Aer Lingus (EI, Dublin Int'l) took delivery of its first A320-200N on August 4, 2022, although the aircraft remains in pre-induction maintenance at Shannon for the time being.

EI-NSB (msn 10786) is the first of at least four A320-200Ns opportunistically picked up by Aer Lingus once their original operator, Russia's smartavia (5N, Arkhangelsk Talagi), was sanctioned by the EU and the US and thus unable to take them. The A320neo is owned by CDB Aviation and was ferried from Ostrava, where it was repainted.

Aer Lingus has yet to file schedules for its A320neo. It did not respond to ch-aviation's request for added comment on its plans for the type.

On top of the aircraft originally assigned to smartavia,the IAG International Airlines Group subsidiary has two units of the type due from Airbus. The Irish airline's fleet of A320neo Family aircraft currently comprises seven A321-200NX(LR)s with a further six A321-200NY(XLR)s on firm order.