Airbus has announced that new aircraft, the A321XLR, the latest addition to the company’s A321neo, is set to launch by 2023, enabling airlines to reduce costs on fuel but maintaining the customer experience.

The company believes that the new plane will A321XLR become “the next evolutionary step which responds to market needs for even more range, and creates more value for the airlines by bringing 30% lower fuel burn per seat than previous-generation competitor aircraft. Starting from 2023, the aircraft will deliver an unprecedented ‘Xtra Long Range’ of up to 4,700nm – 15% more than the A321LR and with the same unbeatable fuel efficiency”.

Airlines will be able to use the enhanced range of the aircraft to operate a lower-cost single-aisle aircraft on longer and less heavily travelled routes – many of which can now only be served by larger and less efficient wide-body aircraft. This will enable operators to open new global routes such as India to Europe or China to Australia, as well as further extending the Family’s non-stop reach on direct transatlantic flights between continental Europe and the Americas.

For passengers, the A321XLR’s new Airspace cabin will provide the best travel experience, while offering seats in all classes with the same high-comfort as on long-haul widebody aircraft.

The A321XLR has been designed to maximize overall commonality with the A321LR and the rest of the A320neo Family, while introducing minimal changes needed to give the aircraft an Xtra Long Range with increased revenue payload.

The changes include: the new permanent Rear Centre Tank (RCT) for more fuel volume; a modified landing gear for an increased maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 101 metric tonnes; and an optimised wing trailing-edge flap configuration to preserve the same take-off performance and engine thrust requirements as today’s A321neo.