JetBlue Airways (B6, New York JFK) Executive Vice President for Commercial and Planning, Marty St. George, has confirmed his airline is studying the A321neo LR (Long Range) for use in expanding its network confines.
Speaking to Reuters newswire this week, St. George said the added range of the upgraded A321 would allow the LCC to expand its market beyond the United States, Mexico and Caribbean into previously untapped Latin American as well trans-Atlantic markets.
"We could even make it into Brazil with a 321LR," he said. "I think it will work for a lot of places we don't fly right now, and Western Europe is one of them."
The type's appeal stems from jetBlue's extensive experience with Airbus narrowbody aircraft with its fleet currently consisting of 130 A320ceo, eighteen A321-200 (sl)s, and sixty E190s. As such, the introduction of the new and improved A321neo LR would not involve too much adaptation in terms of operations and MRO.
Launched in January this year, the A321neo LR will offer a range of 4,000nm with a 93.5t MTOW making it ideal for flights between Europe and the US east-cost among others. In a two-class layout, it will offer 206 seats. Airbus expects it to enter revenue service from 2019 onwards.
United Airlines (UA, Chicago O'Hare) and American Airlines (AA, Dallas/Fort Worth) have also expressed a strong interest in the type having previously lamented the lack of a suitable replacement for their ageing B757-200 transatlantic fleets. Given the demand, any use of the type on trans-Atlantic flights, or even flights to Hawaii, would require it to be ETOPS certified.
