What was the A320M-7?

Short answer

A320M-7 was the name given to the project that eventually became the Airbus A319: it stood for "A320 minus seven fuselage frames." The shortening was achieved by removing four frames ahead of the wing and three behind it, for 3.73 m (12 ft 3 in) less length. Airbus began offering the model on May 22, 1992.

Published: October 31, 2026 · Updated: October 31, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

Adria Airways Airbus A319 (S5 AAR) @CDG,ERIC SALARD from PARIS, FRANCE (CC BY SA), vía commons

From the Single-Aisle studies to the A320M-7

The A319 is a derivative of the A320 with a shortened fuselage and minimal changes from the original. Its origins lie in the SA1, a 130-to-140-seat aircraft that was part of the Single-Aisle studies. After the strong commercial performance of the A320 and the A321, Airbus turned its attention back to the project then known as the A320M-7. The consortium focused on that program, whose name stood for "A320 minus seven fuselage frames."

Seven fewer frames

The shortening was achieved by removing four frames ahead of the wing and three behind it. Eliminating those seven frames cut the aircraft's overall length by 3.73 meters, or 12 feet 3 inches (12 ft 3 in). Along with the shorter fuselage, the number of overwing exits dropped from four to two. With that configuration, the aircraft would compete directly with the 737-300/-700.

From the commercial offer to entry into service

Airbus began offering the model on May 22, 1992. The program was officially launched on June 10, 1993, with a figure of 275 million dollars. The first flight took place on August 25, 1995. Swissair, the recipient of the first delivery, received its aircraft on April 25, 1996.