Airbus a321: cabin layout and best seats (S7) Airlines. Airbus A321 (Airbus A321)
What features of the Aeroflot Airbus A321 cabin layout do you need to know in order to have a comfortable flight without overpaying for a ticket?
In Aeroflot on at the moment more than 20 A321 airliners.
Liner names:
A. Scriabin, P. Tchaikovsky, A. Deineka, M. Chagall, I. Michurin, N. Pirogov, I. Sechenov, N. Zhukovsky, K. Tsiolkovsky, S. Korolev, M. Keldysh, N. Vavilov, A. Prokhorov, N. Semenov, V. Alekseev, S. Mikhalkov, G. Vishnevskaya, K. Stanislavsky, E. Vakhtangov (in Manchester United livery), S. Diaghilev, I. Goncharov, M. Zoshchenko, D. Ryabushinsky, S. Bondarchuk, F. Ushakov, S. Richter, A. Tarkovsky, V. Shukshin, V. Nemirovich-Danchenko, I. Levitan, I. Dunaevsky, Yu. Khariton.
All aircraft use a business + economy cabin layout in three variants. Each aircraft design has its own characteristics, which will be discussed below. Also, you can find A321 cabins with new, from Recaro, and old seats.
Opinions vary about the comfort of the new seats, but the general opinion of passengers is that the old seats are more comfortable.
Feedback from an Aviaforum.ru visitor about new seats on Airbuses:
35 rows. The chairs are thin and hard. The armrests are narrow, you can’t really rest your hand. Subjectively, the seats are more comfortable than in the B738, but many times more uncomfortable than in the previous A320/321. In general, not ice at all.
Considering that planes with new seats do not always correspond to the official A321 layout, choosing the best seat turns into an entertaining quest.
Another Aeroflot innovation is the installation of charging units under each seat in the cabin. On the one hand, it’s a useful thing, on the other hand, we read a review from an Aeroflot passenger:
A huge fly in the ointment - boxes with stupid (again) exercises under each chair - really make it difficult to place your legs.
(a) and sharp, contagious (for ladies with bare legs, really), (b) Under the middle seat is still nothing, at the porthole it’s generally uncomfortable 🙁
Photo of chargers:
Despite all of the above, find good places in the cabin of an Airbus A321, of course, you can.
Airbus A321 in business class (28 seats) and economy class (142 seats) configuration
Business class seats are located from rows 1 to 7. Seating layout: 2x2.
- Seat pitch: 95 cm
- Seat width: 52.2 cm
We will not dwell in detail on the description of the A321 business class. Just a couple of comments.
Some consider the disadvantages of the 1st row to be the nearby toilet and kitchen. We do not agree with this statement. Because these premises are used to service only this class, and there are few passengers in it - there should be no negative aspects in the form of noise and odors.
Row 7
The backs of the seats in this row do not recline completely due to the presence of the first row of economy class “behind the back”.
Economy class is located from rows 8 to 31.
- Chair pitch: 75-80 cm
- Seat width: 45 cm
Row 8
The seats in this row are seats increased comfort. They can be registered for an additional fee.
Pros of this series:
- Increased seat pitch
- No seat in front
- Distance from toilets
- At least someone walking around the salon past you
Please note that there are places for attaching baby bassinets only in the first row, i.e. in business class.
Rows 9-10
Standard seats with the benefits of seats located in the front of the cabin.
Row 11
The disadvantages of this series would be that the view from the window is partially blocked by the leading edge of the aircraft wing and the engine. Due to the proximity of the latter, increased noise during takeoff is possible.
Rows 12-17
For passengers in these rows, the scenery behind the window is obscured by the wing. It also reduces noise in the cabin.
Row 18
It is not recommended to register tickets for this row. The views overboard are obscured by the wing; the seat backs do not recline. Behind us are the restrooms with all the consequences in the form of queues, slamming doors, hitting those sitting near the aisle, etc.
Row 19
Controversial series. On one side there are only 2 seats in a row. Superior seats. Registration for these seats requires a fee.
