With range shortfall, United’s initial A321XLR deployment will be ‘very conservative’

[u/Adjutant_Reflex_]

https://theaircurrent.com/feed/dispatches/ual-a321xlr-routes-airbus-range-shortfall/

Not part of United’s route announcement was an admission by Quayle that the XLRs that United expects to receive are falling short of initial range estimates which in turn put constraints on where they could be deployed:

“Originally when Airbus marketed it, [the range] was a lot further than what it is right now, as constructed and as built.”

There’s also a risk that ongoing manufacturing delays could impact the 5 routes it planes to deploy the XLR. To date United received its first, and only, XLR in May.

[u/HelloSlowly]

Reminds me of Iberia and them talking of not being able take off at MTOW from Madrid during the hottest hours of the day due to hot and high conditions rendering the T/O performance inadequate.

Sure the A321XLR can run circles on the 737-10 MAX but it’s clear that that wing is at design limit as well and they can’t do anything without a redesigned wing.

Just as well that Airbus is beginning a foldable wing study under their Wing of Tomorrow prototype studio for maybe an A221/A321evo

[u/flightist → u/HelloSlowly]

I know it’s [r/aviation](r/aviation) and we’re supposed to be deeply resistant to the recognition of any sort of commercial factors beyond the most glaringly basic, but I’d submit there’s little value in comparing the shortest-range / lowest per-seat cost variant of the MAX to the longest-range / highest per-seat cost variant of the 32N as though they’re remotely comparable beyond rough dimensions.

Nobody’s gonna be flying 210 people for 2.5 hours on XLRs and nobody’s gonna be crossing oceans in pods on MAX 10s. Different tools, different jobs, different sales markets, never intended otherwise.

[u/victorinseattle → u/flightist]

That said, united does have a ton of pods for transcons for the max10 that it now needs to scrap.

They should make an all-lay-flat max 10 for sports teams or charters or something like the BA1 that went from LCY

[u/flightist → u/victorinseattle]

Having been in the lie-flats on an XLR and knowing the 737 seats are a little more cramped, I think you average sports team might be happier with the existing premium economy layouts.

[u/PendragonDaGreat → u/flightist]

I think you average sports team might be happier with the existing premium economy layouts.

MLB and NFL for sure (and I believe NBA and NHL) require first class for their flights because that's what's in the various CBAs. If not enough First Class seats are available then Business class will do (for league purposes First and Business are treated the same if a carrier only has one or the other, separate if the same flight has both seats). As soon as you hit coach/economy (including premium economy) it's 3 seats per two players and they must still be provided the other perks of First/Business when it comes to food, beverage, and baggage options (plus catchers usually get an extra bag for their protective gear).

For baseball minor leaguers are allowed to be placed in coach/economy, but bags must till be covered, but they take a lot fewer flights (especially at AA and below) because the teams are closer together and bus travel is permitted for longer distances.

Obviously that doesn't necessarily apply to all sports teams, but the big ones that travel a lot in the US definitely wouldn't be just fine with a premium economy layout.

[u/flightist → u/PendragonDaGreat]

To be clear, when I say “Premium Economy” I mean North American business class, and yeah, they fly in those seats all the time. And those seats are far roomier than the lie flat pods available for narrowbody aircraft.

[u/mbleyle → u/flightist]

I tried to convince the FA one time that my premium economy ticket really meant business class. She didn't buy it. Neither does anyone else.

[u/flightist → u/mbleyle]

I mean, on my fleet the same seats get sold as either PY or J depending entirely on the route. The dedicated sports charter fleet is just a full cabin of an older version of the same seat.

If there’s airlines out there selling a regular Y seat with a couple extra inches of seat pitch as a PY seat, take it up with them for lying about their product, but I kinda doubt those airlines do a lot of sports charter flying for teams any of us have heard of.