Airbus Vs Boeing - The Paris Air Show

The Paris Air Show is one of the world's largest air shows, where manufacturers attempt to attain orders for their aircraft. Airbus stole the spotlight when they announced the brand new Airbus A321XLR, whilst competitor Boeing received a record breaking of zero orders on the first day of the Paris Air Show.

The Airbus A321XLR was launched on the first day of the Paris Air Show. Photo by Airbus

Which Airlines ordered the Airbus A321XLR and how many did they order?

1. Air Lease, 27

2. American Airlines, 50

3. Cebu Pacific Airlines, 10

4. FlyNas, 10

5. IndiGo Partners, 50

6. JetBlue Airways, 13

7. Middle East Airlines, 4

8. Qantas Group, 36

9. Saudia Airlines, 15

10. China Airlines, 11 + 14 lease (Memorandum of Agreement)

11. IAG, 14

The Airbus A321XLR has 3 sisters: The Airbus A321CEO (Current Engine Option, Airbus A321NEO (New Engine Option) and Airbus A321LR (Long Range), which was launched last year.

The Airbus A321XLR (Extra Long Range), is the longest range single-aisle jetliner that Airbus has on offer. Besides having the capability to fly 8700 km non-stop, the aircraft burns 30% less fuel with a minimum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 101 tonnes.

Can the Airbus A321XLR replace the Boeing 757?

Many airlines have made the decision to replace their aging Boeing 757 fleet with the brand new Airbus A321XLR as it has already beaten the Boeing 757 in terms of range at the expense of a slightly lower seat capacity. American Airlines has ordered 50 of these aircraft to replace their Boeing 757 fleet.

Photo by Airbus

On the contrary, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines found that the Airbus A321XLR did not satisfy their needs when it came to replacing their Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 fleet, something that Boeing's yet-to-be-launched mid-market aircraft is expected to do so. However, Airbus has countered this by offering the Airbus A330-800neo as a Boeing 767 replacement and the Airbus A321XLR as a 757 replacement but United isn't convinced.