Aer Lingus welcomes its first Airbus A321XLR

Ireland's national carrier, Aer Lingus, has taken delivery of its first Airbus A321XLR aircraft, marking the first of six in its order. The airline is now the second operator globally and within the International Airlines Group (IAG) to add the A321XLR to its fleet.

The aircraft, powered by CFM LEAP-1A engines, departed from Airbus' production facility in Hamburg, Germany, on December 18, and arrived at Aer Lingus' home base at Dublin Airport.

Configured with 184 seats across two classes, the Aer Lingus A321XLR features 16 full-flat business-class seats and 168 economy-class seats. It is also the first in the airline's fleet to offer Airbus' Airspace Cabin, which enhances passenger comfort with XL overhead bins providing 60% more storage, in-seat connectivity and an advanced lighting system for an improved onboard experience.

The A321XLR will enable Aer Lingus to expand its transatlantic operations, introducing routes beyond the US East Coast and Canada to destinations such as Nashville and Indianapolis.