• Aer Lingus A321LR
    Aer Lingus
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    EI/EIN
    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Dublin Airport
    Year Founded:
    1938
    Airline Group:
    IAG
    CEO:
    Lynne Embleton
    Country:
    Ireland

Photos of a freshly painted Airbus A320neo sporting an Aer Lingus livery have surfaced online. While Aer Lingus had orders for two aircraft of the type, it is interesting to note that the Irish carrier is getting an airframe that was previously meant for Russian airline SmartAvia. Let’s investigate further.

First A320neo for Aer Lingus

According to Airbus’ order book, Aer Lingus currently has an order for two A320neo aircraft, the first of which was spotted yesterday at Leoš Janáček Airport (OSR) in Ostrava, Czech Republic. The aircraft, registered as EI-NSB is brand-new and had its first flight on February 18th, 2022, according to data from ch-aviation.

The airframe, MSN 10786, was initially destined for Archangelsk-based Russian regional airline SmartAvia. However, severe sanctions imposed on Russia by the West following the war in Ukraine meant the aircraft couldn’t be delivered to its intended customer. It seems Aer Lingus saw an opportunity to get its A320neo early and grabbed it with both hands.

Aer Lingus A320
Photo: Aer Lingus.

Data from flightradar24.com shows EI-NSB was flown from Airbus’s Toulouse facilities to Ostrava airport on May 23rd. Presumably, the plane was ferried there to the manufacturer’s paint shop to get rid of the SmartAvia livery in favor of the Irish airline’s colors. Details on cabin modifications are still scarce, but Simple Flying has reached out to Aer Lingus seeking more details on the matter. This article will be updated as the airline responds.

As mentioned earlier, MSN 10786 was originally meant for SmartAvia. The plane was painted in the Russian carrier’s colors and was almost ready for delivery just before the sanctions hit. Airbus used test registration F-WWTR for all its test flights.

Smartavia in trouble

Before the Russian aviation sector was slapped with heavy sanctions meant to cripple the industry, SmartAvia was going through a significant transformation phase. The carrier was in line to become an all-Airbus operator and had announced intentions to take as many as 40 brand-new A320neos by 2025.

Airbus, Financial Results, Deliveries
SmartAvia was expecting to take around 40 brand-new Airbus A320neos by 2025. Photo: Getty Images

The Russian private low-cost carrier currently has three aircraft of the type in its fleet, all taken from failed Mexican carrier Interjet. These planes have an average age of approximately five years.

As Simple Flying reported in June last year, SmartAvia had already finalized leasing deals for all A320neos slated for delivery in 2022. However, western sanctions have forced foreign lessors to terminate all leases for Russian aircraft and SmartAvia has not been immune to these consequences. The sanctions have come as a significant blow to the Russian airline, pretty much bringing its expansion plans to a grinding halt.

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What do you make of Aer Lingus receiving an Airbus A320neo meant for SmartAvia? Do you think the Irish carrier could opt to take more of SmartAvia’s aircraft? Please, let us know your thoughts in the comments.