The Airbus A321LR has been a game-changer for several airlines. It is now a staple on several long-haul routes, including transoceanic missions. One airline that puts the narrowbody to good use across the Atlantic is TAP Air Portugal. Thus, Simple Flying caught up with Dr. Henri-Charles Ozarovsky, head of strategy, network, and partnerships at TAP, to find out more about the benefits of the aircraft.

Best of both

The A321LR is a fantastic solution for TAP because it allows the company to combine the benefits of both widebody and narrowbody aircraft. This factor is valuable because there are different strategies in network planning that relate to the firm’s operational structure, demands, frequency, and timing.

TAP’s leadership notes that all these aspects relate back to the customer. The airline is vying to create a customer proposition that allows it to satisfy the needs of the local market of Portugal and also the demands of a hub structure.

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A word from the airline

Ozarovsky explained the following about the fleet to Simple Flying:

“Sometimes having big planes can be great, but it's also quite difficult because you're filling twice as much, and you can split that demand into different segmentations, particularly in Lisbon, which is a constrained airport where you don't have a structure like Heathrow. So, you need to be more selective on how you use those assets to create the highest return on capital, and at the same time offer a very good customer proposition that is competitive”

“So, the LR is great because it basically gives you nearly the same economics as a widebody, and we fly the A330-900s. The LR allows us to basically provide that connectivity to our passengers and also more frequency. For example, we fly double daily to Newark using LRs. The same with Boston. The same with Dulles - we started with an LR, which is much less risk-averse, and really allows us to grow the market. And in a sense, it was sort of a 757 replacement.”

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Across the operation

There are further advantages to the A321LR, especially compared to older types. The aircraft brings 15% to 30% less fuel burn than aged models such as the Boeing 757. While this gives substantial fuel cost savings, it’s not all about the money. The efficiency reduces the number of harmful emissions produced. Amid the airline’s ambitious sustainability goals, this achievement is a significant milestone.

TAP’s fleet age is currently approximately ten years. However, this number will continue to reduce amid the continued delivery of neo aircraft. Two A321LRs arrived at the carrier's facilities in December and February, respectively. Another one is set to join this July, and there are further deals expected next year.

When it comes to neo aircraft, the fleet is broken down by:

  • A320neo x 11
  • A321-200N x 6
  • A321-200NX x 4
  • A321LR x 12
  • A330-900 x 19

The airline also has A319, A320ceo, A321ceo, A330-200, and ATR 72-600 units within its holdings.

CS-TXA TAP Air Portugal Airbus A321-251NX (1)
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying.

The A321LR has proven to be a saving grace for airlines, especially in low seasons where it may be hard to have high load factors on a widebody. Notably, TAP deploys its A321LRs as far as Brazil. Therefore, it can continue a balanced operation across its network, even during challenging periods.

What are your thoughts about the Airbus A321LR? What do you make of the aircraft’s overall prospects in TAP Air Portugal's fleet? Let us know what you think in the comment section.

  • TAP Air Portugal Airbus A330-941 CS-TUB
    TAP Air Portugal
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    TP/TAP
    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Lisbon Airport
    Year Founded:
    1945
    Alliance:
    Star Alliance
    CEO:
    Christine Ourmières-Widener
    Country:
    Portugal