How the A321XLR is Putting Indianapolis Back on the Route Map

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Overlooked secondary cities are on the radar of airline executives and network planners, as a new generation of long-haul aircraft upends traditional in-flight economics.

A low-key event in the German city of Hamburg is about to have a big impact on Indianapolis. On Wednesday, Airbus handed over the first two A321XLR planes to Irish national carrier Aer Lingus. The jets – notable for their “Xtra Long Range” – touched down at the airline’s Dublin base ahead of a commercial debut.

But what does an Irish airline collecting a plane from a German factory have to do with the U.S. state of Indiana? The answer lies in the economics of the new jet. Despite being a single-aisle narrowbody aircraft, the XLR can reach long-haul destinations. Think London to Delhi or Miami to Buenos Aires – all nonstop.

Its impressive 4,700 nautical mile range isn’t the only big selling point. The XLR has a unit cost similar to that of traditional twin-aisle models. This allows more profitable network expansion on routes that cannot sustain b

This New Plane Is Putting Indianapolis Back on the Transatlantic Map

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