Aegean Airlines Targets India For First A321LR Routes

DELHI—Athens-based Aegean Airlines is targeting India for its first Airbus A321LR routes when the longer-range narrowbody enters its fleet in 2027.

“The substance [for A321LR routes] is India with flights to Delhi and Mumbai,” Aegean Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Roland Jaggi said on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association’s Annual General Meeting.

Aegean ordered the A321LR in April 2024. Its first A321LR delivery is expected during the first quarter of 2027 followed by a second before the end of June that year. The third should arrive before the end of 2027 followed by a fourth in the March quarter of 2028.

“We will start with two aircraft which have two additional fuel tanks,” Jaggi said. These tanks offer 1,300 km (702 nm) additional range on the baseline A321neo.

Asked if the A321XLR would also be useful for Aegean, Jaggi said the additional range that aircraft brings would not add that many more destinations for the airline. “Maybe to Bangalore,” he said.

“The range of the [A321LR] is not enough to operate over the North Atlantic or to South Africa,” Jaggi added. “We could get Lagos or Nairobi.” The XLR, meanwhile, would have limited takeoff performance at high-altitude airports like Johannesburg OR Tambo International Airport, he said.

Aegean’s A321LR will offer 16 lie-flat business-class seats and in economy a 31-in. seat pitch. In addition to new routes, the aircraft will also be used to update the product the Star Alliance member offers on its flights to destinations including Dubai or Saudi Arabia.

Asked if the LR is an experimental step for more long-haul routes, Jaggi said that Aegean’s history is based on growing in small steps. “This is our DNA. We can also take a step back, if necessary,” he said. Aegean is also in talks with IndiGo regarding a possible cooperation.

For Aegean, India will be a testing ground as it mainly operates within Europe, as well as to North Africa and the Middle East. “For us, India is a different exercise compared to what we are used to doing. The complexity is different,” Jaggi said.

According to Jaggi, Aegean operates a fleet of 36 A320/321neo and 32 A320/321ceo aircraft. “By 2030, we will have a total of 54 A320/321neos including the LRs,” he said.

Regarding the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine issue, Aegean has “a number of low double-digit aircraft grounded. We expect the peak (of groundings) will be next year. 2027 should be better,” he said. In the event of a lack of capacity, Aegean has no plans to wet lease other aircraft, arguing it is too expensive. Its preferred option is to adjust its network if necessary and extend current aircraft leases, Jaggi said.

Aegean also operates 12 ATR 72s, three ATR 42s and two de Havilland Canada Dash 8-100s. The ATR 42s and Dash 8s are necessary for airports with short runways.