TRAVELLERS will soon be able to relax in a brand new airplane which is poised to take off within days.
American Airlines is set to launch its new Airbus A321XLR which has a focus on comfort.
It is due to take off on December 18.
Initially is will be a transcontinental service from New York’s JFK airport to LAX on the West Coast but the aim is to then expand to a number of transcontinental routes along with transatlantic destinations and routes to South America.
The airline aims to have 40 XLRs in service by 2030.
American’s chief commercial officer Nat Pieper told USA Today that the new aircraft is part of the carrier’s plans to make American Airlines experience more streamlined and predictable, both on the ground and in the air as well as to try to encourage return customers.
Mr Pieper said: “I don’t view it as an event in isolation. We had a coffee announcement and a champagne announcement. Now an airplane, that’s obviously bigger.
“The investments that AA’s making, not just in ’26, but really, it’s now something you’re going to see going forward.”
On board, passengers can relax in new seats in all classes of service.
In business class, the XLR features all-new lie-flat suites with doors.
However, the doors are not yet certified and will have to remain open until the Federal Aviation Administration makes its final approval for use.
The business-class cabins have one seat on each side of the aisle, so every lie-flat suite has aisle access and a window.
As a nice touch, a little drink-size tray table pops up when the seat is put in bed mode.
The new plane is also American’s first single-aisle aircraft which features international-style premium economy seating, arranged with two seats on each side of the aisle in every row.
All premium economy seats come with a footrest and a legrest, along with privacy wings set at head height.
It is similar to a domestic first-class seat and features a large in-flight entertainment screen as well as plenty of storage space.
Behind the premium economy, there are two rows which have extra legroom in economy in the exit rows and then a large cabin of traditional six-across economy seats.
The economy seats come with large in-flight entertainment screens as well as both USB-A and C ports.
All the entertainment systems in all classes allow for Bluetooth headphone connections.
Initially, the A321XLR will start on the JFK-LAX route on December 18 and then start flights from JFK to Edinburgh, Scotland, in March.
Then the planes will fly numerous transcontinental routes from both JFK and Boston-Los Angeles.
In the longer term, it is hoped American will use the planes for additional European markets as well as South American and some African destinations.
Mr Pieper said though the exact routes will be determined by customer demand.
As American’s fleet of the XLR grows, it will weigh up where is best to deploy them.
Mr Pieper said: “Guests will tell us with their wallets and with their comments and preferences where they would truly value it.”
As American increases its fleet of the A321XLR it will retire its older aircraft or move them onto less premium routes.