Air Canada’s inaugural Airbus A321XLR is being assembled at Airbus’s Hamburg Finkenwerder site in Germany. The aircraft is the first of 30 units the Canadian airline aims to acquire over the upcoming years.
During a recent visit by Simple Flying, the rear fuselage of Air Canada’s first A321XLR was in the process of equipment installation. Once this stage is complete, the airplane will be moved to the final assembly line for integration with the front fuselage and wings, moving closer to completion. Delivery is anticipated early next year.
Air Canada’s VP of Network Planning & Scheduling, Alexandre Lefèvre, expressed optimism about the delivery date. “We’re working very very closely with Airbus… As you get closer to the date you get more certainty… But it’s coming, it’s getting even more real. When you see the aircraft getting on the [assembly] line, that’s when you know it’s getting there.”
Lefèvre also discussed the advantages the A321XLR will offer, including roughly a 30% reduction in fuel burn compared to the airline’s current A321ceos. This will lead to a 12% improvement in revenue per available seat mile (RASM). “I think it’s important to say we believe in the product. We see the same values that Airbus is stating in terms of how we can deploy that aircraft.”
Notably, the A321XLR features a Rear Center Tank (RCT), which accommodates approximately 13,000 liters of fuel, integrated within the aircraft fuselage. The design changes necessary to accommodate this tank contribute to the aircraft’s distinction from a standard A321neo.
Air Canada anticipates receiving 30 A321XLRs between 2026 and 2028, forming nearly a third of its projected 91 new aircraft deliveries by 2030.
