Summary
- The Airbus A318 is the smallest in the A320 aircraft family, with only 80 built from 2001 to 2013.
- Air France is the largest operator with eight A318 aircraft, primarily for regional routes.
- Top routes include IST to OTP, MRS to ORY, AMS to CDG, ORY to TLS, and NCE to ORY.
The Airbus A318 is the smallest variant of the Airbus A320 family, with the fewest aircraft built in the series. Most of these were delivered to Air France. This European manufacturer’s smallest commercial aircraft seats between 107 and 132 passengers and has a range of 3,100 nautical miles (5,750 kilometers), making it ideal for regional and short-haul routes.
Only 80 units of the A318 were built over 12 years, from 2001 to 2013, making it the least numerous variant of the A320 family. Currently, a total of 22 Airbus A318s are in active service worldwide, according to ch-aviation data.
Given the small number of A318s in operation, this article will examine the top five routes with the most Airbus A318 operations in June 2024 using data from the aviation analytics company Cirium.
5
Tarom’s Istanbul Airport (IST) to Bucharest Airport (OTP)
Monthly flights: 40
|
June 2024 stats |
Specification |
|---|---|
|
Seats |
4,680 |
|
Flight distance |
265 miles (426 km) |
|
Available Seat Miles (ASMs) |
1,240,200 |
Starting our list is the Istanbul Airport (IST) to Bucharest Airport (OTB) route, which is the fifth most-served route by the Airbus A318 aircraft. Tarom, the flag carrier and the oldest currently operating airline in Romania serves the route.
Photo: Cristi Croitoru | Shutterstock
Notably, Tarom is one of the few airlines that fly the ‘Baby Bus.’ According to ch-aviation data, the airline has a total of four Airbus A318-100s in its fleet, with an average age of years. The airline’s A318s are configured to accommodate a total of 120 passengers in a single-class cabin.
Not many airlines offer nonstop direct service between IST and OTP. In addition to Tarom, the only other airline offering nonstop service between the two cities is Turkish Airlines, the flag carrier of Turkey.
4
Air France’s Marseille Airport (MRS) to Paris Orly Airport (ORY)
Monthly flights: 44
|
June 2024 stats |
Specification |
|---|---|
|
Seats |
5,764 |
|
Flight distance |
390 miles (627 km) |
|
Available Seat Miles (ASMs) |
2,247,960 |
The Marseille Airport (MRS) to Paris Ory Airport (ORY) route is the fourth most frequently served route by the Airbus A318 aircraft. According to Cirium data, Air France will offer 44 scheduled flights and 5,764 seats between MRS and ORY airport in June 2024.
Photo: Dirk Daniel Mann | Shutterstock
Notably, Air France is the largest operator of the Airbus A318 aircraft. Currently, the airline has eight A318s in its fleet, with an average age of 18.1 years. According to ch-aviation data, the airline’s A318s have a denser configuration compared to Tarom’s A318 and accommodate 131 passengers in a single-class cabin.
3
Air France’s Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
Monthly flights: 64
|
June 2024 stats |
Specification |
|---|---|
|
Seats |
8,064 |
|
Flight distance |
248 miles (399 km) |
|
Available Seat Miles (ASMs) |
1,999,872 |
Right in the middle of the list is Air France’s yet another regional route between Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). As per Cirium data, the airline has scheduled 64 flights between AMS and CDG, which will be served by the Airbus A318 aircraft in June 2024.
Photo: Wirestock Creators | Shutterstock
In addition to operating 64 scheduled flights between two popular European cities, the airline’s Airbus A318 will offer 8,064 seats on this route in June 2024. Notably, the AMS to CDG route is the shortest on this list, covering just 248 miles (399 km).
Related
Baby Bus: Which Airlines Still Operate The Airbus A318?
Only two scheduled carriers still operate the ‘Baby Bus.’
2
Air France’s Paris Orly Airport (ORY) to Toulouse Blagnac Airport (TLS)
Monthly flights: 78
|
June 2024 stats |
Specification |
|---|---|
|
Seats |
10,218 |
|
Flight distance |
55 miles (571 km) |
|
Available Seat Miles (ASMs) |
3,627,390 |
Coming in second is Air France’s service between Paris Ory Airport (ORY) and Toulouse Blagnac Airport (TLS), featuring 78 scheduled flights using the Airbus A318 aircraft in June 2024. In addition, the airline will serve 10,218 seats and 3.6 million available seat miles (ASMs) during the month.
Photo: M_Kaempfer | Shutterstock
Not many airlines offer service between ORY and TLS. In addition to Air France, the only other airline offering nonstop service between the two French cities is easyJet, the British low-cost carrier. It is worth noting that for this route, easyJet uses its Airbus A319 aircraft, a larger variant than the Airbus A318.
1
Air France’s Nice Airport (NCE) to Paris Orly Airport (ORY)
Monthly flights: 110
|
June 2024 stats |
Specification |
|---|---|
|
Seats |
14,410 |
|
Flight distance |
420 miles (675 km) |
|
Available Seat Miles (ASMs) |
6,052,200 |
At the top of our list is Air France’s Nice Airport (NCE) to Paris Orly Airport (ORY) route, which is the most served route by the Airbus A318 jet, with 110 scheduled flights in June 2024. This route, served by Air France’s fleet of Airbus A318 aircraft, is also the longest, covering a total of 420 miles (675 km). The airline, using its Airbus A318 fleet on this route, will offer 14,410 seats and serve 6 million available seat miles (ASMs) during the first month of summer.
Photo: Fasttailwind I Shutterstock
It is important to note that only two airlines currently offer nonstop direct flights between the two cities: Air France and easyJet.
Related
The Airbus A318 vs A220-100: Which Aircraft Is Best?
How does the Airbus A318 compare to the A220-100 in terms of capacity, passenger comfort, operational efficiency, and popularity with airlines?
What are your thoughts on the Airbus A318’s most served routes? Please let us know in the comments section below.