Airlines

flying the inaugural income service on their first-ever Airbus : AirlineReporter

Icelandair’s first A321LR, TF-IAA, at a gate at Stockholm Arlanda Airport following its inaugural income flight from KEF

Icelandair has, apart from their home/feeder airline, lengthy had an all-Boeing mainline fleet consisting of 737 MAX-8 and MAX-9, 757-200, 757-300, and 767 jetliners. That each one modified on Dec. 10, 2024, when the airline positioned an A321LR into service as TF-IAA, named Esia, per their protocol of naming plane after Icelandic volcanoes.

There’s quite a bit to unpack right here, so this text will give attention to the expertise of the flight. We’ll do a follow-up story on the implications of the fleet change afterward.

The A321LR interior prior to boarding at KEF
The A321LR inside previous to boarding at KEF. The inside seat trim is color-coded to the outside accent coloration of every plane

The primary impression was, unsurprisingly, of newness. It felt nearly such as you shouldn’t be in there, because it was so pristine. The brand new-airplane odor is an actual factor. And it’s fairly beautiful.

Saga-class seats have very large IFE screens with amazing resolution
Saga-class seats have very massive IFE screens with wonderful decision

As I did this journey in a considerably insane method, flying sequentially from Seattle to Keflavik, Keflavik to Stockholm, then turning straight round and doing the return with solely about 90 minutes in every airport, Icelandair was sort sufficient to seat me of their premium class – Saga – for the entire 22+ hour journey. I’ve completed some loopy routes and a few actually lengthy flights in my day, however by no means something fairly like this marathon. It was concurrently essentially the most idiotic factor I’ve ever completed, and likewise ranked among the many most enjoyable issues.

There was a small celebration at the departure gate at KEF, with both local and AvGeek reporters on hand
There was a small celebration on the departure gate at KEF, with each native and AvGeek reporters readily available

By the numbers, the journey coated was 9,896 miles over 4 flights spanning 22 hours and quarter-hour within the air, all packed into 27 hours of complete journey time. All of this was actually for the sake of KEF-ARN and again, with the brand new Airbus. I used to be on a Boeing 737 MAX-8 on SEA-KEF, the A321LR KEF-ARN and ARN-KEF, and a Boeing 757-200 KEF-SEA, permitting me to check experiences throughout all of Icelandair’s energetic long-haul fleet choices.

We had very senior flight crew on the inaugural
From left: Captain Sölvi Þórðarson and Captain Kári Kárason have been the pilots on the inaugural income flight to Stockholm

I’ve reviewed Icelandair’s 757, 737 MAX, and De Havilland Canada DHC-8 service up to now, and people observations are nonetheless legitimate.

Their 757s are nearing the tip of their service lives, and as such are undoubtedly in want of an improve. The MAX sequence is a good replace, however the spinoff 737s simply don’t have the vary and carrying capability of these great 757s; Boeing missed an enormous alternative when it stopped manufacturing in 2004 and didn’t develop a alternative. In prior Icelandair protection, we’d famous that the airline’s managment lengthy hoped Boeing would provide you with a direct alternative for the 757; that clearly has not come to be, and the age of the fleet left them with little alternative than to contemplate Airbus’ choices.

Icelandair's first A321LR at the gate at ARN
Icelandair’s first A321LR on the gate at ARN

So, in walks Airbus with their latest A321 derivatives, which are actually the closest factor in the marketplace to the 757 by way of capabilities.

Make no mistake, the 737 MAX 8 and 9 are very comfy and competent plane, however Airbus is a number of steps forward of Boeing with their newer A321LR and just-released A321XLR. The MAX cabins are undoubtedly quieter than their predecessor NG variations, however the Airbus is even quieter. The A321LR can also be 30% extra fuel-efficient than the plane it’s changing.

Seating additionally feels extra comfy, even within the rear of the aircraft, though that’s extra as much as the airways than the plane producer.

The Airbus jets lack the 737 line’s voluminous area bins for overhead baggage storage, however they’re nonetheless as much as job. Spending seven hours on a MAX, then transitioning straight to the brand new Airbus, then again to a 757 for one more seven hours offered loads of perspective.

The one fiddly factor concerning the Saga seating was looking for the ability retailers on the Airbus, that are cleverly hidden beneath the middle console. There are nice little fold-out coat hooks on the seatbacks as effectively, that are fairly useful for cold-weather journeys.

The A321LR cabin was nice and bright, too
The A321LR cabin was good and brilliant, too

In contrast to many home US carriers, Icelandair’s 187-seat A321LR doesn’t have a mid-cabin toilet. As an alternative, they’re positioned equally to the Boeing format of 1 up entrance for Saga class and three within the rear of the plane for everybody else.

Because of a technical glitch on the inaugural flight, the aircraft’s new-to-Icelandair Viasat’s Ka-band satellite tv for pc web wasn’t working. I did mess around with the transferring map and pay attention to the big range of film choices. The 4K OLED touchscreens are fairly sharp with clean performance and exquisite colours; it’s one of many nicest IFE screens I’ve seen.

The cabin ceiling lighting near the front entry door is quite fun
The cabin ceiling lighting close to the entrance entry door is kind of enjoyable

Will probably be unhappy, for a lot of causes, to see the venerable B757 fleet retire. However the alternative plane chosen by Icelandair is certainly as much as the duty, and surpasses these previous jets in passenger consolation and gas effectivity for the airline with its much more trendy engines and avionics programs.

In our subsequent article, we’ll discover what these new plane imply for the fleet operations and potential route expansions.

EDITOR-AT-LARGE / DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY – SEATTLE, WA Francis Zera is a Seattle-based architectural, aerial, aviation, and business photographer, a contract photojournalist, and a confirmed AvGeek.

https://www.zeraphoto.com


Supply hyperlink

Related Articles

Back to top button