On the other hand, there are no seats at the porthole. And throughout the flight you will contemplate the toilets and people entering and leaving them.
Row 20
Mixed row. Seats A and F are premium seats due to the features of the front row (at an additional cost). Places B,C,E,F– regular chairs with standard pitch.
The downside is the proximity of the toilet stalls.
Rows 21-30
Standard seat pitch. Rows without minuses and pluses. Due to the presence of lavatory at the beginning and end of the sector, passengers will not accumulate in queues at the tail. But we would recommend taking seats in the middle of this part of the plane.
My only recommendation is to avoid aisle seats in row 30 if possible. People in need may touch you as they pass by.
Row 31
If there are no more seats, and you really need to fly, only in this case take seats in this row.
This row has only disadvantages - the backrests do not recline. There may not be a porthole next to you. Behind the back there is a toilet and a kitchen.
Airbus A321 in business class (16 seats) and economy class (167 seats) configuration
In this diagram we will describe the differences that deserve attention.
Business class occupies rows 1 to 4. Seating layout: 2x2.
- Seat pitch: 95 cm
- Seat width: 52.2 cm
The economy class cabin occupies rows 8 to 35. Don't look for rows 5, 6 and 7. There are none.
The location of the best seats in the A321 cabin of this layout differs from the previous one.
- Chair pitch: 75-80 cm
- Seat width: 42.5-45 cm
Rows 8-10
The first row of economy class (8) does not have increased comfort. This is a standard row, like 9 and 10, with a normal seat pitch. The only plus is the nose of the plane.
Row 11
The astute reader will notice the different seat widths in this A321 economy class layout.
This is because the chairs in this particular row have different widths. With the same ticket price, please note.
In the 11th row there are 5, not 6 seats. It is positioned as Space+ and registration for it only costs an additional fee.
Now in detail:
Seat 11A has a minus in the form of an emergency exit, the design of which takes space away from the passenger’s personal space. Registration is free.
11B and 11C are full-fledged Space+.
11D and 11F are precisely seats with a reduced width. In addition, seat 11F has an emergency exit like 11A. Registration for this place is free.
Row 12
It’s worth taking a closer look at the seats in this row because of the presence in it, among the standard seats, of one superior seat – 12D. There is no seat in front and passengers with any leg length will not experience discomfort. You can register for it for free.
Row 23
Similar to the seats of row 20 of the previous A321 scheme.
Aeroflot's fleet includes 26 Airbus A321-200 aircraft. This is a medium-range passenger aircraft, an extended version of the Airbus A320. All models were supplied to the company directly from the manufacturing plant in Europe, and were not operated by other airlines. The oldest aircraft made its first flight under the company's brand in November 2004. The “youngest” airliner took off in December 2013.
There are several interior configurations for this model. In the scheme presented on the official Aeroflot website, the cabin will accommodate 170 passengers. Business class has 28 seats, economy class has 142 seats.
Let's move on to analyzing the best and worst seats on this plane.
Row 1-7. Relatively simple business class on an Airbus. It differs from economy by increased space between the rows, wide seats, spacious aisles between the rows, an individual menu and free alcohol.
The seats here are the most comfortable on board (which is logical), but not without drawbacks. The outermost row 7 has poor visibility from the window (porthole). Also, the seat backs are limited in reclining due to the partition from the economy class. It seems like a small thing, but when you pay a lot of money, you expect complete comfort from the flight.
Row 8. First row of economy class. Seats designated on the Aeroflot map as “Space+” seats. Or places increased comfort. There is additional legroom due to the presence of an emergency exit in front of the row. Another advantage is that no one will lean back on you.
However, there are also disadvantages. Due to safety reasons, passengers with small children, animals, disabled people and elderly people are not allowed here. According to some information, the seats may not have an armrest on the wall side. There are storage restrictions hand luggage. But perhaps the most important drawback is the additional payment for booking, from 25 to 50 euros depending on the distance of the flight (the further, the more expensive).
