
“The A220 will play a pivotal role in realising our vision of a greener, more sustainable travel experience and superior comfort for our customers.
“Every time you choose to fly with the A220 of Cyprus Airways, you contribute towards a cleaner travel experience”.
Cyprus Airways pledged, together with Airbus and the government, to use at least 10% Sustainable Aviation Fuel.
This would bring Cyprus Airways and the Cypriot Aviation industry far ahead of any other European country towards Net Zero Carbon operations.
Limnatitis said the 138-seater A220-300 aircraft would offer customers unmatched comfort with its large, quiet cabin, overhead stowage and the widest economy seats of any single-aisle aircraft.
The aircraft also boasts large and panoramic windows and personal charging facilities.
“The A220 marks an important milestone for us, and its introduction shows our commitment to outstanding customer experience and sustainable travel”, said Limnatitis.
He said the aircraft offers significant environmental advantages, including unbeatable fuel efficiency with a 25% reduction in CO2 emissions per seat, a 50% reduction in NOx emissions than industry standards, and a 50% smaller noise footprint area than previous generation aircraft.
The first flight marks the start of the gradual implementation of the two new aircraft that must be fully integrated and online by early September.
Cyprus Airways is expected to operate the A220 on most destinations this winter.
