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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
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