Air Canada seems to be spotting a missing hole in its fleet for transcontinental and long-distance overwater destinations with the Canadian flag carrier is turning to the Airbus A321XLR.
The airline plans to acquire the following:
- 15 to be leased from Air Lease Corporation
- 5 to be leased from AerCap
- 6 to be acquired a purchase agreement with Airbus
These aircraft will be delivered from the 1st Quarter of 2024, through to the 1st Quarter of 2027. In addition, Air Canada has acquired 14 purchase rights of A321XLR for delivery between 2027 and 2030.
Air Canada’s A321XLRs will accommodate 182 passengers in a configuration of 14 lie-flat Air Canada Signature Class seats and 168 Economy Class seats.
Among the aircraft’s amenities, customers will enjoy next-generation seatback entertainment, access to inflight Wifi and a spacious cabin design featuring generous overhead baggage storage bins.
With a range of approximately 8,700 kilometres and an ability to fly up to 11 hours, the A321XLR can operate non-stop anywhere across North America and, pending Transport Canada approval for overseas operations, also fly transatlantic missions.
No engine supplier has been selected – with either CFM or Pratt & Whitney engines available for type.
In Quotes
Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada said:
“Air Canada is committed to further strengthen its market-leading position, especially through investments in new technology. The acquisition of the state-of-the-art Airbus A321XLR is an important element of this strategy and will drive our core priorities of elevating the customer experience, advancing our environmental goals, network expansion and increasing our overall cost efficiency. This order also shows that Air Canada is emerging strongly from the pandemic and is ideally positioned to grow, compete and thrive in a reshaped global aviation industry”
Filling in a long-distance gap
The Airbus A321XLR has been a popular choice for airlines, who seek to fill the “thin and long” routes, be they trans-continental or transatlantic routes. The type has been popular with carriers, with United Airlines, Qantas, IAG (Aer Lingus/Iberia), American Airlines, Indigo Partners (Frontier), Czech Airlines as well as the lessors taking an interest.
Air Canada will be welcoming a number to their fleet – with a combined 214 aircraft in its mainline and Air Canada Rouge fleets, including 136 single-aisle, narrow-body aircraft.
Whilst some airline groups may view this as a niche aircraft, for some fleets that have thin and long missions that cannot demand a wide-body aircraft, the A321XLR is one of the games in town to replace other venerable types.
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