Iberia has officially taken delivery of the world’s first commercial ready Airbus A321XLR as the carrier prepares to welcome fee-paying passengers in November 2024.
In a statement on October 30, 2024, Airbus said that the A321XLR will initially operate on Iberia’s European network before going global with transatlantic flights between Madrid and Boston.
“We are very proud to be the launch airline for this new Airbus aircraft. The A321XLR will allow us to reach new destinations, operating transoceanic routes and doing so in a more efficient way,” said Marco Sansavini, CEO and Chairman at Iberia.
The Airbus A321XLR, registered EC-OIL, was officially handed over to Iberia at the planemaker’s facility in Hamburg and is due to fly to Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) at 16:00 local time.
“Five years in the making, the newest member of the Airbus family is all set to join its first operator, Iberia. The A321XLR will enable countless new non-stop destinations; it truly opens a new chapter in air connectivity. It is another proud “first” for all of us at Airbus in our constant quest to innovate and bring value to our customers. We are pleased to share this special moment with a special customer: gracias y felicidades Iberia,” said Christian Scherer, CEO Commercial Aircraft at Airbus.
#A321xlr #Iberia #Express EC-
MSN11504 pic.twitter.com/XiYueNuUQz— Tobi (@Tobias_Gudat) April 22, 2024
The inaugural commercial flight is due to depart from Madrid to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) on November 5, 2024, after it was rescheduled from November 1, 2024.
In 2019, parent company IAG placed an initial order for 14 A321XLRs, with six intended to go to Aer Lingus and eight to Iberia.
It was expected that Aer Lingus would be the launch customer, but disruptions over pilot salaries during the summer saw the baton passed to Iberia.
Powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines, Iberia’s new A321XLR is configured for 182 passengers in a two-class layout with lie-flat business class seats with direct aisle access.
The Airbus A321XLR aircraft, a long-distance variant of the A321neo, is capable of reaching distances of up to 4,700nm.
The aircraft will link cities such as New York and Rome, London and Vancouver and Sydney and Kuala Lumpur.
Airbus describes the aircraft as “single-aisle economics on widebody routes”, with 45% lower trip costs for passengers when compared to flying on a larger jet.
The first A321XLR completed its maiden flight in June 2022 and was awarded Type Certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in July 2024.