It’s an exciting week for Aer Lingus, as the airline has just taken delivery of a new type of aircraft, and it’s only the second such aircraft to be delivered globally. We’ve now learned some more details about what to expect from the interiors of these jets, so let’s discuss what we know.
In this post:
Aer Lingus is getting six Airbus A321XLRs
Aer Lingus has just taken delivery of its first two of six Airbus A321XLRs. Both of the jets were delivered to Dublin (DUB) from Hamburg (XFW), and they have the registration codes EI-XLR and EI-XLT. The other four A321XLRs should join Aer Lingus’ fleet in 2025, so that’s a pretty quick delivery timeline.
For some background, in 2019, International Airlines Group (IAG) placed an order for 14 of these jets. This is the parent company of carriers like British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus, etc. The plan is for six of these aircraft to join Aer Lingus’ fleet, and eight to join Iberia’s fleet.
While Aer Lingus was supposed to be the global launch customer of the A321XLR, Iberia ended up taking delivery of the aircraft first, due to a pilot contract dispute at Aer Lingus (where management used additional new aircraft as a bargaining technique).
For those not familiar with the A321XLR, this is the world’s longest range narrow body jet in production. This aircraft is based on the Airbus A321 family, but features even more incremental range improvements over the A321neo and A321LR (which already have more range than the A321ceo). Many airline executives view the A321XLR as an exciting plane that can open up long and thin routes that couldn’t necessarily be served by wide body jets.
When it comes to Aer Lingus’ long haul fleet, the six Airbus A321XLRs will complement the existing eight Airbus A321LRs (the same type of plane, but with a bit less range), as well as 13 Airbus A330s (three of them are the -200 variant, and 10 are the -300 variant).
While Aer Lingus has a modern narrow body long haul fleet, the carrier’s wide body fleet is a bit less modern, and there are no firm plans for more new aircraft deliveries. However, the airline is expected to eventually introduce a new wide body business class.
Aer Lingus Airbus A321XLR routes & flights
Aer Lingus has already announced plans to launch two new routes with the Airbus A321XLR. The plane is expected to operate flights to Nashville (BNA) as of April 2025, and to Indianapolis (IND) as of May 2025. These are routes where the incremental range of the A321XLR over the A321LR are useful.
In the meantime, Aer Lingus is putting its A321XLRs in service on some existing A321LR routes, so you can expect to find the plane flying both across the Atlantic and within Europe. For example, Aer Lingus has already started flying the A321XLR to Washington (IAD), just days after the delivery flight.
I would expect some aircraft swaps, so until the new A321XLR routes launch, don’t necessarily count on a flight being operated by an A321XLR rather than an A321LR, given that they have the same layout.
What to expect onboard Aer Lingus’ Airbus A321XLR
What should passengers expect onboard Aer Lingus’ Airbus A321XLRs? This is where it gets strange. Initially I was under the impression that Aer Lingus and Iberia would have the same interiors on these jets, aside from the finishes being different, to reflect the branding of the two carriers. However, that’s not the case.
The A321XLRs instead have very similar interiors to what you’ll find on Aer Lingus A321LRs, also flying across the Atlantic. Aer Lingus’ A321XLRs feature 184 seats, including 16 business class seats and 168 economy seats. There’s Wi-Fi throughout the jet, so that passengers can stay connected.
Business class is in a staggered configuration, alternating between 2-2 and 1-1. Aer Lingus selected the Thompson Aero Vantage seat. The seats are 22″ wide, with 46-47″ of pitch, and they turn into 6ft5in flat beds. The tech has been upgraded compared to the A321LR, as all seats have USB-A and USB-C outlets, bluetooth audio, and 18″ 4K ultra high definition monitors.
Economy class is in a 3-3 configuration, with seats being 18″ wide, and having 30-31″ of pitch. The seats have wider backrests and better padding, six-way adjustable head rests, USB-A and USB-C charging, a personal device holder in the tray, bluetooth audio, and 12″ 4K ultra high definition monitors.
