Arkia Israeli Airlines (IZ, Tel Aviv Ben Gurion) has taken delivery of its first, and the world's first, A321neo(LR) following the handing over of 4X-AGH (msn 8517) on Tuesday, November 13.

On lease from the Aviation Capital Group, the twinjet was subsequently ferried from Hamburg Finkenwerder to the Israeli carrier's Tel Aviv Ben Gurion base.

Arkia has a total of three A321neo(LR) due to deliver from Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) with the second due in December while the third will arrive in April 2019. They will all be are powered by CFM International LEAP-1A motors and will feature 220 seats in a single-class configuration.

According to schedule data, the aircraft is tentatively due to make its commercial debut on December 9 with flights from Tel Aviv to each of Eilat Ovda International and Barcelona El Prat. Thereafter, effective December 17, it will start London Stansted flight followed by Paris CDG three days later. In the longterm, it intends to use the type's longhaul capabilities to serve Zanzibar as well as to open up new routes to destinations such as Goa Dabolim in India.

Aside from the A321neo(LR), Arkia also operates one B757-300, two E190s, three E195s, one B767-300(ER) (wet-leased from Neos Air), and one B737-800 (wet-leased from Travel Service Airlines).

It also has two A330-900s due to deliver in 2020. These will be deployed on flights to New York JFK.