The Future of Long-Distance Travel: The Airbus A321XLR Takes the Stage
Airbus believes we're heading towards a new era of travel. Over the past 30 years, their A320 family has evolved, growing both larger and smaller models capable of crossing continents.
Since its maiden voyage in 1993, Airbus has continuously improved their flagship single-aisle aircraft, the A321. Upgrades have included 'Sharklets' (Airbus's term for Winglets), new engines in 2016, and larger fuel tanks in 2018.
Long Range Adventure
At the Paris Air Show this summer, Airbus showcased the latest addition to the A321 series - the A321XLR. "XLR" stands for "Extra Long Range."
The XLR will feature a 3-class configuration, accommodating 175-200 passengers with business, premium economy, and economy class seating with lie-flat seats in business and premium economy classes. The aircraft boasts a range of up to 4,700 nautical miles or 8,700 kilometers. However, with a maximum capacity of 244 passengers, the range drops to 4,000 nautical miles (or 7,400 kilometers).
The XLR will connect cities like Rome, New York, London, Delhi, Tokyo, and Sydney, offering a taste of jet travel's early days.
According to Henry Harteveldt, analyst of the travel industry and founder of Atmospheric Research Group, "we're really in a 'Back to the Future' moment."
In the late 1950s, passengers marveled at the speed and comfort of visionary planes like the Douglas DC-8 and Boeing 707, which ushered in a new era of international travel, despite occasionally needing to refuel mid-flight.
Douglas and Boeing quickly aimed to enhance the aircraft's range, and soon travellers could enjoy non-stop connections between far-flung cities and even transoceanic flights.
Fifty years ago, in 1969, Boeing introduced the colossal 747 "Queen of the Skies." The 747 transformed air travel for good.
Much larger than a 707, passengers now enjoyed the feeling of flying in a vast, two-tiered interior with two aisles, instead of a metal tube with a single aisle. Soon, long-haul flights shifted to wide-body aircraft like the 747's competitors, the Douglas DC-10 and Lockheed L-1011 TriStar.
Twin-Aisle giants like the Boeing 767, 777, and 787 as well as the Airbus A330, A350, and A380 have become synonymous with international travel for years.
Although the Boeing 757 has been utilized on mid-range and even transatlantic routes (including transatlantic flights) since the mid-1980s, airlines employing these jets are looking to revamp their fleets.
Expanded Horizons
American Airlines has ordered 50 new Airbus jetliners and chosen the A321XLR as a replacement for its ageing 757s.
"The A321XLR is incredibly versatile and, in my opinion, a critical part of the aviation market," said Jeff Knittel, CEO of Airbus Americas, in an interview with CNN Travel.
"XLR offers [airlines] a broader spectrum of aircraft utilization possibilities. It's more of an expansion of the single-aisle capability. It's not a replacement for wide-body aircraft."
Knittel explained that airlines would be able to plan short-haul connections with the XLR, like Miami to New York and then to Paris, thanks to the aircraft's efficiency and flexibility.
The A321XLR will feature a new fuel tank located behind the wings at the aircraft's center, with reinforcements to the landing gear to accommodate the increased fuel weight, resulting in a heavier takeoff weight compared to other A321 models.
Passenger Experience
Will the extended range of the A321XLR test the endurance of its passengers?
Airbus has drawn on experience with their larger Ultra-Long Range (ULR) aircraft like the A350ULR, which now serves long-haul routes like Singapore to New York, an endurance marathon with a duration of more than 19 hours.
According to Knittel, these learnings have been applied to the A321XLR.
"We have brought together all the talent of Airbus to optimize the A321XLR's cabin experience. The aircraft is systematically optimized for long-range flights, whether it's the tank for toilet water or waste," said Knittel.
The A321XLR will incorporate the latest Airspace by Airbus interior design, featuring new contoured sidewalls, programmable LED lighting, and larger overhead luggage bins, which Knittel said are "approximately 40% larger" than previous designs.
That said, seat layout and cabins' design, as well as in-flight entertainment and connectivity systems, will continue to be at the airline's discretion.
But regardless of how airlines aim to enhance the cabin experience, they cannot speed up the A321XLR – the aircraft will operate at a lower speed compared to its wide-body counterparts. For instance, a westbound flight from Paris to Boston could take 50 minutes longer in an A321XLR than in an A350.
"I think passengers will pay more attention to the flight time, price, and amenities on board. Frankly, there are still many more factors influencing the total duration of a flight," said Harteveldt.
"Airlines could capitalize on this by segment marketing. The A321XLR may be slower, meaning airlines can offer more seats at cheaper prices due to the extended flight duration," added he.
Flexibility in Planning
Merging a fleet of A321XLRs with faster wide-body aircraft might offer airlines planning flexibility, enabling them to target new cities or add flights to existing routes without a significant increase in seat capacity.
The A321XLR's first deliveries will roll off Airbus's manufacturing lines in Mobile, Alabama, and Hamburg, Germany, in 2023 or 2024. Airlines and lessors like JetBlue, Iberia, AirLease (which provides them to other carriers), and Saudi Arabian Airlines have ordered or converted their earlier A321 orders to the new model.
"I think that larger wide-body aircraft will continue to serve high-capacity, high-volume routes, but I can see a day when we rely more on medium-sized aircraft like the A321XLR, potentially for most transatlantic and other routes served by narrowbody long-range aircraft," said Harteveldt.
Despite the specialized nature of the A321XLR, Airbus hopes the aircraft will become a popular choice among airlines seeking to offer long-distance travel with efficiency and flexibility.
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