JetBlue Eyes Europe and Airbus’ New Jet With Longer Range
Photo Credit: The first Airbus A321LR recently completed a test flight from Paris to New York. But it's not clear the airplane will be able to fly consistently with a full payload from all of Western Europe to the United States. Airbus
Skift Take
U.S. airlines can reach some Western European airports profitably with narrow-body aircraft. But even the best narrow-body aircraft have some range issues. If it wants to fly to Europe, JetBlue will need to decide whether it can do so with the A321LR, or whether it should wait for a longer-range aircraft.
JetBlue Airways might fly to Europe soon. To do that, the airline would need an aircraft like the Airbus A321LR, which can fly from Boston and New York to many popular destinations.
It is not a perfect solution for JetBlue's transatlantic plans because it lacks range to serve all of western Europe profitably, year-round.
However, Reuters reported last month Airbus is considering building a similar aircraft that can fly farther, called the Airbus A321XLR, or extra-long-range. And if Airbus does, JetBlue would be interested, the carrier's CEO said in an interview.
"I don't want to get ahead of Airbus making the decision to announce it," JetBlue's Robin Hayes said. "But if they do announce it, then of course it's interesting. It does have some additional range, and we will continue to look at it."
In the short-term, Hayes said, JetBlue is
