On board the first long-haul Airbus A321XLR flight

Airlines have been asking the same thing from aircraft manufacturers for decades: to provide them with planes capable of flying long hauls at the lowest price per passenger. Over the years, Airbus and Boeing have taken different approaches to this problem.

The twin-aisle products offered vary from the double-decker A380 to connect slot-limited hub airports, to the smaller Boeing 787. Despite the options, there is still a gap in the market.

In 2019, Airbus announced a project to develop a single-aisle aircraft capable of flying 5,400 miles. This would allow airlines to fly for up to 10 or even 11 hours with up to 220 passengers, far fewer than regular long-haul planes.

The extra range is made possible by an extra fuel tank added to a special version of the popular A321neo aircraft.

The first A321XLR (i.e. eXtra Long Range) was delivered to Iberia last month and after familiarization flights across Europe, the Spanish airline made the first long-haul flight with this aircraft between Madrid and Boston on November 14.

Speaking ahead of the maiden transatlantic journey, Christian Scherer, CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, said routes such as Madrid-Boston “demonstrate the strategic value that the A321XLR brings to the long-haul market”.

From seasonal to all year round

As more XLRs join Iberia’s fleet, the company will be able to better optimize seasonal routes. It could also continue to provide seasonal services throughout the year by strategically changing aircraft types.

For example, the Madrid-Boston route was previously operated with an A330 aircraft, capable of carrying up to 292 passengers. During the winter, Iberia will now operate the route with the A321XLR with a maximum of 182 passengers. Services from the Spanish capital to Washington DC will also see XLR.

Being the global launch customer for any new aircraft is coveted in the airline industry. Honors went to Iberia after a labor dispute scuttled an earlier deployment to Aer Lingus.

“We are very proud to be the first airline in the world to start flying the A321XLR. This is a real milestone in the aeronautical industry. This new aircraft model allows us to strengthen our network and serve new destinations efficiently and comfortably for all our customers,” said Marco Sansavini, President of Iberia.

A long-term project

The carrier configures the XLR with 14 Thompson Aero Vantage Solo Business Class seats that convert into 76-inch flat beds. These are almost identical to those JetBlue uses for its European operations, however, Iberia’s version does not have a privacy door.

Right behind them are 168 economy class seats, with at least 30 inches of legroom and 18 inches of shoulder-to-shoulder width.

Iberia does not offer a premium economy cabin for this aircraft. When asked why, Sansavini said the chosen configuration responds to the diversity of passengers Iberia plans to take on the routes the aircraft operates.

Once Iberia receives more of these next-generation jets and is confident about exploring its long range, the XLR can be expected to go even further. Flights from Madrid to Boston and Washington DC take approximately seven to eight hours. As the program matures, Iberia will likely exploit the XLR’s potential and bring the aircraft to Latin America.

Is it a comfortable ride?

Skift joined the first transatlantic flight from Madrid to Boston. Although there were no celebrations upon entry, most people aboard the inaugural long-haul plane knew they were flying a new type of plane.

Spending eight hours in economy class on a narrow-body plane was a real eye-opener. Fortunately, Iberia didn’t skimp on the seat padding to reduce weight. The result is a much more comfortable experience than you might expect.

The A321XLR is equipped with oversized overhead compartments and there was more than enough space to fit everyone’s luggage. The windows, larger than those of other A320neo family aircraft, ensured sufficient natural light in the cabin.

Panasonic’s in-flight entertainment with a 4K screen worked well. It has an extensive library of English and Spanish content to meet the needs of its customers on both sides of the Atlantic. Passengers can also bring headphones and pair them with the Bluetooth system, although this feature was buggy on the Boston flight.

The meals on board – prepared by renowned caterer Do & Co – were delicious. However, the narrow single-aisle configuration shows its limits.

Iberia’s XLR is equipped with the Airbus Space-Flex solution, which halves the space needed to transport meals by reducing the size of the rear galley and replacing it with two toilets. When the airline extends flights to ten hours, passengers may need a second hot meal, and this provision hinders the ability to do so.

Additionally, with three toilets in the back, passengers had to constantly squeeze together. This makes rear seats the least desirable on the plane.

Who else gets the XLR?

Airlines around the world are examining the Iberia use case while determining which routes and configurations to implement on their own A321XLRs. About 25 carriers have more than 500 planes on order, with very different plans and configurations.

For example, Wizz Air, based in Budapest, will be the first low-cost airline to receive the aircraft. Wizz intends to configure the XLR with 239 seats in an all-economy configuration. The first routes include London Gatwick to Jeddah and Milan to Abu Dhabi.

Elsewhere, Qantas will use the XLR to replace its Boeing 737-800s. Given the plane’s domestic focus, the Australian carrier is foregoing premium sleeper seats and opting for a more traditional recliner.

Other confirmed operators include United Airlines and Icelandair. Both companies will use the XLR to replace the Boeing 757.

IndiGo and American Airlines

XLR’s biggest customer by far is Indian budget airline IndiGo. The company has yet to confirm its cabin configuration or route network. However, since the airline recently launched a premium seat, it is safe to assume that it is opting for a two-cabin configuration. The airline will likely want to fly the jets from India to Europe, Africa, Western Australia and Southeast Asia.

Speaking at the Skift Aviation Forum earlier this week, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom provided an update on its XLR plans.

American expects its first delivery in 2025 and will operate them on cross-country routes. As more XLRs come online, the Dallas-based carrier will also consider flying the aircraft to Europe, as well as Latin America from Miami.

Regardless of the precise configuration, the ambient music is loud and clear. Airlines of all shapes and sizes are preparing to use XLR to transform global road networks. The jet is likely to herald a new era of greater point-to-point connectivity.

Yes, it can be a shock for customers to fly a narrow-body aircraft for up to ten hours. The hope is that this is a sacrifice passengers are willing to make in exchange for greater comfort.

Watch American Airlines CEO Robert Isom at Skift Aviation Forum 2024: