Airbus will be introducing its Airspace cabin concept on the A220 (one of my favorite planes), meaning these comfortable jets will be getting larger overhead bins, and some other cool features.
In this post:
Airbus A220 Airspace cabins launching in 2026
Airbus has what it calls the Airspace cabin concept, which is basically a cabin package that includes larger overhead bins. For example, this is popular with the A320-family of aircraft. Up until now, it hasn’t been available on the A220, but that will soon be changing.
In early 2026, Airbus is expected to launch the Airspace cabin concept on the A220. The biggest change is with overhead bins, as the new ones have 20% more volume and are 10% lighter (reducing cabin weight by around 300 pounds).
In total, bag capacity will increase by around 15%, allowing up to 19 more bags per flight on the A220-300 model. This is primarily thanks to bins having more vertical space, so that you can place them in the bin like books on a bookshelf. Then there are new Airspace lighting features, including an optional third LED light strip under the new bins.
Airbus highlights how other benefits of the A220 Airspace cabins include increased reliability and reduced maintenance tasks due to the simplified movable mechanism, and improved crew experience thanks to handling of the new fixed bins, which avoid lighting heavy pivoting bins while rearranging luggage.
Air Canada is the launch customer for this concept
Air Canada will be the launch customer for the Airspace cabin concept on the A220, with the first plane expected to get the new cabin features as of early 2026. Air Canada already has a fleet of 34 A220-300s, with an additional 31 of these aircraft on order.
Here’s how John Moody, Air Canada’s Managing Director of Onboard Product, describes this:
“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.”
Here’s how Ingo Wuggetzer, Airbus’ VP of Cabin Marketing, describes this:
“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.”
Below is what Air Canada’s A220s with the Airspace concept will look like.
Now, I should say, purely in terms of aesthetics, I don’t find the Airspace bins to be very sexy. The curved bins give the cabin a more spacious and modern feel, while the Airspace bins feel more boxy. Then again, that boxiness is what increases the capacity of these cabins. 19 more bags per flight is more important than aesthetics, right?
Bottom line
Airbus will be launching the Airspace cabin concept on the A220, with Air Canada being the launch customer, in early 2026. The most exciting development is that we’ll see the overhead bin capacity on these aircraft increase by around 15%, meaning that an A220-300 can accommodate 19 additional cabin bags.
What do you make of Airbus launching the Airspace cabin on the A220?
Why bother tarting up this regional jet frankenplane? It's lipstick on a miniature pig.
How is that useful ? The A220 was already touted as offering 1 hand luggage space per passenger. See Airbus reference from 2021:
https://www.airbus.com/sites/g/files/jlcbta136/files/2021-11/EN-Airbus-A220-Facts-and-Figures-Nov2021.pdf
The densest A220-300 configs so far sport 148 seats (Air Baltic, Air France) so I assume this is what the brochure meant. That's with 30in pitch. The 160 exit capacity is probably achieved with a smaller pitch and those additional bins are only really useful in this case.
Why...
How is that useful ? The A220 was already touted as offering 1 hand luggage space per passenger. See Airbus reference from 2021:
https://www.airbus.com/sites/g/files/jlcbta136/files/2021-11/EN-Airbus-A220-Facts-and-Figures-Nov2021.pdf
The densest A220-300 configs so far sport 148 seats (Air Baltic, Air France) so I assume this is what the brochure meant. That's with 30in pitch. The 160 exit capacity is probably achieved with a smaller pitch and those additional bins are only really useful in this case.
Why a cost conscious carrier would operate the plane at 160 seats is beyond me though: The additional FA to cater to the 10 pax above the 150 pax threshold does not seem to pay for itself.
This airspace concept would make sense for a carrier operating a lengthened A220 with capacity close to 200 making full use of the additional FA and wanting short turnarounds at the expense of style.
It would make sense for Southwest that does not seem intent on crossing the 200 pax per frame threshold but that ship has sailed and Europeans LCC have all bought in A321 or B73X.
Who will take this ? Air Baltic ?
The A220 is in a weird spot that will only make sense when Airbus launches both the stretch and its new 6abreaster optimized for >200 pax. If they can muster it to have mixed fleet flying with the A220 they will be in a very strong position. For now they are just advancing pawns.
Call it air-lack-of-space
Would love to see this and the Boeing bins others have mentioned overlaid in section. These make the aisle area feel much more cramped vertically in comparison. Wonder how much of a difference there actually is
Once again Airbus showing Trump America's Boeing how to build airplanes properly. That are good for customers and don't randomly crash over Indonesia and Africa.
What an irony.
People already forgot that it was Trump (and Boeing) who forced Bombardier and Canada to sell this program to Airbus.
Airbus didn't do crap. This was a Canadian-design by Bombardier.
With a ceiling height over the seats that's about the same as an MD80. And good luck to passengers in aisle seats reach the air vents, overhead lights, or call button.
(US based flight attendants must be super happy if peoæe can't reach the call button)
I don't understand why Airbus can't make a bin that's both a pivot bin AND have extra space. Think the Boeing Space Bin which AA has retrofitted on their 737's.
Pivot bins create a feeling of space and openness, and overall look a whole lot better then these 19th century bins that Airbus keeps touting. Simplified mechanism is valid. However, are there any metrics for failure of bins? Of all the things I see un-serviceable on aircraft, pivot bins aren't common.
That's disappointing. To speed up boarding and deplaning it would really help if people dragged less luggage into the cabin. Just walk in and sit, stand up and walk out. Larger bins will invite people to drag even more junk into the cabin.
The reason why people do carry-on is that checked bags are slow and expensive, on top of that you risk having your property destroyed or lost by the poor quality baggage handling.
As a result, people have decided it's not worth the hassle to pay $50 to have an airline destroy and lose your belongings.
Have you ever had anything lost, have you ever had anything destroyed? I check luggage on the far majority of my flights, and still nothing destroyed or lost.
Main problem as I see it is the lack of enforcement of size. Airlines should ruthlessly measure all bags, including super members, and anything above regulated size should be charged at 300 USD.