New Airbus A321XLR Order?

Airbus is currently eyeing another purchase of its popular A321XLR from an airline that previously ruled it out.

That interest comes from Lufthansa Group, a Group that has on several occasions rejected the prospect of adding the A321XLR to its operations.

Despite the vaguest reasoning, the CEO, Carsten Sphor, has remained firm that the aircraft would not be an ideal fit within the structure of the Lufthansa Group, instead preferring the A321neo base model.

Lufthansa Group has therefore found itself in a small collective of airlines that have outright rejected the A321XLR publicly for not being the perfect fit, and this stance is quite different from that of other airlines.

Since entering service, the A321XLR has been a hit with airlines, who have chosen to operate it. The aircraft stretches single-aisle flying beyond what was previously possible, opening up fresh opportunities for customers.

In its first week of launch, the A321XLR secured hundreds of orders. That success has continued, with many airlines evaluating purchase after seeing strong performance from airlines that have adopted it.

For example, Qantas is replacing the Boeing 737 with the A321XLR; this is a substantial upgrade, with the A321XLR offering more capacity and range, meaning not just domestic markets are within reach with this type.

While the A321XLR will work for some airlines, it won’t always work for every company, and Lufthansa Group has remained relatively adamant from the beginning that the extra-range model would not fit.

That rejection primarily comes from Eurowings, which had shown interest in acquiring a longer-range A321 variant, whether the LR or XLR. This was then rejected by the Lufthansa Group CEO, who said they would not purchase this jet or any long-haul type for Eurowings.

A321XLR Could Be Ordered

However, led by reporting from Handelsblatt, the Lufthansa Group is now reconsidering adding the A321XLR to its operations.

The reconsideration follows an internal letter to employees stating that the airline Group is formally examining the A321XLR to determine whether it would be a suitable acquisition.

Considering the jet is a significant step in the right direction. Airbus would argue that bringing the Group on as a customer for the A321XLR is a natural fit, as the Group is already very familiar with the A320neo family.

However, Lufthansa Group will need to crunch the numbers before any firm decision is made and determine whether the business case for the jet stacks up across its operations, from SWISS to Lufthansa, and to some of the more leisure brands that could benefit from the range jump.

Whether or not Lufthansa goes ahead with a commitment for the state-of-the-art single-aisle type remains to be seen; however, Airbus would feel confident in its ability to pitch the model to the Group, thanks to its already strong relationship with the planeaker and broader family.

The Airbus A321XLR offers customers 4,700 nautical miles (8,700 kilometres) of range and, given Eurowings’ long-term strategies and previous interest in these capabilities, it seems like the perfect fit for the business.

However, ultimately, while Eurowings may have a preference, the final decision will ultimately fall on the executives at Lufthansa Group, who will liaise with their airlines to determine the best direction moving forward and whether that includes a purchase of the extra-long-range model or not.