Qanot Sharq of Uzbekistan has joined the Airbus A321XLR club, with the airline accepting its first delivery of the type.
Qanot Sharq Airbus A321XLR – Image, Airbus
The airline will take delivery of four of the Airbus A321XLRs, which have been acquired via a long-term lease agreement with Air Lease.
With this delivery, Qanot Sharq becomes the first A321XLR operator in Central Asia and the CIS.
Qanot Sharq has ambitions to modernise its fleet and expand its international route network, operating new routes to key markets across Asia, including Sanya and Busan, as well as New York City (via Budapest), while significantly enhancing Qanot Sharq’s connectivity across the Asia-Pacific and Europe.
Currently, the airline has a fleet of six aircraft, made up of two A320s, two A321neo and two Airbus A330-200. The airline is expecting the A321LR to join the fleet during the next two years as part of a different lease agreement.
The new A321XLR aircraft is configured with 190 seats in a two-class layout featuring 16 full-flat Business Class and 174 Economy Class seats, offering passengers and cabin crew the enhanced comfort of Airbus’ Airspace Cabin, featuring XL overhead bins.
In addition, in-seat connectivity is available to all passengers, while the latest lighting system enhances the overall passenger experience.
Dreams of growth. Methods of growing
With Qanot Sharq aiming to expand its international network, it requires the right equipment to achieve this goal. Given that they are an all-Airbus operator, their selection and lease of the A321XLR and A321LR is a logical step, allowing them to use current resources to fly longer missions.
We’ll have to wait and see what those longer missions are.
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