Dec 3, 2019, 5:26 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
United Airlines Sets a Course for the Future With Order of 50 Airbus A321XLR Aircraft
New aircraft will improve operational efficiency, elevate the inflight travel experience and reduce environmental impact
Airline expects to operate new aircraft on transatlantic routes out of its East Coast hubs in 2024
Photos(1)
CHICAGO, Dec. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today announced an order to purchase 50 new Airbus A321XLR aircraft, enabling the carrier to begin replacing and retiring its existing fleet of Boeing 757-200 aircraft and further meet the airline's operational needs by pairing the optimal aircraft with select transatlantic routes. The state-of-the-art aircraft, which United expects to introduce into international service in 2024, will also allow United to explore serving additional destinations in Europe from its East Coast hubs in Newark/New York and Washington.
"The new Airbus A321XLR aircraft is an ideal one-for-one replacement for the older, less-efficient aircraft currently operating between some of the most vital cities in our intercontinental network," said Andrew Nocella, United's executive vice president and chief commercial officer. "In addition to strengthening our ability to fly more efficiently, the A321XLR's range capabilities open potential new destinations to further develop our route network and provide customers with more options to travel the globe."
The next-generation A321XLR offers customers an elevated inflight experience and features modern amenities including LED lighting, larger overhead bin space and Wi-Fi connectivity. Additionally, the new aircraft lowers overall fuel burn per seat by about 30% when compared to previous generation aircraft, enabling United to further minimize its environmental impact as the carrier moves towards its ambitious goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 50% relative to 2005 levels by 2050.
United plans to begin taking delivery of the Airbus A321XLR in 2024. Additionally, the airline will defer the delivery of its order of Airbus A350s until 2027 to better align with the carrier's operational needs.
New aircraft will improve operational efficiency, elevate the inflight travel experience and reduce environmental impact
Airline expects to operate new aircraft on transatlantic routes out of its East Coast hubs in 2024
Photos(1)
CHICAGO, Dec. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines today announced an order to purchase 50 new Airbus A321XLR aircraft, enabling the carrier to begin replacing and retiring its existing fleet of Boeing 757-200 aircraft and further meet the airline's operational needs by pairing the optimal aircraft with select transatlantic routes. The state-of-the-art aircraft, which United expects to introduce into international service in 2024, will also allow United to explore serving additional destinations in Europe from its East Coast hubs in Newark/New York and Washington.
"The new Airbus A321XLR aircraft is an ideal one-for-one replacement for the older, less-efficient aircraft currently operating between some of the most vital cities in our intercontinental network," said Andrew Nocella, United's executive vice president and chief commercial officer. "In addition to strengthening our ability to fly more efficiently, the A321XLR's range capabilities open potential new destinations to further develop our route network and provide customers with more options to travel the globe."
The next-generation A321XLR offers customers an elevated inflight experience and features modern amenities including LED lighting, larger overhead bin space and Wi-Fi connectivity. Additionally, the new aircraft lowers overall fuel burn per seat by about 30% when compared to previous generation aircraft, enabling United to further minimize its environmental impact as the carrier moves towards its ambitious goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 50% relative to 2005 levels by 2050.
United plans to begin taking delivery of the Airbus A321XLR in 2024. Additionally, the airline will defer the delivery of its order of Airbus A350s until 2027 to better align with the carrier's operational needs.
United to order 50 Airbus A321XLR (for 2024) (TATL w/Polaris seats)
Dec 8, 2019 | 9:54 am
#136
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I think they will go with a new seat design - I imagine if they could simply port over the 767 version of Polaris in a space-efficient way to the 757, not only would it have been announced, but it arguably might have made sense to retrofit the fleet (given the announcement for Polaris was over 3 years ago...at this point, not so much). I would think that the seat choice for the MAX 10 is already made (since UA is supposed to start getting these birds), but perhaps they wait on the XLR - a lot can change in 3-5 years.
Based on a quick Google search, the 767 has a cabin width of 15'6", and the 737/757 11'7". While other considerations might make it impractical, width isn't one of them: 2 rows and one aisle is less than 2/3 the width of three rows and two aisles, but the 737/757 is more than 2/3 the width of the 767. (And, as pointed out, the A321 is wider still).
Dec 8, 2019 | 10:21 am
#137
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This said, assuming that United could get airbus to come up with some earlier a321neo slots, having a common fleet (some ps type a321neo, and then similarly laid out a321xlr that can be used on longer and international routes) makes the most sense.
I think that United was really done a long term diservice by its hard headed focus on Boeing these last few years.
and p.s. I 110% agree we will see a direct aisle access style seat. United directly competes with AA and DL and will be competing on may routes overseas with OALs, most of which have (and probably even more by 2024) have direct aisle access. United made a serious error in putting last gen seats on the 787, repeating it with the MAX10 and a321lxr would really be a bad competitive move.
