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 4, 2019 | 12:08 am
#46
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA GS 2MM
Posts: 1,053
As warranted as the quoted post stating that the aircraft has even less range westbound I would say :-)
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Dec 4, 2019 at 12:49 am Reason: merged consecutive posts by same member
Dec 4, 2019 | 1:00 am
#47
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SoCal/ Central Europe
Programs: AA EXP/DL PLT/UA GLD/HY GL/HH GLD
Posts: 22,425
Yes. But there are two extended-range versions of the 321neo. The -LR version which is now in service and doing TATL flights with TAP and Aer Lingus(?); and the -XLR version (which is set for initial delivery in 2023 IIRC), and has more modifications than the -LR beyond just additional fuel capacity.
Dec 4, 2019 | 1:57 am
#48
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 71,321
Same here. If only Boeing hadnt have destroyed the 757 tooling, theyd be selling re-engined/new wing versions right and left.....
Dec 4, 2019 | 4:54 am
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,809
A company in Boeing's state is capital-constrained -- that was precisely the point of my post upthread.
In a utopian world where there was plenty of money and no competition, yes. In this timeline, probably not possible. Boeing went for a "band-aided plane" based on a "woefully out of date platform," e.g. the Max, to save money, sell fleet commonality / low-impact training to the airlines, and try to beat Airbus to market. Those were the real-world, non-utopian pressures, and Boeing's answer was to tweak a 52-year-old planform one last time. The result was not non-competitive, exactly -- Boeing took 5,700+ orders for the Max -- but it turns out to have been a ghastly, deadly engineering mistake that will cost Boeing far more money than it saved.
It is not popular to say, but I think Boeing's combined 737 Max / 737NG / 777X / 787 woes could yet drive the company to seek bankruptcy protection.
It is not popular to say, but I think Boeing's combined 737 Max / 737NG / 777X / 787 woes could yet drive the company to seek bankruptcy protection.
Dec 4, 2019 | 5:26 am
#50
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 233
Facts say otherwise. The Max will get fixed and it will have a long service life. The 777 issues are engine related and the 787 is giving them huge amounts of cash flow. Boeings issues are temporary and the stock prices show that.
Dec 4, 2019 | 6:27 am
#52
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,432
Yes. But there are two extended-range versions of the 321neo. The -LR version which is now in service and doing TATL flights with TAP and Aer Lingus(?); and the -XLR version (which is set for initial delivery in 2023 IIRC), and has more modifications than the -LR beyond just additional fuel capacity.
Dec 4, 2019 | 6:34 am
#53
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Port St Lucie, FL, UA1K since 1994 and 3mm, Delta 1mm
Programs: Marriott Titanium Life, Hilton Gold
Posts: 567
NMA will never happen it is clear that United reacted to that. Boeing will focus on clean sheet design of 737 replacement as next new plane, which is long overdue.
Dec 4, 2019 | 6:35 am
#54
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 10,042
It obliterates any semblance of credibility, for Boeing, and totally disrupts the entire strategic, long-term plan for the company, which was to use the maturing 787 line and the relatively low-cost 737MAX derivative to drive cash flow, enabling development of an NMA, that ideally would have scored approximately 500 orders by now from AA/UA/DL alone, and been well on track to a ~2024 EIS, followed by the 737 replacement program with a 2030 EIS target. Now, the NMA has either been totally obviated, or reduced in scope to a 767 replacement (see Nocella's comments from yesterday). Either way, the 737 replacement timetable is brought forward, but not until the MAX is fixed, which is consuming considerable engineering resources.
The 737NG nacelle, 787 production and 777X engine issues are magnified by the media, but in reality, barely scratch the surface of the corporate impact the MAX debacle has, and will continue to have on Boeing for years to come. Boeing is now relegated to a backseat to Airbus for at least a decade, IMO.
