Flight International – 11 June 2019

THIS WEEK

10 | Flight International | 11-17 June 2019 flightglobal.com

A

irbus says that it could

deliver an extended-range

“A321XLR” derivative within

five years, but is yet to formally

confirm the status of the project.

Speaking at the IATA AGM in

Seoul, Airbus chief commercial

officer Christian Scherer hinted

at plans for “extended-range

versions [plural]” of the A321 in

its single-aisle line-up.

“The earliest you can expect

any new versions of an A321 with

serious work done on it would be

the 2023-24 timeframe,” he says.

Airbus is widely expected to

announce the go-ahead for the

extended-range version of the

A321LR at the Paris air show,

backed by commitments from

customers.

The XLR variant is believed to

incorporate wing and weight up-

grades to enable it carry around

220 passengers over 4,000nm

(7,410km). It may also feature a

revised cockpit incorporating the

latest technology from the A350.

MARKET APPEAL

Potential customers have al-

ready expressed interest in the

possible derivative. Jetstar group

chief executive Gareth Evans

says that it is talking to Airbus

about the A321XLR.

“It’s 600nm additional range on

the [A321] LR – and that can hit

markets like Japan and Cairns,”

he says. “We have a fairly large

operation out of Cairns on [Boeing]

787s today – an XLR could enable

us to grow that operation to other

points in Japan out of northern

Australia, so it’s something we’re

certainly interested in.”

Jetstar has already committed

to taking 18 A321LRs over three

years from mid-2020; Jetstar Japan

will also take three examples of

the long-range model in 2020.

IAG, the owner of Aer Lingus,

British Airways and Iberia, is

also keen on the proposed new

model, with chief executive Wil-

lie Walsh describing the project

as “very interesting”.

Walsh says the A321XLR

would “definitely” be a fit for Aer

Lingus and Iberia, and could

potentially be “attractive” for

British Airways and Level fol-

lowing further evaluation.

Aer Lingus already has eight

A321LRs on order, with the first

due to come into service in Au-

gust. Walsh says the business plan

calls for another six of the type,

but the A321XLR could “clearly”

replace some of those orders. ■

Additional reporting by

Oliver Clark and Ellis Taylor

Q

antas is seeking final offers

from Airbus and Boeing for

ultra-long-range jets capable of

meeting its Project Sunrise

requirements, making it likely

that an order will be announced

later this year.

Alan Joyce, Qantas group chief

executive, says that an optimised

Airbus A350 and the Boeing

777-8 have been evaluated and

are able to fly nonstop between

Sydney and London, albeit with

some restrictions.

“There is still not full payload

on both aircraft – but there is

enough, we think, to make it com-

mercially viable if the other parts

of the business get there,” he said

at the IATA AGM in Seoul.

Airbus chief commercial

officer Christian Scherer says the

manufacturer can offer “both

[variants]” of the A350 for the

Sunrise programme, “and in

particular [the -1000]”.

The airline is now issuing a

call for a “best and final offer”

from each airframer, and is ex-

pecting to receive replies by Au-

gust. The responses will detail

acquisition costs, performance

guarantees and maintenance

pricing.

“We have met in the last two

days with senior executives of

both Airbus and Boeing, and we

had very good discussions with

both of them about the aircraft.

Both are very keen to win this,”

says Joyce.

He adds, however, that pilot

duty times and fatigue manage-

ment are being examined by the

carrier’s unions and the regula-

tor, and these issues will need to

be addressed within the busi-

ness case for the operation.

Qantas aims to take delivery

of its Sunrise aircraft in late

2022, allowing it to launch non-

stop flights from Sydney and

Melbourne to London in 2023.

The carrier already operates

nonstop services from Perth to

London using 787-9s. ■

DEVELOPMENT MAX KINGSLEY-JONES SEOUL

Extended-range A321 starts XLR-ation

Wing and weight upgrades would be applied to current long-distance variant of Airbus’s re-engined narrowbody

FLEET ELLIS TAYLOR SEOUL

Decision day dawning for Qantas Project Sunrise

Carrier currently operates nonstop from Perth to London with 787-9s

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