Saudia has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321XLR, becoming the first airline in the Middle East and Africa to introduce the extra-long-range narrowbody into commercial service. The aircraft is configured with 144 seats and features what the airline describes as its largest-ever business class cabin on a single-aisle jet.
The A321XLR arrives with 24 individual business class suites, each offering a fully flat bed and direct aisle access, arranged in an all-aisle layout. The cabin is designed around longer sectors that the XLR is capable of operating, expanding Saudia’s ability to deploy a narrowbody on routes traditionally served by widebodies. The remainder of the cabin is configured in economy class.
The A321XLR is the longest-range variant of Airbus’s A321neo family and is intended for flights of up to around 11 hours, depending on configuration. For Saudia, the type is expected to support expansion on routes across Africa, Europe, and Asia, building on its existing network from hubs in Jeddah, Riyadh, Medina, and Dammam.
With this delivery, Saudia becomes the first carrier in its region to operate the A321XLR, as Airbus continues to introduce the type to airlines looking to connect thinner long-haul markets with smaller-gauge aircraft.