Economy class cabin photo:
Row 18. One of the most undesirable rows for booking. The seat backs here are limited in reclining, making it not very convenient to look out the window. There is a toilet nearby, which means additional noise, sounds of the flush tank, constant queues near the chair.Row 19. Controversial places, with their pros and cons. Although they are designated as “places of increased comfort.” Advantages:
- Emergency exit provides additional legroom;
- The absence of a row in front means that no one will lean back on you.
- The seats are arranged in pairs and there are only four of them in a row, as in business class. This provides additional space for passengers seated on the edge of the aircraft.
Row 20. Seats A and F. More comfortable places, unlike the previous row. Also marked as “Space+”, which means they require additional. payment. There is a lot of space in front of the chair (even too much), since there is no chair in front. Legs can even be extended to their full height tall man. The back of your neighbor's chair in front won't hurt you either. The toilet is no longer as close as in row 19. A small disadvantage of these places is that there is little space for storing hand luggage.
Row 30 and 31. The “worst” places to fly. In terms of their disadvantages, the row is a complete analogue of the 18th row. The toilet is too close, which does not add comfort.
Airbus 321 is the largest aircraft of the 320 family produced by Airbus. The first flight took place in 1992. Aircraft production continues to this day. According to the latest information from the company, in 2018 it is planned to assemble up to 60 aircraft per month. According to their own technical specifications and maintenance differs little from its prototype - the 320, but due to more powerful engines it is able to transport a larger number of passengers and luggage.
The aircraft is assembled for a specific order - the customer is offered only an economy class version with a capacity of 220 people or a business/economy version with a capacity of 185 people.
Story
The French company began assembling the prototype of the 320 back in 1972. In the 90s, the 319th version first appeared, the main difference of which is the fuselage shortened by 7 meters. The remaining parameters are the same as the 320th. The first "Airbus" received a fuselage 7 meters longer than the prototype and in 1992 had the shortest flight range among the entire 320 family. Then, with modernization, the aircraft received stronger brakes, more powerful engines and an additional tank located in the rear of the cabin. The original the development was not planned, unlike plans for the 320, to create competition for the Americans, but the appearance on the Boeing 757 market forced the company to reconsider the decision to produce the 321, and the current model, 321-200, is a worthy competitor to the 757 , slightly inferior in flight range, but having a more spacious fuselage.
The first customer for the new model aircraft was the German Lufthansa. The 321-100 aircraft flew into its hangars in early 1995. At the end of 1996, the first Airbus 321-200 took off.
Interior layout by the customer
As already mentioned, the customer receives one of two layout options at the factory. However, that's not all. During operation, the customer can change the number of seats himself and thus convert the aircraft to carry more or fewer passengers. The documentation for the aircraft indicates how the cabin can be rearranged. Airbus 321 has a wide range of layouts. From economy class, where there will be 6 seats in a row, three on each side of the aisle, to business class, where there will already be 4 seats in a row. Wide-frame layouts are also allowed. There are only two restrictions - in any configuration the aircraft will have 1 aisle with seats on both sides of the aisle. The second limitation is inherent in the design: at the end of the plane there will be only 2 seats, one on each side of the aisle, and 2 rows opposite the emergency doors also have 4 seats in any layout.
Choosing a seat on the plane
Even a short flight can be a burden if you sit down and find that, due to the design of the airliner, the backrests of your seats do not recline, or people are constantly walking past you on their way to the bathroom. Therefore, when you go on a flight, you should ask yourself a number of questions. For example, this: “Do you like to watch flight?” If you like, you need to choose seats near the windows, keeping in mind that in front of some of them there will be wings, and all you will see is the movement of the automation during takeoff, landing, and change of direction.
Rows 15 to 22 on an Airbus 321 economy class aircraft have this disadvantage. In addition, the 25th row, being located in front of the second emergency exit, does not have the ability to recline the seat. At the same time, these seats are considered ideal for traveling couples, since in this row, even in economy, there are only 4 seats, 2 on each side of the aisle.
