KLM Now Has A New Aircraft: The Brand New A321neo
Intro
It's a big day for the Dutch carrier as KLM has taken delivery of a brand new aircraft: the Airbus A321neo. The A321neo is a milestone for the carrier, as this is the first aircraft in terms of modernizing their narrowbody fleet.
Let's get into it!
What To Expect?
A couple of years prior, KLM placed a huge order for over 160 aircraft across the A320neo family. This means it can be a mix of the A320neo and A321neo. Currently, KLM solely operates Embraer and Boeing 737s on their narrowbody fleet around Europe. Now that is going to change!
The economics of the A321neo is just so much better. For starters, the aircraft is able to achieve over 20% more seats than the 737-900 and over 60% more seats than the 737-700. My guess is that KLM has a market to operate the capacity, and if they didn't, they wouldn't have purchased the jets.
Expect the first jet to become operable in mid-September 2024.
In terms of passengers, we are most curious about what to expect when flying on the new A321neo. These jets will be configured with 227 seats in a 3-3 configuration. This will be one of the densest cabins on an A321neo that we have seen, especially for a carrier that isn't an LLC. Now, how have they been able to fit so many seats into a narrowbody?
Rows 1-6 feature 32 inches of pitch (primarily for business class)
Rows 7- exit rows feature 30 inches of pitch
The remaining rows feature 28 inches of pitch
In addition, each seat will feature a 17.7-inch width compared to 17 inches on the 737 series. There will also be personal device holders, USB-C chargers, mood lighting, and larger overhead bin space.
Final Thoughts
KLM has just taken delivery of their first A321neo out of a potential 159 more on order. The carrier has been able to squeeze in a total of 227 seats in a 3-3 configuration. Expect a nicer passenger experience with wider seats and larger overhead bins. The new jet is set to take flight in mid-September.
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