Arkia Israeli Airlines has become the first carrier to take
delivery of an Airbus A321LR.
The aircraft is a longer-range derivative of Airbus' largest
current generation single-aisle aircraft, the A321Neo.
The A321LR has a range of 4,600 miles, slightly farther than
the distance between Chicago and Prague. Thus, it can handle most major
transatlantic routes.
The orders spreadsheet that Airbus posts online doesn't
separate orders of the standard A321Neo from the A321LR, but Airbus spokeswoman
Mary Anne Greczyn said more than 100 A321LRs are on order. Among the
transatlantic carriers that have ordered the aircraft are Norwegian Air, Aer
Lingus and TAP Portugal. Norwegian Air has 30 on order.
Arkia will configure its A321LR with 220 seats in a single economy
class.
The A321LR is competing in the marketplace with Boeing
long-range narrowbodies, including the 757-200 and the 737 Max 10.