In Photos: Iberia Welcomes World's First A321XLR

DALLAS — The world’s first Airbus A321XLR is already flying with its launch customer, Iberia (IB). The Spanish flag carrier, which has been preparing for this milestone for months, will perform the plane’s transatlantic debut tomorrow, November 14, on a regular service between Madrid (MAD) and Boston (BOS).

One day before the historic departure, IB welcomed Airways to a special welcome where the media had the chance to discover the new features of the A321XLR, from the latest technical characteristics of the airframe to the brand-new interior exclusive to this variant.

The event took place at the Iberia La Muñoza maintenance center in Madrid, with the attendance of many executives and personalities of Airbus and the launch customer. Marco Sansavini, CEO of IB, said: “This is a real milestone in the aviation industry. This new aircraft model allows us to strengthen our network and fly to new destinations efficiently and comfortably for all our customers.”

Iberia will baptize all its A321XLR fleet with all the logos the airline has used since its foundation in 1927. Photo: Adrian Nowakowski/Airways

The XLR's Special Technical Features

Flying non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean in a narrow body is a challenge that Airbus has overcome by installing one large additional center fuel tank below the passenger cabin. Therefore, the airframe can fly up to 4.700 nautical miles without refueling.

In addition, the European manufacturer has introduced additional aerodynamic improvements, especially in the flaps and slats mechanisms, which will enhance the XLR's performance in the critical departure and arrival phases. The flight crew can also enable a special power boost system, which can add up to 4.5% more thrust in takeoff if needed.

Iberia is confident that, on flights shorter than 8 hours, a crew of two pilots and four cabin crew is enough to fulfill the operational needs of the XLR. The flag carrier trained and certified its narrowbody crew for ETOPS flights instead of downgrading its widebody crew to the smaller A321XLR.

Iberia installed 14 full-flat Business Class seats, with direct aisle access, to match the XLR's premium experience with the rest of the widebody fleet. Photo: Adrian Nowakowski/Airways

The XLR's Passenger Experience

With the arrival of the XLR, a significant section of the aviation community is concerned about passengers' comfort, which could be worsened by the downsizing of airframes. IB claims that the passenger experience remains the same regardless of the type of aircraft.

The Iberia Airbus A321XLR is configured in a two-class layout, featuring 14 Business Class seats with full-flat beds and direct aisle access and 168 Economy Class seats with IFE monitors. The airline chose the new Thompson Aero VantageSOLO product for its Business Class seat, exclusive to the XLR.

What are your thoughts on the brand-new Airbus A321XLR? To what extent will it be revolutionary for the aviation industry? We can’t wait to hear your opinion on the topic on all our social media platforms!