Dec 8, 2019 | 10:32 am
#138
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Read the comments here about the "outdated" pmCO business class, and then imagine the uproar if they delivered a new long-haul plane with those seats.
I wonder if they can use a design similar to the columns on the 767 -- just, 1x1 instead of 1x1x1. There's enough overlap that I don't think there's going to be a ton of wasted space.
I wonder if they can use a design similar to the columns on the 767 -- just, 1x1 instead of 1x1x1. There's enough overlap that I don't think there's going to be a ton of wasted space.
A 1x1 Polaris seat is definitely doable on the narrowbody, but it still wastes half a seat on each end of a paired column because of the staggered layout, as do most similar layouts. I doubt you could fit more than 14 Polaris seats in zone 1 of a 757 (the B6/EI pattern manages 16 with some all-aisle seats) and AA has only 10 in F. I'm sure it's not a universal opinion, but I would much rather not pay the extra 1/8 of a seat every time I fly just so I don't have to step over someone. I feel similarly as I did about VX F - the 55" pitch was nice but just not worth paying that much more for.
Z/P/PZ space is already hard to manage on the 16J 757s, so I can't exactly cheer a 14J 321 just because it is all-aisle.
Dec 8, 2019 | 10:39 am
#139
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Dec 8, 2019 | 10:42 am
#140
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My understanding is that the MAX 10 neither needs nor has MCAS which should make certification easier.
Last edited by LarryJ; Dec 8, 2019 at 11:44 am
Dec 8, 2019 | 10:51 am
#141
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Dec 8, 2019 | 11:41 am
#142
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None of the competition has a particularly appealing hard product, either. It's either the Diamond on AA and DL (752) or the Vantage on B6 and DL (767).
It will be interesting to see what UA does.
It will be interesting to see what UA does.
Dec 8, 2019 | 5:26 pm
#143
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I don't have specs to hand, but based on seatmaps it's broadly similar - I think the 321 might have a little bit more room. (Yes, the 321 has a door 2, which is regrettably just too close to the engine for anyone to use it for boarding, making the whole aircraft vastly inferior to the 757 for premium pax in my opinion )
)
Dec 8, 2019 | 8:21 pm
#144
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Right! Only 1 door in front of the aircraft, but 2 doors is deleted.
Dec 8, 2019 | 9:52 pm
#145
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Boeing will either (1) try to milk the max, become a second tier supplier like its model mcD, (2) jump off a cliff with the 797, hope it works, or (3) invests $15+b in a new carbon fiber narrow body, sized for 160-170/210=220 seats.
Dec 9, 2019 | 12:33 pm
#146
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That's what Airbus did with the A330neo, and its doing just fine. (and without the carbon). They could do it as the 783 like they originally intended, perhaps now a diet 787 would work better with their remaining budget. Or since they now have Embraer, using the E-jets thru the 130 seat market and creating a 797 as a slightly upscaled and upranged (from 738 to 73-11 stretched type)., they seem to do better with stretches.
I am also baffled as to why in the age of CAD that it costs so many billions for a relatively simple aircraft development. They were doing far more impressive work in the 50's and 60's with slide rules.
I am also baffled as to why in the age of CAD that it costs so many billions for a relatively simple aircraft development. They were doing far more impressive work in the 50's and 60's with slide rules.
UA's use case (and I would imagine DL and AA would be in the same boat) is to find a 2-class, 180 pax airframe with ~5000nm range so that it can cover thin-ish TATL and SA (and Hawaii?) routes from their midwest and east coast hubs. A 767-200neo option could've easily met those requirement. The A321XLR also meets those requirements
Maybe I'm also biased because I find single-aisle TATL flights in Y unbearable.
Last edited by pseudoswede; Dec 9, 2019 at 12:40 pm
Dec 9, 2019 | 1:01 pm
#147
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Dec 13, 2019 | 12:54 pm
#148
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Interesting to see, how that order will reflect on the TCON p.s. routes, and if a subfleet of those 50 frames might be configured to replace the high-J 757s.
Dec 26, 2019 | 9:18 pm
#149
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Some speculation that Boeing's response tot he 321XLR might be the 767-X, having new GE engines to make it competitive on range/efficiency.
Would be the quickest way to respond rather than a clean sheet design.
Hmm, haven't we been here before?
But Boeing may have no choice with the financial crunch from the grounding of the MAX.
Would be the quickest way to respond rather than a clean sheet design.
Hmm, haven't we been here before?
But Boeing may have no choice with the financial crunch from the grounding of the MAX.
Feb 1, 2021 | 12:33 pm
#150
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Did United actually order those? I haven't heard much about it for a long time.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Feb 1, 2021 at 1:05 pm Reason: moved to existing thread