One of eight A321XLR aircraft set to be delivered to Spanish carrier Iberia has been spotted for the first time at the Airbus facility in Finkenwerder, Hamburg, Germany.
The first glimpse of the brand-new aircraft was captured on April 22, 2024, by aviation photographer Tobias Gudat, who, two months ago, was also on hand to grab a picture of another A321XLR in partial Aer Lingus livery.
The new Iberia Airbus A321XLR was dressed in an incomplete livery with only the aircraft tail adorned in the airline’s famous red, white and yellow colors.
Airbus announced in February 2024, that the ‘entry into service’ date of its A321XLR variant would not be until the third quarter this year.
Originally scheduled to launch in 2023, the A321XLR was delayed over concerns the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) had about an additional rear fuel tank incorporated into the model.
#A321xlr #Iberia #Express EC-
— Tobi (@Tobias_Gudat) April 22, 2024
MSN11504 pic.twitter.com/XiYueNuUQz
Aer Lingus has long been backed as the launch airline for the Airbus A321XLR but a dispute over pilot pay at the airline is threatening that title.
The owners of Iberia, Aer Lingus and British Airways, International Airlines Group (IAG), has reportedly said that it may reallocate aircraft destined for the Irish flag carrier if disagreements over contracts cannot be resolved.
With that in mind, Iberia may eventually find itself as the launch customer of the new variant and the aircraft photographed at the Airbus facility on April 22, 2024, the very first A321XLR to fly.