Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Distraction; Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Undershoot; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Aircraft; Procedure; Weather
We were flying an A321 and our close-out weight was above our planned weight which prevented us from flying our planned cruise altitude. Loop 9 departure: direct LAX and cleared to climb via except climb and maintain FL230. The FO was flying with the autopilot on and managed climb and speed. Passing through 10;000 feet and crossing LAX VOR; the aircraft began to shallow the climb as it accelerated beyond 250 knots. Almost simultaneously; we entered IMC and engine anti-ice was turned on as TAT was below 10 C. LA center then called with a reroute. The reroute was unusual as it was very direct and eliminated nearly every waypoint across the country; so we verified this with ATC. While we were inputting the new route; LA center called out traffic. I replied that we were IMC. The FO was still adding the reroute into the FMGS when I noticed we were not going to make the KEGGS crossing restrictions and simultaneously LA center queried as to whether or not we would make the crossing restriction of 13;000 at KEGGS. I replied that I thought we would make the restriction; but it would be close. We pulled speed and spun in 250 knots to get the aircraft to climb rapidly and make the restriction. I believe we were 400-500ft below the 13;000 ft restriction at KEGGS. The [older] Airbus aircraft have quite an array of differences that pilots are not familiar with. In this case; neither of us had ever flown the Loop 9 departure in an older A321 before. The lack of climb performance; especially heavy with the anti-ice on while accelerating beyond 250 kts; was dramatically poor in comparison to the [newer model] A321 which both of us were used to. This; in addition to ATC poorly timed reroute; were enough to distract us long enough that we could not recover to make the crossing restriction altitude. I would suggest a memo to [Company] Airbus pilots highlighting the incredibly poor climb performance of the older A321s. Perhaps dictate that that if you are above 180;000 pounds; your climb performance will be poor and you may not make climb restrictions or your planned cruise altitude.
A321 Captain reported discovering that the older A321s have very poor performance when compared with the newer ones that he is used to flying. The crossing restriction at KEGGS on the LAX LOOP9 was missed by 500 feet.