It’s surprising that the decision was made to offer fleet commonality between the A321LR and A321XLR, rather than between the two airlines, with an improved product.
How do Aer Lingus’ interiors compare to those of the Iberia Airbus A321XLRs? Those planes have 182 seats, spread across two cabins, including 14 business class seats and 168 economy class seats. There’s no premium economy cabin, which is odd for Iberia, since the airline has that on many wide body jets (that raises a separate question of why Iberia doesn’t have premium economy on some A330s, especially since the airline operates as part of the oneworld transatlantic joint venture).
Iberia A321XLRs feature 14 business class seats, spread across seven rows, in a 1-1 configuration. The airline selected the Thompson Aero VantageSOLO seat, the same seat you’ll find in the new JetBlue Mint. These are herringbones seats that are fully flat and have direct aisle access, with 18″ 4K TV screens. There’s also great tech, including bluetooth audio.
When it comes to the 168 economy seats on Iberia’s A321XLRs, passengers can expect 4″ of recline and leather headrests. Even in economy there’s bluetooth audio, as well as USB-A and USB-C charging ports. Furthermore, there are personal electronic device holders, as well as Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the jet.
Below is a video about the Iberia A321XLR…
Bottom line
Aer Lingus has taken delivery of its first couple of Airbus A321XLRs. While Aer Lingus was supposed to be the launch customer for the aircraft, it ended up being the second airline. Since Aer Lingus already flies A321LRs, the difference in terms of the types of “missions” these planes fly won’t be huge.
The passenger experience onboard should also be familiar, for those who have flown the A321LR. The A321XLRs just have some incremental improvements, especially with tech, so it should be a pretty nice ride.
What do you make of Aer Lingus adding the Airbus A321XLR to its fleet?
Curious to see whether there's enough demand to sustain these routes. Nashville is fun, so I could see some extra O/D traffic ex-DUB, but I'd guess IND is mostly connecting to Europe ex-IND and VFR ex-DUB.
Decent plane, but I would still opt for a DL 767 to Dublin. Overall a more premium option.
I was lucky enough to spot this aircraft yesterday in Dublin upon her return from Dulles. Was quite amusing to see a little XLR hiding within a sea of green A330s
Reading this is a hoot, opinions at 40 paces.
Now, in the spirit of some of the tendentious commentary here, Airbus is just better.
There!
My, Oh my, the ignorance of the anti-airbus bigots is prevalent among commenters herein.
Anyone might have thought that the subject article was referring to the Comac C919.
Brand loyalty is all very well, however, blind ignorance of competition brands is unforgivable.
A321 XLR to stretch its legs.
Doesn't stretch them as far and you think or as far as Airbus claims.
It's one plane, and Airbus garbage at that. It doesn't deserve a half dozen articles devoted to it and the usual degenerates praising it while hugging their Guillaume Faury waifu pillows.
You might need to switch your flying to Delta to avoid the XLR. ;)
AA and United both smartly purchased the XLR while Delta cried about not getting a special deal.
I will be careful. I've generally avoided UA's 321s, only being caught on them twice due to schedules. I prefer the MAX 9 to the foreign trash.
Delta didn't buy the XLR because the economics of it don't work.
You could have offset some of the operating costs with lower acquisition costs but you can't begin to make the economics work with current US labor rates that are much higher than in Europe and esp on flights over 8 hours.
If you are fixated with comparing AA and UA to other airlines, why don't you ask why the big Euro flags...
Delta didn't buy the XLR because the economics of it don't work.
You could have offset some of the operating costs with lower acquisition costs but you can't begin to make the economics work with current US labor rates that are much higher than in Europe and esp on flights over 8 hours.
If you are fixated with comparing AA and UA to other airlines, why don't you ask why the big Euro flags didn't buy the XLR.
