Frontier Airlines Mulls Using Airbus A321XLR for Trans-Atlantic Service
19 June 2019 - 7:40PM
Dow Jones News
By Robert Wall
LE BOURGET, France--Frontier Airlines Chief Executive Barry
Biffle said the U.S. budget carrier would consider trans-Atlantic
service for Airbus SE's (AIR.FR) A321XLR jetliner the company
ordered on Wednesday.
Frontier is taking 18 of the new, long-range Airbus single-aisle
planes introduced Monday at the Paris Air Show. The Frontier order
is part of a commitment by airline investor Indigo Partners to take
50 of the Airbus planes, including 20 for European discount carrier
Wizz Air Holdings PLC (WIZZ.LN) and JetSmart in Chile.
Airbus is designing the A321XLR in part to enable airlines to
fly trans-Atlantic flights with a single-aisle plane rather than
having to operate a more expensive widebody. It should be available
in 2023.
British Airways parent International Consolidated Airlines Group
SA (IAG.LN) this week ordered the plane for Aer Lingus and Spanish
unit Iberia to fly to the U.S.
The orders come as new entrants are pushing into the
trans-Atlantic market with new planes. JetBlue Airways Corp. (JBLU)
this year announced plans to fly from the East Coast to London.
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA (NAS.OS) has augmented its budget
long-haul service using Boeing Co. (BA) 787 Dreamliners with
trans-Atlantic flights using the U.S. manufacturer's 737
narrowbody.
Mr. Biffle said Frontier could have demand for 100 to 150 of
such aircraft and that the 18-plane deal is only a starting
point.
Frontier hasn't yet decided on what routes to fly the plane, he
said. "We will fly them where we can make the most money," he
said.
The plane will allow Frontier to fly with full passenger load
coast-to-coast, he said, and reach Hawaii. The A321XLR can seat 240
people. Frontier would operate at or close to that number, Mr.
Biffle said.
Write to Robert Wall at robert.wall@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
June 19, 2019 05:25 ET (09:25 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2019 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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