Toulouse, 22 March 2022
– Air Canada has confirmed an order with Airbus for six A321XLR
aircraft, previously listed as undisclosed in the Airbus order book.
With this commitment Air Canada’s A321XLR fleet will comprise 26
aircraft including 20 additional A321XLRs the carrier is acquiring
through lessors.
“Air Canada is
committed to further strengthen its market-leading position, especially
through investments in new technology. The acquisition of the
state-of-the-art Airbus A321XLR is an important element of this strategy
and will drive our core priorities of elevating the customer
experience, advancing our environmental goals, network expansion and
increasing our overall cost efficiency. This order also shows that Air
Canada is emerging strongly from the pandemic and is ideally positioned
to grow, compete and thrive in a reshaped global aviation industry” said
Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada.
“The
exceptional versatility and performance of the A321XLR will enable Air
Canada to further develop its network expansion in a sustainable way
with increased efficiencies and reduced CO2
emissions,” said Christian Scherer, Airbus Chief Commercial Officer and
Head of Airbus International. “We thank Air Canada for its confidence
in us and are delighted by the step-up in our longstanding
relationship.”
The
A321XLR is a perfect fit for Air Canada’s fleet, given its history of
operating the entire A320-Family as well as Airbus’ long-range A330-300
widebody and more recently, Airbus’ latest-generation single-aisle
aircraft, the A220.The
new Airbus A321XLR aircraft is an ideal replacement for older and less
fuel-efficient aircraft. The latest generation Single Aisle jet will
allow Air Canada to add new destinations in the most sustainable way.
The
A321XLR is the next evolutionary step in the A320neo Family of
aircraft, meeting market requirements for increased range and payload in
a single-aisle aircraft, and creating more value for airlines by
enabling economically viable service on longer routes than any
comparable aircraft model. It will allow services from Eastern Canada to
a much larger selection of European destinations.
The A321XLR will deliver an
unprecedented single-aisle aircraft range of up to 4,700nm, with 30%
lower fuel consumption per seat compared to previous-generation aircraft
as well as reduced NOx emissions and noise. The aircraft will feature the Airbus Airspace cabin, offering a next level of long-haul comfort to passengers.
By the end of February 2022, the A320neo
Family had accumulated nearly 7,900 orders from over 120 customers
worldwide. A321XLR orders stood at 515 from 25 customers.
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