IAG is placing the XLR with EI and IB because those two carriers have much smaller premium demand than in the big Euro 3 hubs - LHR, AMS, CDG, FRA, MUC and ZRH
EI and IB offset that low premium demand - and no cargo capability - with a whole lot more total seats than AA and UA will have on their XLRs
spare us how great AA and UA's decisions are while telling us how DL missed out.
AA and UA both bought end of the production line 777Ws after the A350-1000 was already on the horizon; those are relatively young planes for AA and so DL will have a 20-25% operating cost advantage over AA and UA for a decade.
and AA and UA chose not to opt for the A220 or any new generation narrowbody and think that a bunch of RJs or many large medium sized mainline aircraft will serve as an alternative.
Airbus makes great products but just because they offer soemthing doesn't make buying their products smart.
as much as you want to believe that DL's revenue premium comes from gouging people in ATL DTW MSP and SLC, the reality is that DL does a better job of matching aircraft size to demand and has a more efficient and capable fleet than AA or UA
And Delta is unpatriotic or not purchasing from a US company. Period, Timbits. I'm a Gulf War veteran and support companies that buy American. Delta isn't that.
AA and UA also heavily purchase from Airbus. So do multiple airlines.
And WN has paid a high price for its singular loyalty to Boeing.
and you do realize that there is a large percentage of content on the 787 that is made outside of the USA?
just as there is US content on Airbus aircraft with some of the A320 and A220 families assembled in the US.
Tell us the percentage of...
AA and UA also heavily purchase from Airbus. So do multiple airlines.
And WN has paid a high price for its singular loyalty to Boeing.
and you do realize that there is a large percentage of content on the 787 that is made outside of the USA?
just as there is US content on Airbus aircraft with some of the A320 and A220 families assembled in the US.
Tell us the percentage of the content in your home that was manufactured in the US - and it would be clear that YOU are the unpatriotic party here.
Yeah, but Delta hasn't bought new from Boeing in decades. Ed Bastian has his head so far up Guillaume Faury's fundament that he can dictate a colonoscopy to Faury's doctor. American companies should patronize American companies first. And I don't count Alabama as America for good reason.
because Boeing built high quality products in the 757 and 767 plus the 737 that DL is one of the largest Boeing operators in the world.
And DL does have the MAX on order.
feel free to rant about AA, B6, UA etc and their lack of patriotism or be seen as the hypocrite that you are.
Who knows who Tim's 9 paragraph rant was meant for, but talk about a showcase of ignorance.
Delta didn't get the XLR because they couldn't get a good deal from Airbus and waited too long.
and... In what is always the most fascinating thing about Tim Dunn, he ignores what Delta says about their own profits. They never talk about matching aircraft size to demand lol. They talk about their monopoly Core hubs when talking about what drives their profitability.
You. Can’t. Help. Yourself.
Nowhere does Delta talk about monopoly hubs. Nowhere.
And they most certainly do talk about their fleet strategy.
And YOU clearly are the one on a rant. YOU. BROUGHT. DELTA. INTO. THE. DISCUSSION.
AND as usual you get the facts wrong.
Walk. Away. The discussion is about EI.
tim; "Delta delta delta" on this article
Also Tim: "The discussion is about EI"
lol. I said ORD should fly delta if he hates the XLR lol.
You really should read Delta's investor day presentation. They clearly state their profits are derived primarily from the monopolistic core hubs.
Why do you hate what Delta says about their own profitability so much. Talk about the ultimate in denial.
But, you're right. The article is...
tim; "Delta delta delta" on this article
Also Tim: "The discussion is about EI"
lol. I said ORD should fly delta if he hates the XLR lol.
You really should read Delta's investor day presentation. They clearly state their profits are derived primarily from the monopolistic core hubs.
Why do you hate what Delta says about their own profitability so much. Talk about the ultimate in denial.
But, you're right. The article is about the EI XLR and I'm excited for the XLR. Great aircraft that UA and AA got for a steal while Delta "soo close with airbus" was left out because Airbus wouldn't give them a special deal.
