The debut of Collins Aerospace’s Aurora lie-flat suite aboard American Airlines’ new Airbus A321XLR twinjets has been met with mixed responses. Some passengers welcome the privacy created by the inward-facing herringbone, which breaks the 45-degree angle away from the aircraft centerline. Others bemoan that their IFE viewing experience is inhibited at mealtime.

In his trip report for Runway Girl Network from aboard American’s A321XLR inaugural flight late last year, contributor Chris Sloan explained that the IFE monitor in the Flagship Suite has to be stowed during meal service, which puts the burden on flight attendants to repeatedly ask passengers to put their screens away.

Now, as Air Canada prepares to press its first of 30 two-cabin A321XLRs into service — and with it, a 1-1-configured Signature Class cabin featuring 14 doorless full-flat Aurora suites, each with a 19″ Panasonic Avionics Astrova 4K OLED IFE screen — we wondered how Collins Aerospace is addressing the screen stowage chatter around Aurora, which is optimized for the aircraft type.

And so, we put the question to company vice president, global airlines and lessors Cynthia Muklevicz during the massive Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, where the seatmaker was showcasing Air Canada’s Aurora-based suite for Signature Class.

Muklevicz didn’t shy away from the question. “Let’s have that discussion about what people are saying,” she said, explaining that if the IFE screen is extended into place to maximize viewing, the crew can quickly pull it back whilst serving the meal.

(It might be argued that this small maneuver will be a little easier to execute in Air Canada’s doorless version of the doors-optional Aurora platform, as opposed to when the sliding doors on American’s Flagship Suites are certified and in use on the A321XLR.)

Alternatively, the IFE screen can be briefly placed in the retracted position by the passenger until the food is delivered — the protocol in play at American.

“You can still see [the screen] for the moment that I’m just serving the meal, right,” Muklevicz asked?

Yes, I confirmed, while quietly pondering where exactly the inconvenience of a briefly retracted screen fits in the hierarchy of first world, 21st century problems.

The Collins executive appreciates the feedback from passengers, however.

“We take that on,” she said, unequivocally, while demoing the service flow. “But I think the tradeoffs for the size of the meal table, the way it’s stowed out of the area when you’re sleeping, the opportunities to transfer things to have multiple working spaces, or multiple areas that aren’t going to spill on you, I feel like the tradeoffs are worth it for what the benefits are.”

Muklevicz also explained how crew members have a variety of service delivery options. They can, for instance, use the side table in each Aurora suite to slide in a pre-departure beverage, amenity kit or menu without affecting the seated passenger’s ability to nest.

Likewise, during mealtime, if the occupant is using the large, foldable tray table to work on their laptop, the side table “creates an automatic place for you to be able to put your laptop.” And if the passenger wants to continue working on the tray table, snacks and beverages can be placed on the side table.

There are a lot of other features to appreciate in each Air Canada Signature Class suite aboard the A321XLR, including a moveable privacy divider, laptop storage and wireless charging. The A321XLR also features 168 economy class seats, nose-to-tail Panasonic Astrova IFE with Bluetooth connectivity, and Airbus’ spectacular Airspace interior.

The carrier has released a new teaser video about both the A321XLR and its forthcoming new and “reimagined” Boeing 787-10. Both interior reveals mark the first major expression of what it’s calling its new “Glowing Hearted” Canadian passenger experience, which focuses on “delivering more comfort, care and connection.”

Passengers will be able to judge for themselves when Air Canada this summer starts plying transatlantic routes from Montréal and Toronto with the A321XLR. For its part, Airbus notes in a statement that the long-haul narrowbody’s range can support flights to destinations such as Berlin, Toulouse and Edinburgh.

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