dailynewsnblog
United Airlines is set to lean heavily on the Airbus A321XLR in the coming years. According to ch-aviation, the carrier has placed an order for 50 units of the new long-haul narrowbody twinjet. The type will allow it to unlock transatlantic routes from its East Coast hubs to secondary cities in Europe.
When it comes to stretching the A321XLR’s range to the max, aviation analytics company Cirium shows that the Chicago-based airline has planned six routes thus far with block timesclose to or over nine hours. However, because United has a monopoly on all but one of these routes, passengers must choose between nonstop narrowbody flights and more comfortable but longer connecting itineraries.
Monopolies On Most Routes
Of the five monopolized routes, four serve 
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), which United uses as its main gateway to nearby New York City. The carrier will fly the A321XLR there from Ibiza (nine hours and 20 minutes), Marseille (nine hours and 15 minutes), Valencia (nine hours), and Luxembourg (eight hours and 55 minutes). The latter starts in April.
Meanwhile, the other three routes will commence operations in June. Elsewhere, the carrier will also have a monopoly on its A321XLR route from Toulouse Blagnac Airport (TLS) to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD), which takes nine hours and ten minutes westbound.
United’s CEO Scott Kirby spoke in March about the airline’s fleet growth.
“For more than a decade, we’ve invested billions of dollars in our product, service, and technology as part of our plan to be the best brand- loyal airline in the world.”
Amsterdam To Washington Is The Exception
For those flying on these routes, the catch of United’s monopoly provides an interesting dilemma. With narrowbodies such as the A321XLR sometimes perceived by the flying public to be less comfortable than widebodies, some may prefer an indirect routing via another major hub in order to fly on a twin-aisle jet for the long leg over the Atlantic. For others, the nonstop convenience will be worth it.
In any case, one route will not have United’s A321XLRs as the only aircraft on the corridor: 
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) to IAD. The carrier already serves this route with a widebody twinjet, the Boeing 767-300ER, but plans to swap to the A321XLR from early December to late March, when demand is softer. The 767-300ER has 53 more seats.
However, during these months, widebody enthusiasts will also have another option to choose from, as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines also links Amsterdam and Washington DC on a nonstop basis. Every flight on this route is operated by a twin-aisle aircraft, with the 777-200ER, 777-300ER, 787-9, and 787-10 Dreamliner as the Dutch flag carrier’s chosen jets in the near future.
What’s It Like On Board?
As noted, some passengers are skeptical about the merits of long-haul narrowbody flights because of the perceived drop-off in comfort compared to widebodies. However, United has worked to ensure its A321XLRs are competitive, with a premium-heavy layout and just 150 seats onboard. As seen above, 20 of these are business class flatbeds that are laid out in a 1-1 configuration.
United’s A321XLR Layout | |
|---|---|
Class | Seats |
Business | 20 |
Premium Economy | 12 |
Economy | 118 |
Total | 150 |
Behind these are 12 premium economy recliners laid out four-abreast in a 2-2 setup reminiscent of the carrier’s domestic first-class offering on most of its other mainline narrowbody twinjets. Comfort is also a key factor in the economy cabin, where 34 seats (rows 30 to 36) are designated as Economy Plus with extra legroom. Within this mini-cabin, row 32 also has a blocked middle seat on each side.
