Aer Lingus A321XLR grounded after severe hard landing in Dublin

An Aer Lingus Airbus A321XLR registered EI-XLT has been grounded at Dublin Airport after a hard landing during strong winds on arrival from London Heathrow reportedly generated extreme structural loads. The flight was EI155 on 13 December.

According to industry sources and flight data shared by observers, the aircraft touched down at approximately 3.3G, well above normal landing limits, which are within the 1.1-1.4G range, with most commercial jets certified to withstand around 2G.

If the impact exceeds certification thresholds, it automatically triggers extensive structural inspections. The landing gear is believed to be beyond repair and will require full replacement, implying a prolonged grounding and repair costs likely running into several million euros.

The aircraft is less than one year old and is among Aer Lingus’ first A321XLRs, making the incident particularly disruptive as the airline rolls out the type to support its transatlantic narrowbody expansion strategy.