As we reported last week, Iberia officially confirmed this Sunday that it will be the first airline in the world to receive an A321XLR, the new Airbus gem that will change the game in several long-haul markets.
The company indicates that the first A321XLR will be received after the summer and that they will receive another seven aircraft in the following months. This aircraft, equipped with additional auxiliary tanks, has the capacity to perform flights of up to 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 kilometers). To take advantage of this greater fuel capacity, the maximum takeoff weight of the A321XLR has been increased to 101 tons, compared to the 97 tons of its predecessor, the A321LR. Additionally, the landing gear has been reinforced.
“This aircraft will strengthen Iberia’s long-haul fleet in a more sustainable and innovative way by offering the possibility of operating the airline’s transoceanic routes with a narrow-body aircraft, that is, with a single aisle,” Iberia said in the statement, highlighting that America will have a special focus.
Specifically, Washington and Boston will be the first long-haul destinations where Iberia will deploy its A321XLR. The company clarifies that, as happens when a new aircraft model is incorporated into the fleet, they will initially operate medium-haul routes for the crews to familiarize themselves.
Iberia’s A321XLRs will have 14 lie-flat seats with individual 18-inch screens in Business to offer the same premium experience as in wide-body aircraft. In Economy, there will be 168 seats of the Recaro CL3810 model that will allow a four-inch recline. All cabins will have improved USB Type A and C charging ports, and the tray tables are designed for passengers to place their electronic devices comfortably to access onboard entertainment via Wi-Fi.
At the International Expansion Forum held in Madrid ten days ago, Marco Sansavini, CEO of Iberia, highlighted the advantages of reaching destinations in Canada, such as Montreal or Toronto, which are currently not served by Iberia. There was also speculation about establishing nonstop flights to northeastern Brazil, such as Fortaleza, Recife, or Salvador, where TAP Air Portugal already flies with the A321LR, a version with a range 1,300 kilometers shorter than the XLR.
Airbus already has around 600 orders for the A321XLR from airlines such as United, American Airlines, JetSMART, SKY, Iberia, and LATAM, among others.
The IAG group, of which Iberia is a part, has 16 A321XLRs on order, which will be distributed between the Spanish airline and Aer Lingus.
