American Airlines is currently conducting training flights between Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Edinburgh (EDI) using an Airbus A321neo aircraft. These flights are operating empty and are meant to train pilots on the new aircraft type. This is a part of American Airlines’ plan to open an A321XLR base at New York JFK Airport, where at least 40 pilots will be stationed to operate transatlantic flights.

The training flights began on August 4, with the aircraft taking off from Philadelphia at 21:26 and arriving at Edinburgh at 08:30 the next morning. These flights are numbered AA9805 for eastbound flights and AA9806 for westbound flights. They do not carry passengers or cargo, but rather, are being used to train Check Airmen who will then certify other American Airlines pilots on the A321neo.

This training is necessary as American Airlines plans to introduce the A321XLR to their fleet in the future. This next-generation narrowbody twinjet will allow the airline to operate transatlantic flights from New York JFK Airport. Currently, American Airlines operates scheduled non-stop flights between Philadelphia and Edinburgh using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The smaller 787-8 model is the more popular choice, with 107 round trips compared to the 28 round trips operated by the larger 787-9 model.

According to Paulina Wykurz, an American Airlines Supervisor at Edinburgh Airport, these training flights are a special charter and the second A321neo aircraft will be stationed at the airport. This is not the only activity on this route, as American Airlines also operates daily passenger flights using the 787 Dreamliner. In May, these flights resumed after a temporary suspension due to the pandemic. The 787-8 model operates the majority of these flights, with the 787-9 providing additional capacity in August and September.

This year marks the first time that Edinburgh Airport has offered over one million round-trip seats on North Atlantic flights to destinations in Canada and the US. The eastbound 787-operated flights are numbered as AA278, leaving Philadelphia at 19:20 and arriving in Edinburgh at 07:10 the next day. The return leg, AA279, departs Edinburgh at 11:35 and lands in Philadelphia at 13:55, with a flight time of seven hours and 20 minutes.

In conclusion, American Airlines is currently conducting training flights between Philadelphia and Edinburgh using an A321neo aircraft. These flights are meant to train pilots for the future introduction of the A321XLR to the airline’s fleet. American Airlines also operates daily passenger flights between the two cities using Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. This year marks a milestone for Edinburgh Airport, with over one million round-trip seats offered on North Atlantic flights.