Airbus A321XLR Timeline Slips: Which Airlines Are Affected?

Airbus A321XLR Timeline Slips: Which Airlines Are Affected?

• Airbus confirmed the entry-into-service for the A321XLR was delayed to Q3 2024, but the CEO assured that it would meet the airline’s range expectations.
• The delay in certification has caused the timeline shift.
• Aer Lingus could be the launch customer of A321XLR.

Airbus has confirmed that the entry-into-service (EIS) for the A321XLR has been pushed back to Q3 2024. When the manufacturer announced the largest version of the A321neo in June 2019, the EIS date was set as 2023, with Airbus promising a range of 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 kilometers).

Delayed entry

During the manufacturer’s annual press conference with the media, Guillaume Faury, the chief executive officer (CEO) of Airbus, stated that the A321XLR is in the final stages of completing aircraft certification. The CEO reiterated that the aircraft will fully meet airlines’ expectations regarding range, adding that this will be a solid product in the A320neo aircraft family lineup.

“We are in the finalization of the documents, as you know, coming close to certification, we need to close all of them and there are thousands, and in the preparation of the planes for the first deliveries, as I mentioned earlier, the first [A321XLR] has been entering into the FAL [Final Assembly Line – ed. note] at the end of last year.”

Faury added that the manufacturer was planning for the A321XLR to enter service in Q2 2024 for quite a while. However, there has been a delay in finalizing certification, so the timeline has shifted by a single quarter.

The executive noted that Airbus is in constant contact with its customers, saying the delay will not affect most aircraft on order. “I am satisfied with the progress of the program,” Faury continued.

In July 2023, Reuters reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that the range of the A321XLR could go down by 200 NM (370 km) since the manufacturer had to redesign the fuel tank of the aircraft due to certification requirements. At the time, an Airbus spokesperson told the publication that there would be no significant impact on the type’s range.

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Affected airlines

According to ch-aviation data, Airbus has booked 511 orders for the A321XLR from 27 airlines globally. This includes full-service carriers such as Aer Lingus, Air Canada American Airlines, Iberia, Qantas, United Airlines, and others, as well as low-cost airlines like Air Arabia, AirAsia, IndiGo, JetBlue, etc.

When the International Airlines Group (IAG) held its capital markets day in November 2023, the group labeled Aer Lingus as the first airline to fly the type. Julio Rodriguez, the Chief Commercial Strategy Officer of IAG, also told investors that Aer Lingus would be the launch customer of the A321XLR starting Q4 2024.

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Aer Lingus Says It Will Be Airbus A321XLR Launch Operator

Aer Lingus is poised to take on its first Airbus A321XLR next year, likely as the type’s launch operator.

At the same time, when Airbus applied for an exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to install mini-suites on the A321XLR, presumably for the newest American Airlines cabin, the filing also said that the aircraft would enter service with an airline in late 2024.

However, the manufacturer’s filing did not specifically mention American Airlines; instead, it said that the mini-suites would be installed on a cabin that had 20 mini-suites in business class, 12 premium economy, and 123 economy class seats. The airline previously announced an identical A321XLR cabin.

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Airbus Seeks FAA Exemption To Allow A321XLR Business Class Suite Doors

Airbus stated that the proposed mini-suites would not be detrimental to an evacuation and would benefit the flying public.