Airbus’ new ‘extra long range’ plane has begun rolling out, with its first commercial flight heading from Madrid to Boston last week.
The Airbus A321XLR — short for “Xtra Long Range” — seats between 180 and 220 passengers, and is the world’s longest-range single-aisle commercial plane. Its flight range is 4,700 nautical miles, or 8,700 kilometres.
“The A321XLR will enable countless new non-stop destinations; it truly opens a new chapter in air connectivity. It is another proud ‘first’ for all of us at Airbus in our constant quest to innovate and bring value to our customers,” said Airbus commercial aircraft CEO Christian Scherer.
Spanish flag carrier Iberia is the A321XLR’s first operator. Airlines like Qantas, Aer Lingus, American Airlines, Wizz Air, and IndiGo have also ordered planes, and will begin flights next year.
Qantas aims to replace its Boeing 737-800s with the A321XLR, and will operate non-stop flights to destinations like Tokyo and Bangkok. Aer Lingus has planned direct flights from Dublin to Nashville.
The plane includes business and economy class seating. Business class aboard Iberia’s A321XLR planes boasts 76-inch lie-flat beds and Bluetooth-capable televisions.
According to Airbus, the A321XLR burns 30% less fuel per seat, compared to similar previous generation aircraft.
The A321XLR was first announced in 2019, and succeeds Airbus’ A320neo and A321LR models. Its flight range is 15% longer than the A321LR.
Airbus’ (EPA: AIR) share price closed at EU€139.50, up from the previous day’s €137.84. Its market cap is EU€110.5 billion.