Aer Lingus takes delivery of long-range Airbus planes
Senior Whelan, James Mccann, Cabin Naoise Culhane Harmon, And Cabin The A321xlr Airbus With Crew; Engineer; From Left, Joe Crew; Senior New Jane Georgia Picture: Aircraft
Aer Lingus has taken delivery of its first two new Airbus A321XLR aircraft at Dublin Airport.
The planes are the first two of six such aircraft bound for Aer Lingus to serve existing transatlantic routes and new destinations Nashville and Indianapolis the airline will operate next year.
The A321XLR is a single-aisle extra-long-range aircraft flying up to 8,700km, or 11 hours, non-stop, a 15% increase in range compared to the previous version of the aircraft.
Aer Lingus is the second airline in the world to operate the A321XLR as well as the second in the International Airlines Group (IAG). Iberia, part of IAG, began operating the aircraft last month on the Madrid to Boston route.
Aer Lingus said the new aircraft's long-range capabilities enable it to connect to new destinations and serve existing routes on its transatlantic network. The airline flies to 18 destinations from Dublin.
The Aer Lingus A321XLR is configured with 184 seats in a two-class layout featuring 16 full-flat business class and 168 economy class seats. The aircraft also has up to 20% lower fuel burn per seat than similar previous-generation aircraft and is capable of operating with up to 50% sustainable aviation fuel.
Aer Lingus chief executive Lynne Embleton said the aircraft's arrival marked a significant milestone for Aer Lingus.
"The long-range capabilities of the XLR enable us to travel deeper into North America, offering previously unserved markets greater connectivity to Europe through our Dublin hub. Both new XLR aircraft will operate on our newly announced routes to Nashville and Indianapolis for summer 2025.
"Looking ahead, we’re on target to expand our XLR fleet from two to six aircraft in 2025, further strengthening our position as a market leader in North American connectivity," she said.