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See how a budget, no-frills Airbus jet that flyers will 'suffer' through compares to the same plane flown by a major airline

15 December 2024 at 02:57
Wizz Air Airbus A321neo β€” Dubai Airshow Trip 2021
A Wizz Air Airbus A321neo.

Thomas Pallini/Insider

  • The Airbus A321XLR is revolutionizing long-haul travel with its 11-hour range.
  • The versatile jet can reach far-away places and fit into mainline and budget business models.
  • Launch customer Iberia and soon-to-be A321XLR operator Wizz Air have very different cabin approaches.

The Airbus A321XLR is the European manufacturer's latest long-haul, narrow-body plane.

With its 11-hour range and smaller size, the jet is set to revolutionize how people travel.

Airlines can now more easily fly to lower-demand markets previously unprofitable with a widebody or to far-away places previously unreachable with other single-aisle planes.

The A321XLR first entered service with Spanish flag carrier Iberia in November. The airline flew seven hours from Madrid to Boston, equipping the plane with lie-flat business class and economy.

With 550 orders, the plane has garnered interest from both mainline and budget carriers β€” but not all experiences will be equal.

European budget carrier Wizz Air is not far behind Iberia, with its first A321XLR expected to trek seven hours from London to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, starting in March β€” but it won't be close to high-end.

The two carrier's plans for their new planes showcase the model's versatility.

Iberia will offer business class.
The first row of Iberia's A321XLR business class.
Iberia's A312XLR has 182 seats: 14 in business and 168 in economy.

Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Iberia wanted to provide luxury onboard its long-haul A321XLR with business class. It's similar to JetBlue Airways' Mint cabin but without popular sliding doors.

The high-dollar cabin, which can cost $5,000 or more roundtrip, comes with a large Bluetooth-capable television, linens, hot meals, alcohol, and a lie-flat recliner.

Other A321XLR buyers, including United Airlines and American Airlines, also plan to offer lie-flat business class to target premium travelers. American's will have a door.

Economy will offer decent space and amenities.
The economy cabin with grey seats and a red headrest on Iberia's A321XLR.
Iberia sports a standard mainline economy cabin.

Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Iberia's economy cabin has comforts like an adjustable headrest, deep recline, a Bluetooth-capable screen, charging ports, extra storage slots in the seatback pocket, and 30-31 inches of seat pitch.

The legroom is on par with other mainline carriers, but taller travelers can choose a bulkhead or exit row with 40 inches of pitch.

Iberia's Bluetooth feature is rare on airlines and it allows Iberia flyers to connect their own wireless headphones to the screen.

Hot meals and linens are included on Iberia.
The exit row on Iberia A321XLR with extra legroom.
The extra legroom seats in the exit row.

Taylor Rains/Business Insider

Iberia offers what is typical on a mainline, long-haul flight. This means travelers will get linens and hot meals included in their fare.

The airline also offers free messaging via WiFi, with internet browsing and streaming available for a fee.

Wizz's A321XLR approach is very different.
Wizz Air Airbus A321neo β€” Dubai Airshow Trip 2021
Wizz will only offer economy on its Airbus A321XLRs.

Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Wizz is a low-cost carrier that built its business on offering cheap fares at the expense of onboard comforts β€” and the airline continues to push the limits of flyer tolerance.

"Fifteen, 20 years ago, I thought three hours would test passenger tolerance, and then we pushed it to six hours, and we are still fine," Wizz CEO JΓ³zsef VΓ‘radi said during a September press conference in London. "You kind of suffer the pain, if you wish, for the economic benefits that you are deriving from the transaction."

Iberia's A321XLR has 182 seats. Wizz's will cram in 239.

The all-economy cabin will offer minimal space.
Wizz Air Airbus A321neo β€” Dubai Airshow Trip 2021
The airline offers a few rows of extra legroom seats for a fee. Customers can also pay extra for the front row for quicker boarding and deplaning.

Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Wizz said its A321XLR cabin will resemble that of its A321neo, which already flies across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

The plane doesn't come with business class seats or Iberia's amenity-heavy economy cabin. Instead, travelers can expect slim, cramped coach seats with no headrest, no television, and a tiny tray table.

The seat pitch is only 28 inches, and there is no recline. It'd be like flying on Spirit or Frontier, but for seven hours.

The cramped, all-economy cabin will be cheap, but it's an experience Wizz's CEO described as something customers must "suffer" through to save money.

Not even water is free.
A food menu with soups, risotto, and pasta.
Business Insider's Pete Syme flew on Wizz April.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

Like its ultra-low-cost counterparts in the US, Wizz flights come with nothing included, except a personal item. This means any food or drinks β€” including water β€” costs extra.

"When you take a legacy carrier and you get a coffee for free, that is probably the most expensive cappuccino in your life," Varadi said. "We don't want to do that."

