Summary
- Etihad expects 30-40 A321LRs, the first of which will arrive in 2025.
- There will be 160 seats: 16 fully flat beds and 144 economy seats.
- This article identifies 14 potential destinations that could see it, enabling higher frequencies, year-round service, and new routes.
After considerable losses and a realization that it won’t be another Emirates or Qatar Airways, Etihad shrunk itself to improve its foundation, focus, and fortunes – always a highly challenging thing to do. The UAE carrier has been developing again recently, with an analysis of Cirium schedules showing that its flights are now just 3% lower than in 2019 – but a considerable 16% lower than in its 2016 heyday of excessiveness, over-ambition, and misdirection.
Etihad’s incoming A321LRs
The A321LR is a fascinating fleet development for Etihad. As the Boeing 737 MAX did with Emirates’ narrowbody partner, flydubai, the Airbus rival could transform Etihad’s network development.
Photo: Airbus
Etihad expects 30-40 LRs, with the first to be delivered in 2025. According to the airline’s CEO, the aircraft will have a relatively premium 160-seat layout, with 16 fully flat beds in premium (a notable improvement over its current narrowbody business class) and 144 seats in economy.
The configuration would be the same as JetBlue’s non-LR A321neos and similar to SAS’ LRs, although the latter’s aircraft are even more premium. Routes that are sufficiently premium will be vital for Etihad.
The LR will enable Etihad to fly on longer and thinner routes where widebody capacity isn’t needed or is not possible. It could help enable year-round service or right-sizing routes in the low season, improving loads and yields. It could allow higher frequencies and, therefore, greater competitiveness and market share, which might not be possible or sustainable on a widebody.
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Where Etihad’s A321LRs could fly
Everyone outside Etihad must guess where the LR could be flown from its Abu Dhabi hub. Even those inside the airline might not know yet: it is likely to be a work in progress and a closely guarded secret. The following list identifies 14 examples of opportunities for the narrowbody.
I have stated Etihad’s current frequencies with other equipment in italics.
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Year-round double daily with the A321LR:
- Athens (currently daily in the winter, more in the summer)
- Barcelona (10 weekly year-round)
- Madrid (10 weekly year-round)
- Rome (11 weekly to double daily)
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Year-round daily LR service:
- Copenhagen (four weekly summer seasonal)
- Düsseldorf (returns at the end of October; three weekly)
- Nice (twice-weekly summer only)
- Vienna (daily year-round)
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Possible new destinations with the LR (none previously served by Etihad):
- Abuja
- Berlin (if it could obtain traffic rights; could be double-daily year-round)
- Budapest
- Prague (could be daily year-round)
- Warsaw
- Zagreb
Image: GCMap
The A321LR has a theoretical or brochure range of 4,000 nautical miles (7,408 km). Like any aircraft manufacturer stating range, this is the best-case scenario. It assumes everything is as light as possible and optimal to support an impressive range. In a real-world scenario, perhaps 3,500 nautical miles (6,482 km) is reasonable for Etihad, especially with its premium configuration. All the routes considered in this article are well within that range.
The trip cost of the LR is far lower than that of a widebody, offset by a higher seat-mile cost. It would require higher fares; Etihad’s fully flat beds with relatively few economy seats will be pivotal.
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Unlike a widebody, far fewer passengers would be required to break even at a particular percentage point. There would be little room for cargo but a more straightforward operation overall. In many ways, the A321LR is a less risky option for Etihad.
What are your views of it all? Let us know in the comments section.