Go cry somewhere else, Timmy
not only are you ignorant but you are blind.
I didn't bring Delta up in the article. YOU DID.
Delta does not use the word "monopoly" or "monopolistic"
You inject your own bias, manipulate actual facts and try to repackage it as truth.
And then you launch into insults when someone calls you out.
The article IS about EI
The only one that is crying is you.
And AA and UA both had...
not only are you ignorant but you are blind.
I didn't bring Delta up in the article. YOU DID.
Delta does not use the word "monopoly" or "monopolistic"
You inject your own bias, manipulate actual facts and try to repackage it as truth.
And then you launch into insults when someone calls you out.
The article IS about EI
The only one that is crying is you.
And AA and UA both had A350s on order so the only cries will be from AA and UA when Delta uses the A350s to do things that AA and UA can't do with any aircraft in their fleet, let alone at comparable costs.
YOU and you alone hijacked a perfectly good article and still managed to NOT get the facts straight.
lol
You are a strange and tragic little man, Tim.
Somehow you're now talking about the Delta A350 once again... what a surprise lol
How you're this obtuse is beyond me
strange and little is you tries to turn the article comments about EI's 321XLR into yet another pi8ong match between AA, DL and UA.
YOU brought DL into the conversation.
I accurately noted that the reason why the 321XLR works for EI and IB is because they have configured their 321NEOs for longhaul with 175+ seats with relatively small premium cabins. The total number of seats on their 321XLRs (or LRs for EI) are 2/3...
strange and little is you tries to turn the article comments about EI's 321XLR into yet another pi8ong match between AA, DL and UA.
YOU brought DL into the conversation.
I accurately noted that the reason why the 321XLR works for EI and IB is because they have configured their 321NEOs for longhaul with 175+ seats with relatively small premium cabins. The total number of seats on their 321XLRs (or LRs for EI) are 2/3 of what a widebody holds with no premium economy as Ben notes.
I said that the A321XLR is a great plane but it doesn't work at US carrier labor rates and at the configurations that AA and UA are planning which is with premium cabins proportionate to their widebodies and total seats around 150.
DL is also taking delivery of 321NEOs but will not use them for TATL flights but rather on transcon flights because DL says that the 321XLR does not work on flights over 8 hours at US labor rates and the year round average rates that Europe gets.
The experience of B6 and the configuration choices of EI and IB validate what DL is saying.
B6 cannot make money with its 321s to Europe other than to a few cities - and the largest cities at that. It is even more doubtful that AA and UA can find cities that will sustain narrowbody yields for 4-6 months of the year.
And AA and DL both released schedule updates over the weekend. AA is adding 777Ws in several markets and extending the travel season in others - all with widebodies.
DL is replacing more and more 767-300ER routes including several BOS routes with 330NEOs which not only amounts to significant increase in capacity but also gives DL by far the highest percentage of business class suites of any TATL airline and dramatically increases DL's fuel efficiency.
AA and UA are free to try to make 321XLRs work on TATL routes. What they are doing has not only not been copied by the big 3 European flag carriers but also not DL.
The Euro flags, like DL, largely operate or have on order A350s including the 350Ks while AA and UA's largest aircraft is the 777-300ER, a far less fuel efficient aircraft.
If you want to highlight differences, Max, make sure that you note that DL's fleet looks more like the big Euro carriers while it is AA and UA that not only are doing something unique compared to large TATL carriers but are configuring their 321XLR aircraft in ways that even lower cost Euro carriers like EI and IB aren't doing.
You're insane. Take your meds.
11 paragraphs before 9am to me about Delta A350s and wide bodies coupled with a "YOU BROUGHT UP DELTA". You're truly insane with zero self awareness.
I don't say this lightly, go see a shrink.
Good stuff. As a West Coaster, I don’t think I’ll have the opportunity to experience one myself for a while, unless they start doing once daily LHR service like they do with the current 321.