Airbus
A319

About This Aircraft

The Airbus A319 is the smallest member of the original A320 family, created by shortening the A320 fuselage by seven frames (3.73 metres). It shares the same wing, engines, cockpit and systems as the A320, allowing airlines to operate both types with the same pilots and minimal additional training.

British Airways is one of the world's largest A319 operators, using it extensively on European routes from Heathrow where slot constraints make it economical to fly a smaller aircraft more frequently. The A319 fills the gap between a regional turboprop and a standard narrowbody on thinner routes.

How to Spot It

The A319 looks like a noticeably shorter A320 — the fuselage is visibly stubby in comparison. If you see an A320 family aircraft and think the tail seems unusually close to the wing, it is probably an A319. The same sharklet wingtips appear on later variants.

On approach, the shorter body is most apparent. British Airways A319s often approach Heathrow on the same glidepath as larger aircraft but look proportionally different — the nose-to-tail distance is clearly shorter than an A320.

Who Flies It

Did You Know?

• British Airways uses the A319 heavily at Heathrow because Heathrow's slot system charges per movement rather than per passenger — flying a smaller aircraft more frequently can be more economical on thin routes.
• The A319 has enough range to cross the Atlantic — British Airways has operated transatlantic A319 flights on thinner routes like London to eastern Canada.
• Because the A319 shares its type rating with the A320 and A321, an airline only needs to train pilots once for all three variants — a significant cost saving.
• Airbus launched the A319neo alongside the A320neo, but it attracted far fewer orders — airlines generally found the A320neo more versatile for the routes the A319 serves.