Aviation Week
• Guy Norris
United Airlines has received its first Airbus A321XLR equipped with Pratt & Whitney’s GTF Advantage turbofans, marking the engine’s first delivery to an airline customer. Pratt says the redesigned variant could provide up to twice the time on wing of the PW1100G after years of durability issues and engine removals.
Airbus A320
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Spirit Airlines has secured bankruptcy-court approval to sell 27 Airbus aircraft, with equipment noteholders acquiring 23 jets and engine lessor FTAI Aviation acquiring four. The transaction’s reported value ranges from $421 million for the final sale to $668 million in court-approved consideration, advancing the carrier’s wind-down.
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United Airlines has received its first Airbus A321XLR equipped with Pratt & Whitney’s GTF Advantage turbofans, marking the engine’s first delivery to an airline customer. Pratt says the redesigned variant could provide up to twice the time on wing of the PW1100G after years of durability issues and engine removals.
American Airlines is preparing to launch its Airbus A321XLR, positioning the aircraft alongside United Airlines’ A321 Coastliner. Delta Air Lines is planning a premium A321 subfleet but has yet to launch it, leaving American and United ahead in deploying differentiated A321 products.
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Airbus will spend more than $200 million to convert its disused A380 wing production facility in Broughton, Wales, into a dedicated A321 line. The investment repurposes superjumbo-era infrastructure as Airbus expands narrowbody capacity and works toward an A321 production rate of 75 aircraft per month.
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French investigators are examining whether runway lighting standards and surface-movement radar use should change after an inbound Nouvelair A320 aligned with the wrong runway at night and overflew a waiting easyJet aircraft at Nice last year, creating a serious proximity event.
Transavia France plans to introduce the Airbus A321neo in the first quarter of 2027, citing improved economic and environmental performance. The move will expand the French leisure carrier’s fleet capabilities while supporting lower operating costs and emissions compared with its current aircraft operations.
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Airbus is converting its former A380 wing-manufacturing hall in Broughton, Wales, into a dedicated A321neo wing facility. The investment, expected to be completed by year-end, will support the company’s planned ramp-up to 75 commercial aircraft per month.
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Delta Flight 394, an Airbus A321neo carrying 189 passengers from Kahului to Seattle, diverted to Honolulu after fumes were reported in the cabin shortly after departure. Several passengers were taken to an emergency room, while the crew followed established procedures during the incident.
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