Iberia
, while applying for an exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has revealed the layout of passenger accommodations (LOPA) on its Airbus A321XLR
, which is scheduled to fly to the United States starting in November.
Airline providing the wheelchair
In the exemption request, which was filed with the FAA on September 16, Iberia stated that it has planned to introduce at least eight A321XLR aircraft into its fleet that will fly to several East Coast destinations starting in mid-November.
However, the airline pointed out that since this was a new aircraft designed to perform long-range flights and due to the limited cabin space, the A321XLR did not have enough space to store a passenger’s wheelchair, which is required by the US Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Photo: Airbus
Specifically, Title 14, subpart § 382.67 of the CFR stated that an airline must ensure there was priority space, such as a closet or a row of seats, where a wheelchair may be strapped using a specific kit that complies with applicable FAA
or a foreign entity’s regulations.
The aircraft’s cabin must have a place to store at least one adult-sized folding, collapsible, or break-down manual passenger wheelchair.
“[Iberia] proposes, instead to embody onboard a wheelchair as part of the aircraft equipment. This wheelchair meets the requirements expressed in § 382.65 and provides access to a lavatory to any disabled passenger.”
Revealing the LOPA
As such, Iberia requested relief from the rule requiring space to store a passenger’s wheelchair on all of its A321XLR aircraft.
To support its argument, Iberia attached supporting documentation, including the LOPA, emergency equipment list, and the specifications of the wheelchair it would carry on the A321XLR to assist passengers with reduced mobility.
The wheelchair, provided by the airline, would be stored at the aft of the aircraft, according to the emergency equipment list that Iberia attached as part of the exemption request.
Nevertheless, the LOPA document provided some key details about the cabin of Iberia’s A321XLR, including the business class seats.
While Iberia’s website includes details about the A321XLR, including the seating map of the aircraft and the fact that it will seat 182 passengers (14 business class, 168 economy class), the airline did not disclose the manufacturer, pitch, or, for example, baby bassinets onboard the single-aisle jets.
Photo: Thompson Aero
The LOPA document indicated that Iberia’s A321XLRs will be equipped with the Thompson Aero VantageSOLO business class seat with 34 inches (86.36 centimeters) of pitch. However, rows one and seven would have seats with lower pitches, respectively.
When Iberia unveiled that it would be the launch customer of the A321XLR in May, the Spanish airline said its business class passengers would have direct access to the aisle with lie-flat seats.
The same announcement stated that its A321XLR economy class cabin would be equipped with the 
RECARO
CL3810, which was affirmed in the LOPA document it provided to the FAA.
The economy class seats will have a “four-inch recline and leather headrests” with additional pockets to store personal items, Iberia said at the time.
The Spanish carrier’s document indicated that the economy class seats would come with from 30″ (76.2 cm) to 40″ (101.6 cm) of pitch, with the latter being for seats placed near the emergency exits. One emergency exit row would have 39″ (99.06 cm) of pitch.
At the same time, different economy class rows will have varying pitches, including the last row of seats, which will offer more pitch but will either have limited recline or no recline at all (48C).
Iberia’s A321XLR flying to the US
While Iberia remains the launch customer of the type – gaining that status after International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of Iberia, stripped that status from Aer Lingus due to a wage dispute with its pilots – it will introduce the A321XLR on short-haul routes first.
As previously reported by Simple Flying, the Spanish carrier has scheduled flights with the type from Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), with flights beginning on October 26.
Photo: Airbus
Iberia’s A321XLR should fly from MAD to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
on November 14, with the Spanish airline adding Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) as another A321XLR destination on January 15.
Despite the pay dispute with its pilots, Aer Lingus previously said that it should receive two A321XLRs by the end of the year.