Icelandair will be taking delivery of its first Airbus A321LR this month (November 2024). The airline committed to the Airbus A321LR as they are waiting for Airbus A321XLR’s delivery. The XLR won’t be delivered until 2029.
Currently, Icelandair’s new Airbus will first appear on flights to Europe. Flights to Copenhagen and Stockholm from Reykjavik will begin on December 10th. The airline also looks to include the A321LR on flights to Amsterdam and Rome soon after.
The LR’s first North American appearance will occur on May 1st,2025 on a flight between Iceland and Toronto.
Icelandair’s first Airbus A321LR flight to the United States will be to Seattle, Washington from Reykjavik.
Icelandair has been using their aging Boeing 757s on flights between Reykjavik and Seattle. The airline has also been mixing it with their Boeing 737 Max 8 as well.
With the Boeing 757 fleet becoming more difficult to maintain and the route being just on the far edge of the max range of the Boeing 737 Max 8, it appears that the addition of the Airbus A321LR couldn’t have come at a better time.
What Does This Mean for Icelandair?
Better Operation Efficiency on this Route
The Airbus A321LR will be able to match the Boeing 757’s passenger load. Currently, the Boeing 757 is configured between 177 and 216 seats for flights. On flights from Iceland to Seattle, this number might be less as the airline has to account for weight. Less weight will increase the range of the Boeing 757.
The same premise comes into practice with the Boeing 737 Max 8. Icelandair’s Boeing 737 Max 8’s are configured to only fit 163 passengers. This total is also lessened on the Seattle flight to squeeze more range out of the aircraft.
It appears that Icelandair will be fitting around 190 passengers on their Airbus A321LRs. 16 of these seats will be lie flat seats.
The Airbus A321LR will be a good fit to replace the Boeing 757 on this route, as they carry similar passenger sizes. Less time and money will be needed for maintenance. That will increase profit margins on the route for the airline.
Icelandair’s Departure from using Boeing Aircraft
The inclusion of the Airbus A321LR will be Icelandair’s first foray into using Airbus aircraft.
The airline has recently operated only Boeing planes.
It doesn’t mean that Icelandair is upset with Boeing about their product. It’s simply the fact that Boeing hasn’t created a replacement for the Boeing 757. The only real replacement out on the market is the Airbus A321.
Sources
Feature image courtesy of Simple Flying.
https://onemileatatime.com/news/iceland-airbus-a321lr/
https://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Icelandair/information.php
