Air Canada has ordered 30 Airbus A321XLR aircraft, marking a significant addition to its fleet. The first of these planes is set to arrive in early 2026, a delay from the original expectation of 2024. The A321XLR will feature a capacity of 182 seats, consisting of 14 fully flat business seats in a 1-1 configuration and 168 economy seats arranged in a 3-3 layout. This model will become the airline’s only long-haul narrowbody option once its existing Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft transition to its Rouge subsidiary.
In a recent interview with The Airline Observer, Air Canada’s Chief Commercial Officer, Mark Galardo, shared his insights about the A321XLR. While he acknowledged that the range of the aircraft meets expectations, he highlighted several challenges, particularly concerning operational limitations at smaller airports. Galardo noted, “If you’re in a smaller airport where you have an obstacle at the end of the runway, or you have a short runway, or you have heat concerns, it starts to cut down the payload.” He specifically pointed to Madrid as a location that may pose difficulties for the aircraft’s performance, especially in the summer.
Iberia, which operates a similar A321XLR variant, recently announced plans for nine-hour flights from Madrid to Toronto during the summer. Galardo emphasized the potential heat issues associated with summer departures, stating, “If you’re leaving Madrid at 12 noon in the summer, you’re talking 37 to 38 degrees Celsius. It’s punitive.” He implied that Iberia’s operation might struggle with the A321XLR compared to Air Canada’s established widebody aircraft, such as the A330-300 and 787-9.
Air Canada is considering expanding its XLR routes to include more destinations in Spain, although Galardo expressed concerns about the heat affecting performance. Suggested cities include Bilbao, Ibiza, and Seville. However, he indicated that such routes might not be feasible during the peak summer months. Contrastingly, Air Canada plans to commence a four-weekly service from Montreal to Palma de Mallorca starting June 17, 2024, although questions remain about potential payload restrictions on this route.
Currently, all five of Air Canada’s transatlantic XLR routes will operate from Montreal, with the airline assessing future possibilities for a Toronto-Bilbao route, which would cover less distance than the planned Montreal-Palma route. While the new link to the Balearic Islands is comparable in distance to Toronto-Seville, the potential of Toronto-Ibiza remains a consideration.
Galardo also mentioned Air Canada’s existing plans for five known routes to Europe using the A321XLR. These include flights from Montreal to Porto, Dublin, Edinburgh, Palma, and Toulouse. The XLR will replace widebody aircraft on several of these routes, while it will take over from the MAX 8 for services to Edinburgh. The average distance for these five routes is approximately 2,876 nautical miles (5,326 km). In contrast, Iberia’s A321XLRs, which have a maximum range of 3,920 nautical miles (7,960 km), are being deployed on longer routes than Air Canada currently plans.
The A321XLR offers operational advantages, including a significantly lower trip cost compared to widebody aircraft. This allows Air Canada to explore new markets while adjusting capacity according to demand, particularly during off-peak periods. Such flexibility can lead to increased frequency on popular routes, enhancing competitiveness and potentially boosting market share.
Looking ahead, Air Canada’s A321XLR fleet will eventually serve various Canadian hubs. As the MAX 8s transition to Rouge, the XLR is expected to fill gaps on routes such as Halifax to Heathrow and potentially between Montreal and Toronto to Keflavik. Other routes to consider include destinations like Berlin, Budapest, Hamburg, Kraków, Manchester, Nice, Pisa, and Prague, all of which fall within the aircraft’s operational range and boast significant local traffic.
As Air Canada prepares to integrate the A321XLR into its fleet, the insights shared by Galardo underscore the importance of understanding both operational capabilities and market dynamics, especially when planning routes during peak summer conditions.
