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from airlines around the world, with many carriers also switching  up markets that we wouldn’t be able to serve
        existing A320neo family orders to the A321XLR model. Prominent  otherwise – new cities and niche destinations
        among them is IndiGo, which had earlier started operations with  that will really work well with our network,”
        its 180 seat A320neos and 232 seat A321neos in March 2016  he added. “Through our hubs, we’ll be able to
        and December 2018, respectively. The Indian airline’s 300 plane  create many one-stop connections that don’t
        order in 2019 included 37 aircraft of the type, but the carrier has  exist today.”
        since revealed its intentions to have a significantly larger fleet, of
        69 aircraft. The budget airline, which wants to leverage the range  United, which ordered 50 A321XLRs in
        of the A321XLR to expand its market, will likely consider long-haul  December 2019 – 30 of the orders were con-
        routes in Europe, Asia, and Africa from its Delhi hub once the air-  versions from existing A321neo orders - is
        craft enters service. The carrier’s outgoing CEO Ronojoy Dutta  waiting for first deliveries scheduled for late
        says that the airline is likely to add a business class cabin, a marked  2024. The aircraft will replace the carrier’s
        departure from its original business model.                    aging Boeing 757-200 fleet. The jets are likely
                                                                       to be used for point-to-point service to sec-
        Takers in Every Region                                         ondary European markets, like Glasgow and
        The aircraft model is a hit with US airlines as well, with American  Edinburgh from Newark, as well as to some
        Airlines, United Airlines, Frontier, and JetBlue all having substan-  Latin American cities as well. Frontier Airlines
        tial orders. American has ordered 50 aircraft of the type, with  is the only U.S. carrier planning to use the XLR
        the first set to arrive not long after the aircraft is inducted into  type in markets south of Latin America.
        service in 2024. The carrier, which currently does not have much
        of a presence of its own in Europe, is hoping that the entry of  JetBlue has converted 13 aircraft in its existing

        the aircraft into its fleet will change that. Speaking recently at  Airbus A321neo order book to the XLR version,
        Routes Americas in San Antonio, Henning Greiser, American’s Head  with delivery scheduled to begin as soon as
        of International Network Planning, said that the type would help  the aircraft enters service. The aircraft type
        increase American’s penetration in Europe. “The A321XLR will open  opens up possibilities for the carrier to start the


         8 June_July 2022                                                          WWW .GBP .COM.SG/ AAA
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