Established airlines around the world debuted aircraft types and variants in their fleets during 2021, despite the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. We look back at some of the highlights, from nimble narrowbodies through to heavyweight widebodies.

Nigerian carrier Air Peace took delivery of its first E195-E2 in January at Embraer’s Sao Jose dos Campos facility, with the aircraft eventually making its first commercial flight in July
Source: Embraer

Alaska Airlines took delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max 9 in January
Source: Sam Almo-Milkin/Creative Commons

UK operator Titan Airways took delivery of its first Airbus A321 converted freighter in January
Source: ST Engineering/EFW

African carrier Air Cote d'Ivoire took delivery of its first Airbus A320neo in February
Source: Airbus

Russian carrier S7 Airlines took delivery of the first of a pair of Boeing 737-800 converted freighters in February
Source: S7

KLM took delivery of its first Embraer 195-E2 jet for its Cityhopper subsidiary in February
Source: KLM Cityhopper

French leisure carrier Corsair took delivery of its first Airbus A330-900 on lease from Avolon in late March, becoming the first operator to receive the higher-weight version of the widebody
Source: Airbus

Romanian operator Blue Air started taking delivery of Boeing 737 Max 8 jets in late March, with the first of a batch introduced from US lessor Air Lease
Source: Blue Air

Belarusian flag-carrier Belavia took delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max 8 in April
Source: Belavia

Kyrgyzstan’s Air Manas took delivery of its first Airbus A220-300 in April
Source: Air Manas

Egyptian carrier Air Cairo took delivery of its first Airbus A320neo in late April
Source: AIrbus

JetBlue took delivery of its first A321LR in late April
Source: JetBlue Airways

Aeroflot took delivery of its first Airbus A320neo in May. It later received its first A321neo
Source: Aeroflot

Spanish carrier World2Fly took delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 in early June
Source: Airbus

Swiss carrier Helvetic Airways took delivery of its first E195-E2 in June
Source: Embraer

Ryanair took delivery of its first Boeing 737 Max 8-200 in mid-June. It is pictured in service, later in the year
Source: Steve Knight/Creative Commons

Greek carrier Sky Express took delivery of its first ATR 72-600 in late June
Source: ATR

Chilean low-cost carrier Sky Airline took delivery of its first Airbus A321neo in late July
Source: Airbus

French island territory Reunion’s operator Air Austral took delivery of its first A220-300 in late July
Source: Airbus

Cathay Pacific put its first two Airbus A321neos into service in August
Source: Cathay Pacific

Omani low-cost carrier SalamAir introduced its first Airbus A321neo in September
Source: SalamAir

Air France took delivery of its first of 60 Airbus A220-300 jets in late September
Source: Air France

Air Belgium took delivery of its first Airbus A330-900 in October
Source: Airbus

Pakistani carrier Airblue took delivery of its first A321neo in October
Source: GECAS

Breeze Airways unveiled its first Airbus A220-300 in late October
Source: Breeze Airways

Taiwan-based China Airlines took delivery of its first Airbus A321neo in late November
Source: Airbus

Cebu Pacific took delivery of its first Airbus A330neo in late November
Source: Airbus

Japanese low-cost carrier Peach Aviation took delivery of its first Airbus A321LR in December
Source: Airbus

French Bee received its first Airbus A350-1000 in mid-December
Source: Airbus

Vietnam low-cost carrier Vietjet took delivery of its first widebody aircraft, a leased Airbus A330-300, in late December
Source: Vietjet
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show captionTopics
- Aeroflot
- Africa
- Air France
- Air Transport
- Alaska Airlines
- Asia Pacific
- Breeze Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- Cebu Pacific Air
- China Airlines
- Corsair
- Europe
- French Bee
- Helvetic Airways
- KLM Royal Dutch Airlines
- Latin America
- Middle East
- Must Read
- North America
- Peach
- Ryanair
- S7 Airlines
- SalamAir
- Sky Airline
- Strategy
- Titan Airways
- VietJet Air