Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) has warned its customers that their A321-200NY(XLR)s will be delayed, albeit by months rather than years, Bloomberg has reported citing internal sources.
The delay results from a combination of general issues, such as supply chain constraints, that are affecting the entire industry, and type-specific problems. The latter pertain to the XLR's complex certification procedure. Last year, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) told the manufacturer to redesign the fire protection system around the new central fuel tank, unique to the ultra-long-range A321neo variant.
Airbus officially conceded last year that the XLR would enter service in 2024 rather than 2023, as initially planned. The new delays could push first delivery to the end of 2024 or beyond.
Contrary to the A321-200NX(LR), the XLR will have its own type certificate and thus faces more stringent certification procedures.
The ch-aviation fleets module shows that Airbus has so far accumulated 465 firm A321-200NY(XLR) orders with it largest customers being IndiGo Airlines (69 orders), American Airlines, United Airlines (50 each), and Wizz Air (47).
