Frontier Airlines Drops Airbus A321XLR from Fleet Strategy

Frontier Airlines has removed the Airbus A321XLR from its fleet plans following a performance review that revealed the aircraft did not meet the carrier's expectations. This decision was disclosed in the airline's second-quarter (Q2) filing.

Frontier stated, "The operating performance and range of the XLR did not align with our expectations." The airline indicated that it may reconsider the model in the future if its performance improves, although specific requirements were not detailed.

Previously, Frontier had been interested in the A321XLR's extended range for potential expansions to Hawaii, Europe, and deeper into South America. In October 2022, Frontier CEO Barry Biffle mentioned that transatlantic flights were under consideration.

In June, Frontier informed Airbus that it would no longer be purchasing A321XLR aircraft, reversing a 2019 decision to convert 18 A320neo family aircraft orders to A321XLRs. The airline had chosen Pratt & Whitney's Geared Turbofan (GTF) engine for this variant in January 2021. However, to date, only the CFM Leap 1A-powered version has received type certification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Certification for the GTF-powered version is anticipated later in 2024. During the certification process, EASA raised concerns regarding the fire protection of the new rear center fuel tank, which led to modifications that impacted the aircraft's maximum range.

Additionally, Frontier is adjusting its aircraft delivery schedule, deferring Airbus aircraft originally scheduled for delivery between 2025 and 2028 to a new timeline of 2029 through 2031. The revised plan includes the delivery of nine A321neos in late 2024, followed by a mix of A320neos and A321neos through 2028 and beyond.

Ending Q2 with a fleet of 148 aircraft, Frontier reported operating revenues of US$973 million, a 1% increase year-over-year. However, net income decreased to US$31 million from US$71 million in Q2 2023. The airline anticipates a negative adjusted pre-tax margin for Q3 but expects to achieve positive margins for the full year.