Dec 4, 2019 | 7:55 am
#55
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AA EXP; UA 1MM & PP; Marriott AMB; Hyatt Globalist; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 61,804
Dec 4, 2019 | 9:59 am
#56
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Austin, TX - AUS
Programs: AA Platinum, Hilton, Hyatt, IHG, Marriott
Posts: 1,645
797-8: baseline version, same size as 737-800
797-9: stretched version, similar size as 737-900ER/757-200/A321
797-9ER: extended range version, A321XLR competitor
Dec 4, 2019 | 10:07 am
#57
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
Programs: UA 1K / *G, ALL Accor Diamond, IHG Platinum Elite, Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Avis PC, Hertz PC
Posts: 10,563
I do wonder what UA does to fill the gap when the 767s come up for retirement. Do they upgauge to 788s? But A330neo? With NMA seemingly dead now, I cant think the XLR fills all their needs.
Dec 4, 2019 | 10:23 am
#58
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,809
I don't see bankruptcy at all for Boeing... it's a hugely diversified entity, and while the commercial airplane business is the biggest piece of the pie, the MAX fiasco isn't going to sink the rest of the company.
It obliterates any semblance of credibility, for Boeing, and totally disrupts the entire strategic, long-term plan for the company, which was to use the maturing 787 line and the relatively low-cost 737MAX derivative to drive cash flow, enabling development of an NMA, that ideally would have scored approximately 500 orders by now from AA/UA/DL alone, and been well on track to a ~2024 EIS, followed by the 737 replacement program with a 2030 EIS target. Now, the NMA has either been totally obviated, or reduced in scope to a 767 replacement (see Nocella's comments from yesterday). Either way, the 737 replacement timetable is brought forward, but not until the MAX is fixed, which is consuming considerable engineering resources.
The 737NG nacelle, 787 production and 777X engine issues are magnified by the media, but in reality, barely scratch the surface of the corporate impact the MAX debacle has, and will continue to have on Boeing for years to come. Boeing is now relegated to a backseat to Airbus for at least a decade, IMO.
It obliterates any semblance of credibility, for Boeing, and totally disrupts the entire strategic, long-term plan for the company, which was to use the maturing 787 line and the relatively low-cost 737MAX derivative to drive cash flow, enabling development of an NMA, that ideally would have scored approximately 500 orders by now from AA/UA/DL alone, and been well on track to a ~2024 EIS, followed by the 737 replacement program with a 2030 EIS target. Now, the NMA has either been totally obviated, or reduced in scope to a 767 replacement (see Nocella's comments from yesterday). Either way, the 737 replacement timetable is brought forward, but not until the MAX is fixed, which is consuming considerable engineering resources.
The 737NG nacelle, 787 production and 777X engine issues are magnified by the media, but in reality, barely scratch the surface of the corporate impact the MAX debacle has, and will continue to have on Boeing for years to come. Boeing is now relegated to a backseat to Airbus for at least a decade, IMO.
Dec 4, 2019 | 10:47 am
#59
Join Date: Feb 2015
Programs: united
Posts: 1,636
I disagree with you about bankruptcy (though I think it is only a possibility, not a probable event) but agree on everything else. The Max mess not only costs Boeing billions for years to come, but its impact could blow up long-standing lucrative relationships Boeing has with some key customers -- United's vote for the A321XLR being a key indicator. UA has clearly concluded that it can't afford to wait for the NMA, if indeed it ever materializes.
If I ran an airline, I would be directing all my purchase orders to other manufacturers right now. This is just the wrong time to be placing bets on Boeing.
Dec 4, 2019 | 10:50 am
#60
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: TPA
Programs: United MP
Posts: 501
I'm not sure an updated 757 would be efficient enough to compete against the A321NEO/LR/XLR. Like the 73MAX7, a 757MAX would also be a decades-old platform. Plus the 737 and 757 would be two different type, while Airbus can cover that range with one type. I think a better solution would be launching an all-new narrowbody to serve as a 737NG and 757 replacement.