
Not Aer Lingus, but Iberia will be the A321XLR launch customer
The Irish IAG group member Aer Lingus will not be the launch customer of the Airbus A321XLR after all. According to the company, the reason for this is that a dispute with employee representatives over pilot salaries could not be resolved in time. The aircraft in question, which was actually supposed to be handed over to Aer Lingus in September 2024, is expected to go to the group's sister company Iberia. IAG explained, among other things, that this decision was made because the Irish carrier's cost structure was said to be too expensive. Six A321XLRs were actually supposed to go to Aer Lingus and eight to Iberia. Now IAG is reshuffling the cards. According to a report in the newspaper "El Pais", the Spanish airline is to take over the first unit of this type. This A321XLR will be used to fly to destinations such as Atlanta, Orlando, Philadelphia and Charleston. Aer Lingus and the Irish Pilots' Union are in the midst of a pay rise dispute, with pilots demanding a pay rise of more than 20 percent while the airline is not willing to go beyond 8,5 percent. The dispute is currently before Ireland's Employment Tribunal, which will make its recommendation in the next few days.