The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that Air Canada still sees "friction in the system" regarding delays in the deliveries of Airbus A321-XLR jets, the airline's COO said Wednesday, as the carrier starts flights this month with the longer-range, single-aisle jet. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says Boeing and Airbus are trying to increase production of more fuel-efficient aircraft, but airlines globally face delivery delays on multiple models, often owing to supply chain challenges and labour shortages. "On the XLR program, unfortunately, we have been on the receiving end of several delays in the program, and these aircraft are, you know, the better part of two years late from what we originally anticipated when we made the order," Air Canada's chief operations officer, Mark Nasr, told Reuters. "It's not specific to just anyone, but there still is friction in the system and we've had to adopt our business to be much more flexible." Canada's largest carrier plans to use the XLR on routes like Toulouse and Copenhagen. Demand for European travel remains strong for North American legacy carriers despite rising jet fuel prices owing to Mideast wars. Air Canada is also seeing an uptick in U.S. leisure visits.