Canada’s Air Transat will use a new fleet of single-aisle aircraft on UK routes from October.
The Airbus A321neo LR (Long Range) will operate the budget carrier’s daily service from Gatwick to Toronto and its twice-weekly service from Glasgow to Toronto from the end of October. The new aircraft will replace wide-body Airbus A330s used by the carrier on its Gatwick-Toronto summer services.
The new type will also be introduced onto Air Transat’s twice weekly Manchester to Toronto service from the beginning of November.
They will be fitted with 187 economy seats and a premium economy-style cabin seating 12, known as Club Class. This features a 2-2 layout and a 38-inch seat pitch. Seats in both classes have personal TVs and USB chargers.
“The arrival of this new generation of aircraft is an important moment for our company and our passengers in many respects,” said chief operating officer Annick Guerard.
The carrier will add 15 of the leased aircraft to its fleet by 2022. The new aircraft consumes offers a 15% fuel saving on the existing version and will be used by other carriers to open up new transatlantic routes.
“It reinforces our position as a leader in sustainable tourism, while also offering our passengers a superior on-board experience,” added Guerard.
“In addition, the aircraft’s long range will optimise our operations in our core markets, namely in our destinations in Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.”