Aer Lingus Advances A321neo(XLR) Acquisition Talks Following Pilot Agreement

Following a pivotal agreement with the Irish Air Line Pilots’ Association, which saw Aer Lingus pilots receive a 17.7% pay raise over four years, the Irish carrier is reinitiating discussions on acquiring A321-200NY(XLR) aircraft with its parent company, IAG International Airlines Group. This development was highlighted by Aer Lingus CEO Lynne Embleton during IAG’s recent 2024 second-quarter investor call.

Embleton expressed renewed conversations with IAG’s leadership, including CEO Luis Gallego and CFO Nicholas Cadbury, focusing on the strategic incorporation of the A321neo(XLR) into the fleet. She noted that the newly established pilot pay scale not only applies to all narrowbody operations but also enhances Aer Lingus’s capacity to expand its transatlantic routes using the XLR model. This agreement also promises increased pilot productivity for both European and transatlantic flights.

Originally slated to be the global launch operator for the XLR, Aer Lingus had to step back due to the unresolved pilot pay dispute, leading IAG to assign the role to Iberia. The Spanish carrier is poised to begin utilizing the first A321neo(XLR) for its Madrid to Boston route in mid-November.

IAG has a standing order for eight XLRs from Airbus, with the first two designated for Iberia, already adorned with the airline’s livery. Aer Lingus’s fleet currently consists of 56 aircraft, including various models of Airbus A320s, A321s, and A330s, underscoring the carrier’s robust operational framework.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com