According to Wizz's online menus, food bundles start at Β£11.50, or about $12, and include a sandwich, drink, and snack. Soups start at Β£3.70, while a water bottle costs Β£3.20. Alcohol, chips, and coffee, among other items, are also on sale.

Don't expect any internet or entertainment.
Wizz Air Airbus A321neo β€” Dubai Airshow Trip 2021
Flyers can use the small tray table to prop their phone or tablet.

Thomas Pallini/Business Insider

Wizz keeps its fares low because it does not carry the extra weight many mainline carriers do, like seatback screens or WiFi. Flyers can pre-download content to a phone or tablet to watch during the flight.

"If you want to have more fun, you have to create the fun for yourself," VΓ‘radi told Bloomberg in September. "It's not going to be us who create it."

Some Wizz planes have a messaging platform, but it doesn't connect to the internet. It's uncertain if this will be on the A321XLRs.

Bags cost extra and unprepared flyers risk other fees.
The check-in and bag measuring stands for Wizz Air.
The bag prices can vary depending on route, weight, and when they're purchased.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

Wizz flyers who want a carry-on or checked bag must pay extra. For the London to Jeddah flight in April, a 10-kilogram checked bag costs Β£95, or $120, and a carry-on costs Β£66, or $83, roundtrip at the time of booking.

The bags must also meet specific size and weight requirements or flyers risk even more fees at the airport.

Another fee is for assigned seats, which cost between Β£18 and Β£42 on the same flight. Flyers also need to check in online at least three hours before the flight or pay Β£40 at the airport per ticket.

Wizz customers willing to 'suffer' can save hundreds of dollars.
A first-person perspective from a World Traveller economy window seat on a British Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner
The economy seat on British Airways' Boeing 787 it flies between London and Jeddah.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

Major airlines British Airways and Saudia are the only other carriers that fly nonstop between London and Jeddah.

According to Google Flights, Wizz's basic fare is regularly a few hundred dollars cheaper than both mainline options.

That's without any add-ons like bags and seats, so customers should be sure to do the math for all options before booking.

Read the original article on Business Insider

CEO says his airline's all-Airbus fleet is a 'better alternative' as rivals struggle with Boeing blues and engine issues

By: Pete Syme
27 November 2024 at 02:50
An Airbus A320-214 from easyJet is on the runway ready to take off from Barcelona airport in Barcelona, Spain, on October 8, 2024.
An easyJet Airbus A320.

Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images

  • European budget airline giant easyJet reported a record-breaking summer for profits on Wednesday.
  • Its CEO told Bloomberg it benefited from engine choices and an all-Airbus fleet.
  • Boeing delays have hampered rival Ryanair, while Wizz has grounded planes for engine inspections.

The boss of easyJet said avoiding problems at Boeing and Pratt & Whitney has helped it achieve record profits, and buck the trend among Europe's low-cost carriers.

CEO Johan Lundgren spoke to Bloomberg TV on Wednesday as easyJet reported blockbuster earnings.

The European budget airline reported a record-breaking summer, with pre-tax profit up by one-third since last year to Β£610 million ($768.35 million).

Meanwhile, profits fell at its biggest rivals, Ryanair and Wizz Air.

"I think that in all fairness, all the manufacturers, whether that is Airbus or Boeing, are struggling with their supply chains as well," Lundgren told Bloomberg TV.

"To the extent that the engine choices that we've made and also then going with Airbus, it's a better alternative than some of our competitors are having," he added.

Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, reported third-quarter profits down 18% compared to last year. It operates a fleet made up entirely of the Boeing 737.

In its earnings report, Ryanair criticized Boeing, saying delays to new planes meant it had to rely on savings from fuel hedging.

The planemaker reduced its output of 737 Max jets amid a seven-week strike and increased regulatory scrutiny following January's Alaska Airlines blowout.

Both easyJet and Wizz Air have all-Airbus fleets but use different engines.

Earlier this month, Wizz reported its half-year net profit was down 21.3% to 315.2 million euros ($331.4 million).

The Hungarian budget airline said it had 41 planes grounded for engine inspections.

Wizz uses engines from Pratt & Whitney which last year announced 1,200 engines would need to be removed for inspections. It said a "rare condition" contaminated the powder metal and could cause cracks to form on critical engine parts.

The engine type is a popular choice for the short-haul Airbus A320 family. While easyJet uses the same planes, it instead fits engines made by CFM.

EasyJet didn't completely escape supply-chain problems, however. This year, restraints on raw materials and skilled labor have hampered the aviation industry.

Lundgren told Bloomberg TV the airline had 16 deliveries this financial year rather than the 19 it expected.

"But we're managing the growth trajectory anyway, and we can allocate those within the network to make sure we have the capacity where the demand really is," he added.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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