American Airlines trains pilots for upcoming transatlantic Airbus A321XLR flights

Captain Josh Hall, who leads American’s Airbus A320 fleet, stated: “This effort sets us up nicely to begin training our line pilots to fly the A321XLR over the North Atlantic, and it was only made possible by the hard work and professionalism of our check pilots, the FAA and our A320 flight training and fleet technical teams.”

American Airlines’ rollout plan involves two main phases. The first phase focuses on domestic operations within the United States to identify any operational issues before deploying the aircraft internationally. During this stage, crews will gain experience while any technical or procedural problems are addressed.

In phase two, once domestic operations are established and pilot training is complete, American Airlines intends to use the A321XLR on transatlantic routes. The aircraft’s range makes it suitable for serving secondary European markets and seasonal services that may not support larger widebody jets year-round. This flexibility enables more frequent service from major hubs during off-peak periods.

The introduction of lie-flat business class seats aligns with industry trends aimed at increasing premium revenue streams. The ability of the A321XLR to serve both large cities and smaller destinations efficiently allows American Airlines to adjust capacity according to market demand without relying solely on larger aircraft like the Boeing 777.

With these developments, American Airlines expects that its operational capabilities across long-haul routes will be significantly expanded through use of the Airbus A321XLR.