Ireland’s national carrier, Aer Lingus, has taken delivery of their first of eight Airbus A321LR’s, the long-range version of the Airbus A321neo aircraft. The airline becomes the first airline in the International Airlines Group (IAG) to operate this type.
The Airbus A321LR, with a range of 7,400km, will help Aer Lingus serving new and existing destinations in the United States and Canada and replace the older Boeing 757-200 aircraft of the fleet.
“The new ALC A321neo LR will enable Aer Lingus to substantially increase the number of flights, frequencies and new destinations between Ireland and the USA and Canada. We are honored to be a part of Aer Lingus’ ongoing fleet transition to the A321neo LR to enhance the airline’s expanding route network with the most modern, fuel-efficient aircraft.”, said Steven F. Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation.
The interior of the A321LR
Aer Lingus’ A321LR is configured with 16 fully-lie-flat seats in Business Class and 168 standard Economy Class seats in a 3-3 configuration.
The Business seats are produced by the Irish seat maker Thompson and customised by London’s FactoryDesign to include more personal stowage and space around the seat. These are the same seats which Aer Lingus already uses on its Airbus A330 and Boeing 757 fleet.
Aer Lingus will offer in-flight WiFi, provided by Panasonic, seat back entertainment and power outlets in all seats.
Aer Lingus A321LR Routes
The A321LR will make its debut on the route Dublin-Hartford beginning on August 2nd. Currently, this route is operated with the Boeing 757-200.
Future A321LR routes are:
- Dublin – Washington-Dulles begins October 29th 2019
- Dublin – Philadelphia beginning November 1st 2019
- Shannon – Boston starting January 6th 2020
- Dublin – Newark between February 13th and March 10th 2020
Aer Lingus currently operates a total of 50 Airbus aircraft, including 13 A330s and 37 A320 Family aircraft. The A321LR and the A330 combined within the same fleet is a powerful lever to cover the needs of the medium to long haul markets.