What is the new American Airlines plane in 2024?
Below is a 977-word article telling the readers what the new American Airlines plane may be in 2024:
As for American Airlines, it is one of the leaders in the international airline industry and a founding member of the OneWorld alliance. Like any global airline company, American is purchasing new airplanes to replace its aging fleet and incorporate modern airplanes. Several new aircraft models are expected to be launched by major manufacturers, including Boeing and Airbus, that indicates the direction that American Airlines’ next new plane in 2024 may take.
Boeing 797 One of the prominent contenders for the mentioned aircraft is the Boeing 797, that has been in the rumors for quite some time. This 2K twin-aisle airplane is Boeing-planned aircraft that is to be halfway in size between the 737s and the 787s. The 797 will accommodate between 225 and 270 passengers for up to 5000 nautical miles, targeting thinner long-haul routes which do not justify a giant wide-body plane.
In the past, AA has been one of Boeing’s key clients or could be referred to as a flagship client. Furthermore, after absorbing Trans World Airlines and US Airways, American has the biggest Boeing aircraft operating fleet in the world. The inclusion of the 797 will enable American Airlines to expand and achieve a right-size, more effective, and profitable global fleet. If this plane enters service as Boeing has projected for the year 2025, then adding the 797 in 2024 for delivery in the following year aligns with the normal update cycle that American follows.
Further, through press release, American has shown willingness to be among the first to adopt the 797 once it is developed to fit the company’s needs. Priority customers are charged lower prices for their planes, have the first pick of delivery slots, and contribute more to the final design of the planes. That early adoption permits the American to set specific aspects of the plane to its network and passenger requirements.
Airbus A321XLR Another aircraft that likely features in American Airlines’ wishlist is the new Airbus A321XLR. This aircraft is intended for the beginning of 2024 and is a further development of the Airbus single-aisle A321neo. It is capable of flying a distance of 4700 NM and has capacity to accommodate 150 to 200 passengers.
The A321XLR operates in a very similar market niche to the one the proposed Boeing 797 was described to serve. Its versatility allows for many new long, thin route opportunities it does not efficiently connect as compared to small, narrow-body aircraft like the 737 or large, twin-aisle wide-body aircrafts.
Being an Airbus product, the A321XLR could be interesting for American because it goes further into the expansion of the domestic network and goes beyond the international cities to the secondary ones. The aircraft will offer better fuel consumption in comparison to neos, which are currently operating in American’s fleet and built with the same engines. The recognition of other Airbus narrow bodies and pilots’ qualification crossover relations offers extra encouragement for American Airlines to include the A321XLR by 2024.
Bombardier C Series/Airbus A220 family of regional jets. A320neo:
It has seating arrangements for 100 to 150 passengers, operates on domestic routes, and also expands new city pairs in the international market.
Like other regional carriers, American Airlines also had to operate older Bombardier CRJ regional aircraft due to the acquisition of other airlines in the past decades. However, these planes are old and have higher fuel consumption and maintenance requirements compared to newer models. To replace them with the newer A220 models will be efficiency gains from engine, aerodynamic and even light weight material.
Notably, American Airlines has it on its order books that it is to receive 50 Airbus A220-300 aircrafts as deliveries commence in the year 2020. Obviously, by 2024, introducing even more A220s to provide service to popular business and leisure markets across North America would be a logical move. The A220 can be potentially utilized even in transatlantic operations to second-tier European cities that are not currently highly served by the wide-body aircraft in operation today.
Conclusion
Although American Airlines has not stated their plans or specifics regarding which plane model or even plane maker they are planning to expand their fleet with by 2024, these possibilities mentioned here are plausible. This paper assumes that while air travel demand has not only bounced back but is projected to grow in the next few years, American Airlines is keen to unlock expansion strategies through the fleet modernization plan.
The Boeing 797 is not yet confirmed, although it is still in the design stage. American Airlines has said that they will be interested if Boeing starts on this kind of airplane as planned. More concrete plans are to add the Airbus A321XLR and/or A220 series by 2024 to balance the domestic connecting city pairs while considering the new international markets. Of course, there could be other aircraft models from Boeing or Airbus that could be made that would interest American Airlines at a certain point in time, which would fit the network strategy the best. But quite evidently, the 2024 timeframe puts AA in the right position to acquire the next generation of planes they feel are best.