West Africa's First Airbus A320neo Touches Down in Abidjan

Air Côte d’Ivoire has taken delivery of its first Airbus A320neo, becoming the first airline to operate the aircraft type in the West-African region.

The aircraft with registration number TU-TSX, touched down Thursday afternoon at the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport, Abidjan following a delivery flight from Airbus delivery centre in Toulouse, France

Air Cote d’Ivoire’s first A320neo took off from Toulouse carrying 1 tonne of humanitarian goods including medical equipment and toys.

In partnership with Aviation sans Frontières and the Airbus Foundation, the mission is part of Air Côte d'Ivoire’s corporate social responsibility initiative. The transported goods will serve local NGOs in Abidjan, thus supporting the education and health sector in the country.

The aircraft is configured in a two-class layout with 16 seats in Business and 132 seats in Economy Class. Passengers will benefit from a wide cabin, high-speed Internet connectivity, and the latest generation in-flight entertainment system.

Air Cote d’Ivoire will deploy the new aircraft on regional network to serve Senegal, Gabon, and Cameroon. Destinations like South Africa will be added at a later stage, highlighting the operational flexibility of the A320neo.

Air Cote d’Ivoire is Ivory Coast’s flagship carrier based in Abidjan. It currently has a fleet of 10 aircraft, including 3 A319s and 3 A320s, serving 25 domestic and regional destinations in West and Central Africa.

The A320neo Family incorporates the very latest technologies including new generation engines, Sharklets and aerodynamics, which together deliver 20% in fuel savings and CO2 reduction. The A320neo Family has won 7,450 orders from nearly 120 customers.