**A brief reprieve for a rare aircraft** Air France has extended the scheduled service of its four remaining Airbus A318s until November 8, 2026, giving the smallest member of the A320 family a few extra weeks in the sky. The announcement, part of the latest schedule update, means the aircraft will operate into the early days of the IATA winter season 2026-2027, rather than disappearing at the end of the summer. While the schedule is not a guarantee of daily operations on every route, it confirms that the type will still be visible at Paris-Charles de Gaulle after the summer rush. **A final tour across Europe** The four aircraft—F-GUGM, F-GUGN, F-GUGO, and F-GUGP—are slated to serve 23 European destinations from CDG, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Copenhagen, Dublin, Lisbon, Madrid, Milan (both Linate and Malpensa), Munich, Rome, Venice, Warsaw, and Zagreb, as well as several French domestic routes like Bordeaux, Brest, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes, Nice, and Toulouse. This network reflects the A318's historical role at Air France: serving high-frequency or lower-demand European markets where a larger aircraft would be overkill. For aviation enthusiasts and spotters, this extension opens a final window to catch the 'Baby Bus' in regular passenger service. **A rare bird in the A320 family** The A318 has always been a niche product. Only about 80 were built, and Air France operated more than a fifth of that total—18 aircraft delivered from 2003 onward. The airline was the first to operate all four A320 family variants simultaneously. Over the years, the fleet has shrunk to just four examples, all delivered in 2006 and configured with 131 seats. The aircraft are powered by CFM56-5B engines. The type's limited success stems from economic factors: economies of scale, the rise of larger narrowbodies, and the need for greater efficiency made the 100-seat category less attractive for network carriers. Air France has already begun the disposal process, selling one A318 in February as part of a batch of seven narrowbodies to FTAI Aviation, likely for parts. **The A220-300 takes over** This extension does not alter Air France's long-term strategy. The replacement of the A318 and A319 is well underway, driven by a firm order for 60 Airbus A220-300s placed in 2019. The A220-300 offers 148 seats compared to the A318's 131, along with a 10% lower cost per seat, 20% less CO2 emissions, and 34% less noise. This shift is part of a broader fleet modernization, also affecting some older A320s. The A220's superior economics and environmental performance make it the natural successor, though its larger capacity requires more precise frequency and capacity planning. By summer 2026, only about 21 A318s are expected to remain active worldwide, with just four in scheduled passenger service—all at Air France. For students of aviation, this transition is a textbook example of fleet planning and the lifecycle of an aircraft type.