Aer Lingus has finalised a deal to lease seven Airbus A321 neo LR aircraft from Air Lease Corporation.
The long-range aircraft are scheduled to be delivered from the second quarter of 2019, with three deliveries that year and four in 2020.
Business Traveller’s Alex McWhirter recently reported on the possibility of Aer Lingus leasing the new generation A321s, in a feature looking at the growth in single-aisle aircraft serving long-haul routes (see Narrow Margins, Business Traveller March 2017 edition).
In his piece Alex reported:
“Aer Lingus is expected to launch a low-cost subsidiary in the coming years. The IAG carrier is likely to finalise a deal with Airbus to lease a number of A321LR NEO (new engine option) aircraft. In an interview given by IAG boss Willie Walsh to the Irish Independent, he explained that the A321LR could be used both to expand frequency out of Dublin on busy routes such as New York, as well as operating to other US points. IAG could also use the A321LR out of regional Irish airports such as Cork or Shannon.”
Announcing the agreement Steven F. Udvar-Házy, executive chairman of Air Lease Corporation said:
“The lease of the A321neo LR aircraft from ALC is the culmination of a long relationship with Aer Lingus. We have seen their long range fleet evolve from Boeing 747s to Airbus A330s to now Airbus A321s.
“We take great pride in extending our relationship with Aer Lingus. The A321neo LR aircraft leased from ALC will allow Aer Lingus to eventually replace four Boeing 757s, and add more non-stop routes and frequencies to US and Canadian cities.”
