#a321nx

Airbus A321neo Transavia

Registration: PH-YHD Named: John Block Painted: Transavia Holland Retro Type: A321-252NX Engines: 2 × CFMI LEAP-1A30 Serial Number: 12652 First flight: Jul 9, 2025

In October 2025, as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations, Transavia christened an Airbus A321-252NX registered as PH-YHD with the name "John Block." The company's fleet includes three aircraft with individual names, and the one depicted on the poster is among them. But who was this John Block? What made him famous, and why was an aircraft named in his honor?

His full given name was Johan Nicolaas Block, though in everyday life he was commonly known simply as John Block.

Born in 1929 in Amsterdam to a schoolteacher's family, Block applied to KLM after World War II but was not accepted. Refusing to give up, he joined the Royal Netherlands Air Force and became a pilot. Later, in 1958, together with Johan Martin Schröder, he founded the airline Martin's Air Charter, known as Martinair. Having gained management experience, Block left the company in 1965 to take the helm a year later of the small, dormant airline Transavia Limburg and transform it into a major player in the charter market.

In June 1966, Block commissioned Dutch designer Thijs Postma to create a livery for three DC-6 aircraft. Within 15 minutes, Postma sketched the iconic green-and-black design; by Friday the design was complete, and by Sunday it was already painted on the aircraft. In November, just two days after receiving the operating license, the inaugural flight took place, carrying the Dutch Ballet Orchestra and Dance Theatre from Amsterdam to Naples.

This rapid execution of ideas that characterized Transavia's early years laid the foundation for the airline's long-term success. Within ten years of founding Transavia, Block had built an airline that captured 45% of the Dutch leisure market, making air travel accessible to ordinary citizens. And although Block left Transavia in 1975 following disagreements with investors, his legacy continued to shape the company's trajectory for decades.

In July 2025, a Transavia A321neo gleaming with fresh paint landed at Amsterdam Airport. The aircraft was painted in that very same Thijs Postma livery, and in November the name "John Block" appeared on the fuselage. In the coming year of 2026, Transavia will celebrate its 60th anniversary, and this modern airliner serves as a reminder that innovation and accessibility remain central to the airline's mission—exactly as envisioned by its founder, John Block.

Airbus A321neo American Airlines

Registration: N409AA Type: 321-253NX Engines: 2 × CFMI LEAP-1A33 Serial Number: 9178 First flight: Oct 10, 2019

American Airlines, Inc. is a major American airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the world's largest airline when measured by fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and revenue passenger mile. American, together with its regional partners, operates an extensive international and domestic network with to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries. American Airlines operate out of 10 hubs, with Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) being its largest. American Airlines is a founding member of the Oneworld alliance, the third-largest airline alliance in the world. American Airlines is the largest operator of the Airbus A321.

Airbus A321neo easyJet

Registration: G-UZMK Type: A321-251NX Engines: 2 × CFMI LEAP-1A32 Serial Number: 12163 First flight: Oct 17, 2024

In 2018, easyJet began introducing the Airbus A321neo into its fleet. The low-cost carrier, known for its pragmatism, made a strategic bet on this modern and high-capacity aircraft, which significantly expanded the company’s capabilities.

Throughout its more than 30-year history, easyJet’s fleet had consisted of Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft, but since the early 2010s, Airbus family planes had dominated. At that time, the airline operated A319 and A320 models. There were no discussions about adding a larger aircraft type like the Airbus A321. Back then, the company’s management believed that the capacity of the A320 was sufficient for most routes, and that increasing passenger capacity was more effectively achieved by boosting flight frequency rather than by using larger aircraft.

However, for a brief period, easyJet did operate eight A321s. These aircraft entered its fleet following the acquisition of GB Airways in 2008. That same year, the low-cost carrier disposed of this unexpected inheritance, as it did not align with the airline’s operational needs.

Thus, easyJet only revisited the idea of using the A321 with the arrival of the A321neo generation in 2018. The new-generation CFM LEAP-1A engines provided fuel savings and reduced noise levels. For an airline where every liter of fuel counts, this is not just a number but a real competitive advantage. The aircraft’s capacity in easyJet’s configuration is 235 passengers, compared to 180 on the A320. This is why the low-cost carrier actively deploys the more spacious aircraft on its busiest routes, such as London–Amsterdam or Manchester–Lisbon.

Currently, the company is actively replacing older aircraft with the A321neo. These jets are ideal for airports with limited slot availability, help significantly cut costs, and fully align with the modern low-cost carrier concept: more passengers, longer distances, and lower fares.

Airbus A321neo Air Transat

Registration: C-GOIX Type: A321-271NX Engines: 2 × PW PW1133G-JM Serial Number: 11363 First flight: Jun 14, 2023

Air Transat is a Canadian charter airline founded in 1986 in Montreal. Specializing in leisure travel, it connects Canada with resort destinations across Europe, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean. It is in this context that the Airbus A321 family has become a true workhorse of the new era for the carrier.

A landmark development for the Air Transat fleet was the introduction of the Airbus A321XLR (Extra Long Range) and its predecessor, the A321LR (Long Range). These variants have enabled the airline to operate transatlantic flights non-stop — without intermediate stops — from relatively small Canadian airports to European cities. This has fundamentally transformed the route network: passengers from Quebec City or Halifax can now fly directly to London, Lisbon, or Barcelona.

The A321LR is equipped with additional fuel tanks and typically accommodates around 182–200 passengers in a two-class configuration. Air Transat operates with Club Class and Economy cabins, offering a comfortable onboard experience — personal screens, reclining seats in the business section, and attentive service on flights lasting 7–8 hours.

From an economic standpoint, the decision to bet on the A321 is a highly calculated move. The narrow-body jet consumes significantly less fuel, allowing the airline to launch routes with lower passenger demand while still maintaining profitability. This is especially important in the charter business, where scheduling flexibility and cost control make all the difference.

Air Transat has effectively become one of the pioneers of commercial A321LR operations on transatlantic routes, demonstrating that the future of long-haul aviation belongs not only to large jets like the Airbus A330, but also to the new generation of "smart" narrow-body aircraft.

Airbus A321neo Pegasus Airlines

Registration: TC-RBA Named: Asem Zümra Type: 321-251NX Engines: 2 × CFMI LEAP-1A32 Serial Number: 8936 First flight: Sep 3, 2019

Pegasus Airlines, sometimes stylized as Flypgs, is a Turkish low-cost carrier headquartered in the Kurtköy area of Pendik, Istanbul with bases at several Turkish airports. On 1 December 1989, two businesses, Net and Silkar, partnered with Aer Lingus to create an inclusive tour charter airline called Pegasus Airlines and services were inaugurated on 15 April 1990 with two Boeing 737-400s. After two positive years, Aer Lingus and Net sold their shares in the company to Istanbul-based Yapı Kredi bank, making Pegasus a purely Turkish company. In 2012, Pegasus Airlines, the second-largest airline in Turkey, signed for up to 100 A320neo Family aircraft. Pegasus Airlines became a new Airbus customer and the first Turkish airline to order the A320neo. This was the largest single commercial aircraft order ever placed by an airline in Turkey at that time.