While Airbus is yet to make an official confirmation, footage has emerged from the manufacturer’s facility in Finkenwerder, Hamburg, Germany that seems to confirm Aer Lingus as the launch customer for the new A321XLR.
While Airbus is yet to make an official confirmation, footage taken of the first A321XLR at Airbus’ facility in Finkenwerder, Hamburg, Germany appears to confirm Aer Lingus as the launch customer for the new aircraft type.
In the video, which was posted to social media, the aircraft can be seen partially painted in the carrier’s livery.
It was already widely anticipated that the Irish flag carrier would become the launch customer of the type, not least because senior executives at the International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of Aer Lingus, had already referred to this possibility.
The A321XLR had originally been expected to enter service by the end of 2023. However, successive delays have continued to push the date further into the future. The latest update, as of early February 2024, has the type entering service towards the end of Q3 2024.
This is not the only change surrounding the launch of Airbus’ longest range narrowbody aircraft. At first, the launch customer was slated to be Lebanese flag carrier Middle Eastern Airlines (MEA), but this honor was then passed to Ireland’s Aer Lingus, which is planning to use it on Transatlantic flights to the United Sates.