Summary
- Airbus has requested an exemption from the FAA to put in mini-suites on the A321XLR.
- The proposed cabin configuration would conflict with regulations regarding the installation of doors in partitions between passenger compartments and egress paths during takeoff and landing.
- Airbus argues that the mini-suites would enhance passenger comfort, increase sales and revenue for operators, and ultimately profit the economic health of the US.
Airbus has asked the US (US) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for an exemption for its upcoming A321XLR variant, specifically, installing mini-suites onboard the aircraft. In keeping with the European plane maker, similar exceptions have already been granted for the A321neo with the Airbus Cabin Flex (ACF) configuration, in addition to other manufacturers’ products.
An unnamed US operator
In its letter to the US Department of Transportation (DOT), also addressed to the FAA and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Airbus is petitioning for an exemption from three sections of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) of the Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR).
The European plane maker stated that the proposed cabin configuration would conflict with the section requiring that which applies to each Part 25 and Part 121 regulations, with the previous being airworthiness standards, while the latter regulates commonly scheduled air carriers, namely industrial airlines. Lastly, Airbus wants the FAA to exempt it from the next:
Airbus noted that the proposed cabin for a US-based airline is a three-class cabin, with 20 business, 12 premium economy, and 123 economy class seats, with a complete of 155 travelers fitting onboard the aircraft. The manufacturer added that the 20 business class seats are mini-suites with surrounding furniture and are positioned at a 49-degree angle to the aircraft on a longitudinal axis.
The goal of the suites is to supply privacy to the passengers. Airbus stated that the entire closure of such business class seats is feasible with a sliding element, which is manually actuated and operated by the seat’s occupant. The element could be locked for takeoffs and landings, with the flight attendants enabling travelers to put it to use later in the course of the flight.
As such, While the manufacturer’s filing didn’t reveal the airline whose interior configuration would want such an exemption, the evidence points to American Airlines.
Photo: American Airlines
The airline revealed that its Airbus A321XLR cabins in September 2022. Then, American Airlines disclosed that its A321XLRs would include 155 seats, using the identical configuration that Airbus has described above, including the 20 business class suites, which the carrier has marketed because the ‘Flagship Suite.’ As well as, American Airlines said its first A321XLR could be delivered in
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The seats can be in service on the airline’s long-haul fleet from 2024.
Detrimental to an evacuation
Airbus identified the problem as being that such sliding elements or doors conflict with the aforementioned sections because the door would introduce more risk of passengers being stuck of their seats during an evacuation. The OEM also cited a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), which aimed to stop passengers from becoming stuck of their seats during an emergency.
While the plane maker said that it was whether a sliding element is a door, it identified that it has made several design precautions to eliminate the chance regarding the usage of such a component. Airbus identified that such mini-suites are present on other A321, A340-500, A350, and A380s for flights into Europe, with an identical mini-suite design being present on a Boeing 737. In May 2023, Boeing sought an identical exception for the 737 MAX, in response to a report by FlightGlobal.
Airbus added that the suites don’t block the passengers from seeing what is going on within the cabin, enabling flight attendants to make sure the security of travelers in such a business class seat. The manufacturer provided 20 additional supporting arguments, noting that the mini-suites would have a backup hold open retention mechanism, with a mechanism to latch the doors together, and an emergency passage feature (EPF) to enable evacuation if the door becomes jammed, in addition to others.
Photo: JetBlue
In keeping with the OEM, operators want to supply very comfortable seats to their passengers, with the mini-suites helping them achieve that goal, which, in turn, drives sales, revenue, and profitability. Airbus also noted that more airlines are requesting such suites, with many carriers installing such business class seats on their narrowbody aircraft. One example is JetBlue, whose A321LR aircraft, flying across the Atlantic, has such suites. Marketed because the ‘Mint Studio,’ the business class-like cabin has a lie-flat seat, a big TV screen, and even an additional seat to work, lounge, or entertain. Along with transatlantic flights, these studios sometimes fly between the 2 coasts within the US.
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Thus, since these airlines need to ensure a consistent passenger experience across their fleet, the general public would profit, with operators increasing their revenue from a single seat, reducing their costs, and resulting in the general public having fun with lower flight prices, Airbus argued.
A321XLR orders within the US
Airbus concluded that the mini-suites, which require an exception from the US regulators, would enter service at the tip of 2024. Interestingly, the European OEM requested the FAA to maintain the general public comment period as short as possible. In keeping with the US Federal Register, the standard comment period ranges from 30 to 60 days, yet complex rulemakings could warrant a 180-day or much more prolonged timeframe.
Photo: Airbus
In keeping with ch-aviation data, three airlines have ordered the A321XLR within the US up to now, namely American Airlines, JetBlue, and United Airlines. The previous and the latter have ordered 50 each, while JetBlue has signed up for 13 aircraft of the sort. This excludes orders made through lessors’ order books, with lessors holding 66 orders out of the 495 total purchase agreements for the A321XLR.