Ireland’s national carrier Aer Lingus has taken delivery of its first of eight A321LR aircraft, becoming the first airline in International Airlines Group (IAG) to operate the type. The aircraft on lease from Air Lease Corporation (ALC: NYSE: AL) is powered by CFM International LEAP-1A engines and configured in a two-class layout with 16 business and 168 economy seats.
The Dublin-based carrier will deploy the aircraft on transatlantic routes to the U.S. East Coast.
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.
The A321LR is a member of the A320neo Family, with over 6,600 orders by more than 100 customers. It delivers 30% fuel savings and nearly 50% reduction in noise footprint compared to previous generation competitor aircraft. With a range of up to 4,000 nm (7,400 km) the A321LR is the unrivalled long range route opener, featuring true transatlantic capability and premium wide-body comfort in a single-aisle aircraft cabin.