My first time as a passenger aboard an Airbus A220-300 airplane was recent for a flight from Atlanta to Washington Dulles International Airport that was operated by Delta Air Lines.
My First Time As a Passenger Aboard an Airbus A220-300 Airplane
The Airbus A220-300 primarily replaces the McDonnell Douglas MD-88 airplanes, which were once part of the fleet of Delta Air Lines and were also colloquially known as mad dogs by frequent fliers and aviation enthusiasts, as they were reliable workhorses. The fleet of McDonnell Douglas aircraft that comprised of MD-88 and MD-90 airplanes of Delta Air Lines were retired earlier than previously planned effective as of June of 2020 because of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus pandemic.
The rows comprise of two seats on the left side of the aircraft and three seats on the right side of the aircraft — which is similar to the McDonnell Douglas MD-90 airplane. The McDonnell Douglas MD-88 airplanes were configured with three seats on the left side of the aircraft and two seats on the right side of the aircraft.
I was assigned a seat in the Comfort+ section of the economy class cabin of the airplane, which were equipped with adjustable headrests. The backs of the seats of the row in front of the row where I was seated had no in-flight entertainment system, as those are the last row of seats in the first class cabin. Rather, the in-flight entertainment system is accessible from the armrests.
The backs of the seats of the row in front of where I was seated did have in-flight entertainment systems with a fairly large monitor — as well as a place to plug in headphones and a Universal Serial Bus Type A port.
Electrical outlets were available between the seats in front of passengers and are easily visible.
I was seated by the window, which I prefer — but unfortunately, leg room was limited under the seat due to a box, which I assume is part of the in-flight entertainment system. The airplane was quite clean; but the maintenance crew did miss a couple of spots underneath the seat in front of me.
The Passenger Service Unit above the row of seats contained bright lights, reasonably powerful air vents that can be adjusted, and one small blue flight attendant call button for three seats instead of one for each seat.
Final Boarding Call
One thing I do miss about the McDonnell Douglas MD-88 airplanes is that because the engines were located in the back of the airplane, the front third of the aircraft was the quietest interior of an aircraft that I ever experienced — and even though the Airbus A220-300 airplane is not exactly noisy, the cabin was not nearly as quiet.
Otherwise, the Airbus A220-300 is a viable mode of transportation by air.
All photographs ©2025 by Brian Cohen.
