A look back at the Airbus A318's history and decline

The Airbus A318, nicknamed the Baby Bus, was the smallest variant developed in the A320 aircraft family. According to the history, only 81 orders were placed for the type between 1998 and 2013, making it the least popular member of the family.

The aircraft's origins trace back to 1997, when a visit by then French President Jacques Chirac to China led to a framework agreement to develop a jet for the 100-seat market. That initial project, named AE31X, was dropped after disagreements between the parties involved.

A year later, at the 1998 Farnborough Air Show, Airbus revealed plans for an aircraft aimed at the 100- to 130-seat segment, under the designation A319M3. This announcement gave Airbus formal clearance to pitch the design to airlines rather than marking a full program launch.

Following initial orders and letters of intent, including a reported 50 aircraft for Trans World Airlines, Airbus launched the program officially on April 26, 1999, under the name Airbus A318. The aircraft can seat up to 132 passengers in a single-class layout and has a maximum range of about 5,700 kilometers in its longest-range configuration.

The A318 made its first flight on January 15, 2002, departing from Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport, with Frontier Airlines named as its launch customer.

Today, the history notes, only one commercial airline still operates the A318, with the type mainly used by governments and private aviation operators.