But if the plane is flying at night, choosing a window seat will do nothing, but being in the rows in front of the emergency exits can cause many unpleasant minutes due to blocked backrests. In addition to the 25th, the backrests are also blocked in the 10th row, but, unlike the 25th, here the economy class includes 6 seats, three on each side of the aisle. The numbering is for economy class on an Airbus 321 aircraft. The best seats, besides those already mentioned, are in the 11th row - two seats on each side of the aisle, and there is an opportunity to stretch your legs. These places are located behind the first emergency exit. Passengers sitting in row 26 will also be able to stretch their legs, with emergency exit number two in front of them. This is how Ural Airlines aircraft are configured.
At the same time, the official Lufthansa website states that in the 10th row of the 321st airliner there are only 2 seats - on the right side. The left side of the row is free.
Plans and schemes
For a better understanding, here are a couple of aircraft diagrams in two use cases. The Poles fly only economy class, the Germans use planes in both economy and business/economy versions.
This is what the diagram of Airbus 321 (Poland) looks like; the interior diagram is also suitable for illustrating aircraft of the Ural Airlines company. The company uses 321 only in the economy version. The 11th and 26th rows are considered ideal. The window seats in row 26 may have some changes due to the emergency exit directly in front of them. Since there are only 4 seats in the 11th row, those who like to stretch their legs can also recommend the 12th row - two seats by the windows.
And for comparison, here is a diagram of an Airbus used by Lufthansa. The Germans use both economy and business/economy aircraft. However, only the first rows are different. The rest corresponds to the descriptions above. The 10th row is shortened, due to which there are 4 best seats in the 11th row. And due to the absence of one seat in the 25th row, a person who buys a seat 27D will also have the opportunity to stretch his legs.
The Airbus A321 is a medium-range, twin-engine airliner developed by the united European concern Airbus S.A.S, whose sole shareholder today is the European Aerospace and Defense Concern (EDSA).
The Airbus A321 is part of the narrow-body family passenger aircraft A320, designed for medium-haul airlines. This model is the “largest” in its family - the A321 is longer than the original model, the A320, by almost seven meters. This allows the aircraft to carry 24 percent more passengers. It also has a more reinforced chassis. The flight radius, when fully loaded, is the same as that of the youngest member of the family - the Airbus A318.
The A321's performance in terms of noise levels, harmful emissions and fuel consumption are almost the same as those of the entire A320 series. The aircraft is equipped with EFIS avionics and a fly-by-wire digital control system, completely identical to the A320 aircraft.
Today, the A321 version is assembled at a plant located at the small German airport Hamburg-Finkenwerder, unlike the A320, which is assembled mainly in French town Toulouse.
The A321 development program was launched in 1989, with the main goal of competing with the American one.
The plane was not only lengthened compared to the base model. The changes also affected the engines, the power of which was increased. The aircraft's wing was reinforced and designed to withstand higher loads compared to the A320 wing.
The first version of the aircraft was designated A321-100. The first flight of this version took place on March 11, 1993. This model used IAE-V2500 engines (International Aero Engines). The version with CFM-56 engines, power 133 kN, made its first test flight in May of the same year. The flight range of this version of the airliner averaged 4,500 kilometers. The aircraft was certified in early December 1994. After which he began to join airlines. The first airlines to receive the Airbus A321 were the German Lufthansa and the Italian airline Alitalia.
In 1995, work began on the next modification of the aircraft, designated A321-200. This model has additional fuel tanks, which made it possible to expand the flight range to 5550 kilometers. The first flight of the A321-200 took place in 1996.
Airbus A321 interior
There are several options for the layout of the passenger cabin in the Airbus A321:
- The economical version can carry up to 200 passengers.
- The charter cabin layout can accommodate 220 passenger seats.
- The two-class configuration has 185 seats.
The A321 has six passenger doors and eight emergency exits located on two sides of the aircraft.
Today, the A321 aircraft is in demand among air carriers and orders for its construction continue to arrive.
