In Photos: Air Canada’s First A321XLR Takes Flight in Hamburg
Helwing Villamizar
February 27, 2026
HAMBURG — Air Canada (AC) has reached a key milestone on its Airbus A321XLR program: the first aircraft, C-GXLR, completed a double rejected takeoff (RTO) test at Airbus Hamburg-Finkenwerder (XFW) and flew for the first time the following day.
Air Canada has 30 A321XLRs on order. The type will be a first for AC’s narrowbody fleet by offering lie-flat seats in Business Class, with a planned 182-seat layout: 14 Signature Class and 168 Economy. The A321XLR also launches AC’s next-generation cabin design standard.
Aviation photojournalist Dirk Grothe was at Airbus Hamburg-Finkenwerder to capture the C-GXLR's first flight.
Key features of the new cabin standard
- Enhanced Cabin Experience: Features larger, 15% more spacious "Airspace XL" overhead bins.
- Technology Upgrades: Implementation of next-generation seatback screens and fast, free, Bell-sponsored Wi-Fi.
- Fleet Rollout: The design debuts on new Airbus A220-300 deliveries starting March 2026, and will eventually be applied to the Air Canada Express fleet operated by Jazz.
- Design Aesthetic: The design focuses on a modern, comfortable, and consistent experience across mainline and regional aircraft.
Featured/All images courtesy: Dirk Grothe
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