dailynewsnblog
In an intriguing development, 
Aer Lingus has announced a brand-new service, and it’ll be operated by the Airbus A321XLR. Starting next month, it’ll take off from Dublin to Barbados. It will, of course, be the Caribbean country’s sole transatlantic narrowbody service.
The route was in the Irish flag carrier’s schedule update to Cirium Diio and OAG over the weekend. It will be served because Aer Lingus is ending all transatlantic routes from Manchester, which includes Barbados. This route, which uses the A330, ends a few days before the new service from the Irish capital begins. The airline’s new Caribbean link will target many UK passengers.
Aer Lingus From Dublin To Barbados
Taking off from 
Dublin on March 31, the link is only scheduled until May 31. It is unclear if it’ll return later this year, but it will probably do so. The airline has been contacted for comment. It’ll be served three times weekly, which is a typical frequency for a new long-haul operation. The 184-seat XLR is exclusively down to operate. When writing, the service is not bookable yet.
The new service will cover 3,485 nautical miles (6,454 km) each way. On this basis, it will be Aer Lingus’ new longest narrowbody flight. It’ll replace what is currently number one, Dublin to Nashville, by almost 3%.
In fact, it’ll be the world’s new second-longest scheduled XLR flight by the great circle distance, behind only Iberia from Madrid to Santo Domingo. However, as we’ll see, the picture changes if block time is used instead. The order usually changes depending on the measurement.
|
Days |
Dublin To Barbados; Local Times* |
Barbados To Dublin; Local Times** |
|---|---|---|
|
Tuesdays, Fridays, Sundays |
1:50 pm-6:00 pm (9h 10m) |
7:30 pm-8:40 am+1 (7h 50m) |
|
* Shown in Simple Flying’s new time format |
** Shown in Simple Flying’s new time format |
It Is Aer Lingus’ Second-Longest Narrowbody Service By Time
The Caribbean-bound leg is timed at 9h 10m. This means it is Aer Lingus’ new second-longest single-aisle service, behind Dublin to Nashville (9h 20m). It pushes Dublin to Indianapolis, which is a mere 8h 50m, to third place.
When all XLR operators are considered, it is the world’s joint-sixth-longest nonstop scheduled flight on the variant this year. In first place is IndiGo from Delhi to Istanbul. Timed at up to 10h 15m (!) due to the detour from avoiding Pakistani airspace, the XLR will replace the very high-capacity 777-300ER on February 28.
Then there’s Iberia from Madrid to Washington Dulles (9h 40m), Iberia from Madrid to Santo Domingo (9h 35m), Aer Lingus from Dublin to Nashville (9h 20m), and Iberia from Madrid to New York JFK (9h 15m). At 9h 10m, Aer Lingus to Barbados is tied with IndiGo from Mumbai to Istanbul (the XLR will replace the very high-capacity 777-300ER on February 28) and Iberia from Madrid to San Juan.
Not What You Think: Wizz Air CEO’s Surprising Take On The Airbus A321XLR
There’s a twist in Wizz Air’s plans for the A321XLR.
Up To 15 Daily Long-Haul XLR/LR Flights This Year
The latest information shows that Aer Lingus will have up to 15 daily XLR and LR flights from Ireland to North America and the Caribbean this year. This is the picture as of February 3 and may change. The maximum available last year was 12 daily departures.
The two variants will collectively operate 17 transatlantic routes from Dublin (15) and Shannon (two). Three links are brand-new this year: Dublin to Barbados (three weekly), Pittsburgh (four weekly), and Raleigh/Durham (five weekly).
But notice Chicago O’Hare, where United Airlines, the largest operator, has added an extra 20,000+ flights. Aer Lingus will use the LR/XLR for the first time, but blink and you’ll miss it. It’ll only run on March 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, and 28. Thereafter, it’ll be back in the hands of the A330-300. O’Hare first saw Aer Lingus’ narrowbodies in 2019/2020, when the Boeing 757-200, leased from ASL Airlines Ireland, was briefly deployed.