The best seats on the Airbus A321 - Aeroflot
The best seats on the Airbus A321 - Ural Airlines
Airbus A321 interior diagram
Technical characteristics of the Airbus A321 aircraft.
- First flight: March 11, 1993
- Years of production: 1993 to present
- Length: 44.51 m.
- Height: 11.76 m.
- Empty weight: 48024 kg.
- Wing area: 122.60 sq. m.
- Wingspan: 34.1 m.
- Cruising speed: 845 km/h.
- Maximum speed: 895 km/h.
- Ceiling: 12500 m.
- Flight range: 4260 to 5550 km.
- Engines: 2 turbofans CFM-56B2 or IAE-V2500
- Crew: 2 people
- Number of passenger seats: 185 seats
Airbus A321 video
It is a longer version of the A320. This is the largest aircraft of the A320 type. The standard Airbus A321 configuration accommodates 185 passengers in a two-class cabin (169 economy class and 16 first class).
This configuration can be increased to 220 seats for low-cost and charter operators, then the aircraft cabin will be one-class - only seats in economy class. And the number of different interior configurations can be in the dozens.
To know exactly which seats are best on the A321, you need to familiarize yourself with the layout of the aircraft in which you will fly. But often, to understand the principle of choice, it is enough to get acquainted with any scheme.
Consider the configuration of the Airbus A321, which is used by the most popular Russian air carrier Aeroflot. This diagram of the A321 cabin can be viewed on the website of the aviation company (Aeroflot official website).
A couple of general points about the seat arrangement in the Airbus A321 - their disadvantages and advantages.
1. The seats that are located next to the window have the advantage that you can look out of it during the flight (this, of course, depends on the flight time and weather). If you fly at night, this advantage does not count. Also, your neighbor will not bother you if he wants to get up. These places have one drawback - it is not very convenient to leave it yourself. Therefore, if you don’t need to go to the toilet often or you intend to sleep through the entire flight, choose seats by the window.
2. The seats that are located near the aisle have their own advantage - it is very easy to get up from it if you need to go to the toilet. The disadvantages are that a neighbor may be disturbed if he needs to get up. Flight attendants with trolleys and passengers who walk through the cabin to the galley and toilets can also interfere. Therefore, if you are flying with a child and, most likely, you will have to go to the toilet often. Or you yourself need to go to the restroom more often, then choose from the edge of the seat.
1-7 rubles. Business class. 1 and 7 r. are considered slightly worse than the others due to the fact that a partition is installed in front of the first row, there is enough space there, but the proximity to the toilets can cause a little concern. Places 7 r. close to the noisier economy class. If you are going to fly in business class, take from 2 to 6 rubles. places.
8 rubles. Some of the best seats on board this economy class airliner. It's all about the emergency exit, which is located in front of them. There is much more legroom here. Also, you can get up from any of them without disturbing your neighbors and they won’t bother you. Another advantage is that they are located in front of the cabin. As a rule, drinks and food start at the end from the beginning, you will have a huge choice. These are places of increased comfort.
18 r.. Given r. - standard regular seats in economy class. But their location near toilets makes them not very comfortable. The regular movement of people will attract attention and a “queue” will often form near you to the restroom, etc.
19 rubles. Places located directly behind the emergency exit. As in the 8-room places, there is a lot of free legroom here. And it seems good, but proximity to toilets is not the best choice. That's why it's yellow.
20 rubles. The chairs located near the windows are very comfortable. There is a lot of free space, there is room to stretch your legs and you can stand up without problems and look out the window. Great places.
30 RUR, D and C. - proximity to toilets will most likely cause inconvenience.
31 rubles. Let us separately note the last row. These places are not only located near the toilets (there will often be a “queue” for the restroom near you), but they also do not recline at all, since there is a wall directly behind them. These are the worst places, take them only if there are no other options.
Ask an airline employee for advice
If possible, carefully study the diagram of the airliner you will fly on.
Do not take seats where the seats do not recline or are limited in their ability to do so.
Do not take places near toilets, kitchens and other technical rooms at the very end.
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