Air Canada Upgrades Airbus A321

Air Canada has unveiled its first upgraded Airbus A321, which features an all-new interior and updated cabin technology.

Debuting The Upgraded A321

The Canadian flag carrier says customers aboard AC692 operated by C-GITU were able to get a glimpse into what the majority of the fleet will look like soon enough.

The company made note of the exciting exterior cameras that have been added to the aircraft seatback entertainment system.

This is for the narrowbody, a first and part of a host of innovative ideas the carrier has released.

Breaking Down The New Cabin

Air Canada says that the largest overhead bins in class will be installed thanks to the latest Airbus Airspace XL design. Additionally, these will also feature on the upcoming A321XLR.

Bluetooth audio will feature thanks to the newest IFE system. Those flying aboard are said to be able to connect their headphones while watching the system. The new feature will reduce the usage of single-use headphones.

Seating has been upgraded throughout, with Business Class and Economy seeing substantial changes. Air Canada has attempted to optimise the passenger experience, improving ergonomics and providing more storage where possible.

Notably, full-colour LED mood lighting is also present. Allowing for different ambience depending on departure times and the phase of flight.

Fast and reliable Wi-Fi, the airline says, has also been installed with upgraded satellite-based connectivity. Meanwhile, there are power options for all seats with USB-A and USB-C.

Comments From Air Canada

We’re proud to welcome customers on board to experience the comfort, convenience, and connectivity of our latest cabins. These upgraded fleet interiors will align the A320s and A321s to the highly popular A220 experience, further strengthening our industry leading product offering. Additionally, new features such as our inflight entertainment system streaming exterior aircraft camera feeds, Bluetooth connectivity, and free, fast internet connectivity will be extremely popular with travellers. We will continue advancing our product leadership by trialing more new in-flight experiences with this A321 and expanding those learnings to additional aircraft in our fleet.

Mark Nasr, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Digital, and President of Aeroplan.

Looking Ahead

Air Canada says its remaining 14 Airbus A321s, alongside eight Airbus A320s, will be retrofitted beginning this fall. Ultimately, this process will conclude by the end of 2025.

The Airbus A321 will now see its weight reduced by 240kg thanks to the enhancements made to the cabin product.