Frontier Airlines Mulls Using Airbus A321XLR for Trans-Atlantic Service

   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 [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 19, 2019 05:25 ET (09:25 GMT)

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