American “Evaluating” A321neo as a Replacement for Transatlantic 757s

American Airlines looks to Airbus for long-range A321neo variant with hopes to replace aging Boeing 757 fleet.

American Airlines, the largest operator of Airbus A320-family aircraft in the world, could be looking to the French manufacturer for a replacement to their aging Boeing 757-200 fleet. FlightGlobal reports that American has begun evaluating a potential long-range variation of the Airbus A321neo.

According to FlightGlobal, American announced to employees in a newsletter that the airline is evaluating a potential long-range version of the A321neo based on “the economics and the range and performance capabilities.” If American were to move forward with an order, the first long-range A321neo would be delivered in 2019, featuring a two-cabin configuration and range of around 4,100 nautical miles.

American faces a similar problem as fellow legacy carriers United Airlines and Delta Air Lines in replacing aging Boeing 757 aircraft. The Seattle-based manufacturer stopped building the long-range, narrow-body aircraft in 2004 with no direct successor. While Boeing now manufactures the 737 Max 9 and 787 Dreamliner, both come with drawbacks that make them an unlikely heir to routes served by the 757.

“The reality is, no matter what you do, with a widebody aircraft physics is physics and it’s going to have more drag and it’s going to be more expensive to fly [than a narrowbody],” Scott Kirby, president of American, told FlightGlobal in regards to the 787 Dreamliner possibly replacing transatlantic 757s. “The 757 is a unique airplane today. As a narrowbody, it has a unique cost structure that can serve a set of markets where it’s the only narrowbody that can serve [them].”

Today, American operates over 300 Airbus A320-family aircraft under both its own brand and US Airways, with firm orders for over 100 A320neo and options for 30 more.