Airbus has announced this morning that the A321XLR has received type certification from EASA, paving the way for entry-into-service.
This comes as a significant milestone ahead of the upcoming Farnborough Air Show next week.
Without further ado, let’s get into it…
Certification of the Airbus A321XLR…
The Chief Engineer of the Airbus A321XLR, Isabelle Bloy, received the EASA Type Certification today.
Furthermore, it is understood that the certification pertinent to the Pratt & Whitney engine version is slated for later this year.
Commenting on the milestone was Christian Scherer, CEO of the Commercial Aircraft business of Airbus:
“Here comes the A321XLR, a differentiated product that brings new value to the market, expanding the possibilities for our airline customers and passengers.”
“With its long range, the A321XLR enables a host of new direct routes, offering natural growth opportunities to our customers and the travelling public.”
“It provides airlines with the efficiency of commonality inside the A320/A321 product range and its versatile cabin a range of service possibilities that are just unique.”
“It is quintessential Airbus!”
“With the certification, we have reached a key milestone.”
“The next step is to prepare the aircraft for its first commercial missions with customers worldwide.”
“We look forward to working with XLR customers to support the integration of the aircraft in their fleets.”
All Hands on Deck for Iberia: November 2024…
With this in mind, all hands are on deck now for the launch customer of the Airbus A321XLR, Iberia.
Around a month ago, the airline began ticket sales for the new aircraft.
Furthermore, it is understood the official entry-into-service date of the Iberia Airbus A321XLR will be November 14 this year.
Also, the configuration will see 14 seats in Business Class, followed by 168 seats in Economy.
Moreover, the first route the aircraft will operate will be the Madrid-Boston flights.
It is understood from November 14, it will replace the Airbus A330 on three of the four weekly flights on offer.
December 2024 will see an increase from four to seven weekly, with the A321XLR operating the aircraft on all frequencies.
Then, on January 15, 2025, the aircraft will begin to operate the Madrid-Washington Dulles flights.
It is understood that this service will operate on a six times per week basis from that date.
Overall…
In conclusion, this is a significant milestone for Airbus and the A321XLR.
This will be set to revolutionise long-haul flying even further, and will be set to complement existing services with the A321LR.
Looking ahead, all eyes turn to November 2024, which is when the first flights from Iberia are expected with the aircraft type.
But for now, all eyes turn to Farnborough next week to see whether anymore announcements pertinent to the aircraft type are made.
Click the banner to subscribe to our weekly newsleter.
Click the photo to join our WhatsApp channel so then you can stay up to date with everything going on in the aviation industry!
