Canada’s Air Transat reveals delivery date of Airbus A321XLR jets
Focused on fleet renewal and expansion, Air Transat awaits for delivery of new Airbus A321XLR planes. The Canadian airline has just revealed the expected delivery date.
A total of four A321XLRs are scheduled to be handed over to Air Transat between the end of 2025 through 2026 under a long-term lease agreement with the US-based lessor Air Lease Corporation. The deal also includes an option for an additional narrow-body to be delivered in 2027, the lessor wrote in the statement shared by Air Transat on September 8, 2022.
Why did Air Transat pick the A321XLR?
The arrival of the Airbus A321XLR [extra-long range – ed. note] jet into the Air Transat fleet is the cornerstone of the airline’s strategic plan for operations between 2022 and 2026. The carrier believes that the XLRs as well as the A321LRs [long range – ed. note] will improve the quality of the airline’s performance during transatlantic operations. Air Transat has estimated that, flying the A321XLR, it would be able to reach Southern European destinations such as Split, and Croatia from its hubs in Montreal and Toronto.
“Adding these three new XLRs to our fleet – with a fourth optional one – will allow us greater operational flexibility as this type of aircraft is very well suited to our needs across our programs annually,” Air Transat chief executive Annick Guerard said.
While attempting to reach its sustainability goals by renewing its fleet with the greenest Airbus plane in its category, the airline also bets on the new levels of comfort and passenger experience its customers will get in-flight.
“Air Transat’s new leasing agreement with our long-trusted partner ALC represents another key milestone in the renewal and simplification of our fleet undertaken since 2017. Adding these three new XLRs to our fleet – with a fourth optional one – will allow us greater operational flexibility as this type of aircraft is very well suited to our needs across our programs annually,” the CEO added.