Iberia Postpones Airbus A321XLR Launch To November Following Delivery Delays

Preliminary schedules have shown that Iberia has adjusted the entry date of the Airbus A321XLR, with the carrier delaying its commercial launch by several days.

Moving the A321XLR commercial launch date

According to data from the aviation analytics company Cirium, as of this week, Iberia has planned to launch commercial flights with the A321XLR on November 1.

The Spanish airline has scheduled two flights from Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD) to Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) on that day, as well as two return flights to the Spanish capital.

Iberia should operate the A321XLR on the route until November 13, when the A321XLR would switch to operating the IB347 itinerary from Madrid to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) on November 14.

Cancelling A321XLR flights to London

As shown by Cirium’s last week’s schedules, Iberia had intended to fly the Airbus A321XLR from the Spanish capital to both Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) and London Heathrow Airport (LHR) from October 28.

However, the Spanish airline had scheduled the A321XLR to fly from Madrid to London-Heathrow on four days only, October 28, October 29, October 30, and October 31, following which the aircraft was supposed to operate two daily flights from Madrid to Paris.

Iberia has kept the launch date of its A321XLR transatlantic services, which has remained November 14.

It remains to be seen what has caused the Spanish airline to postpone the entry-into-service (EIS) date of the A321XLR. At the time of publishing, Simple Flying had approached Iberia for a comment regarding its schedule changes.

Supply chain struggles

On June 24, Airbus admitted that it would not be able to reach its year-end target of 800 aircraft deliveries, saying it should deliver around 770 aircraft during the year.

At the time, the company said it had been facing “supply chain issues mainly in engines, aerostructures, and cabin equipment.”

“The Company now intends to deliver around 770 commercial aircraft in 2024 and continues to ramp up towards a rate of 75 A320 Family aircraft per month, which is now expected in 2027.”

In 2023, the European plane maker handed over 735 aircraft to its customers. As of September 30, 2023, the company had delivered 488 aircraft, including 391 A320neo family aircraft, split between six A319neo, 163 A32neo, and 222 A321neo.

By September 30, 2024, Airbus had finalized the deliveries of 497 aircraft, which included 396 A320neo family aircraft: three A319neo, 162 A320neo, and 231 A321neo.

Nevertheless, the Iberia A321XLR, which had already been painted in the airline’s colors, was last spotted flying on October 18.

The aircraft, temporarily registered as D-AVYR, departed and arrived at Hamburg Finkenwerder Airport (XFW) following a two-hour and 43-minute flight above Germany, according to Flightradar24 data.

When Airbus eventually delivers the single-aisle jet to Iberia, it should be registered as EC-OIL, with the Spanish airline’s other A321XLR, to be registered as EC-OLE, being delivered shortly after.

In addition to flights to Boston, Iberia has plans to fly from Madrid to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) with the A321XLR, starting January 15, 2025, according to Cirium data.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certified the A321XLR with the CFM International LEAP-1A engines on July 19. Then, Airbus said that the type should enter service “at the end of the summer,” which could have meant the International Air Transport Association (IATA) summer season that ends on October 26.