Air Canada has put its first Airbus A321XLR into scheduled passenger service, operating AC413 from Montréal to Toronto on 9 June with 182 passengers on board. The aircraft then enters a short domestic proving phase before its first transatlantic sector, scheduled for 15 June from Montréal to Toulouse.
The launch marks the carrier’s shift into long-range narrowbody operations on a type configured with 14 lie-flat Signature seats and 168 Economy seats. The cabin package also brings personal power at every seat, larger next-generation IFE screens, Bluetooth connectivity and fast free Wi-Fi for Aeroplan members sponsored by Bell.
For Air Canada, the A321XLR opens thinner transatlantic city pairs from Montréal with lower trip costs than widebody metal and a product mix that now includes lie-flat seating on a single-aisle aircraft. The aircraft’s early utilisation will signal how quickly operators can monetize the XLR’s range advantage in contested North Atlantic markets.