Airbus is considering adding endurance to the longest-range version of its A321 passenger jet in an attempt to ‘pre-empt’ a new mid-market jet being considered by its US rival Boeing.
According to a Reuters report, a proposed new version of the A321XLR passenger jet would carry additional fuel and expand the range of the craft, which recently achieved a long-distance record for single-aisle jets in testing, according to an inside source. This potential new, ‘middle-of-the-market’ aircraft, reports Reuters, would likely be aimed at the North American market.
Airbus A321 for Hawaiian Airlines
The reason behind this strategy is fairly clear: while Airbus has been outselling Boeing in the lower end of the 200-270-seat segment with the A321, Boeing has been dominant at the upper end owing to strong sales of its 787 Dreamliner over the less strongly-performing A330neo. It is into this space that Boeing proposes to launch its 220-270-seat mid-market hybrid jet – hence the need for Airbus to issue its own challenge to maintain, or extend, the advantage of the A321.