SCENIC Aer Lingus A320: GREAT springtime scenery Hamburg-Dublin [AirClips full flight series]

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• published: 24 Mar 2017
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Aer Lingus is the flag carrier airline of Ireland and the second-largest airline in Ireland. Founded by the Irish government, it was privatised between 2006 and 2015 and it is now a subsidiary of International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways, Iberia and Vueling. The airline's head office is on the grounds of Dublin Airport in Cloghran, County Dublin, Ireland. Formed in 1936, Aer Lingus is a former member of the Oneworld airline alliance, which it left on 31 March 2007; however, after the takeover by IAG it is expected that Aer Lingus will re-enter Oneworld in the foreseeable future. The airline has codeshares with Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam members, as well as interline agreements with Etihad Airways, JetBlue Airways and United Airlines. Aer Lingus has a hybrid business model, operating a mixed fare service on its European and North African routes and full service, two-class flights on transatlantic routes. Ryanair used to own over 29% of Aer Lingus stock and the Irish state owned over 25%. These shareholders were lost after IAG bought the airline. The state had previously held an 85% shareholding until the Government's decision to float the company on the Dublin and London Stock Exchanges on 2 October 2006. The principal group companies include Aer Lingus Limited, Aer Lingus Beachey Limited, Aer Lingus (Ireland) Limited and Dirnan Insurance Company Limited, all of which are wholly owned. On 26 May 2015, after months of negotiations on a possible IAG takeover, the Irish government agreed to sell its 25% stake in the company. Ryanair retained a 30% stake in Aer Lingus which it agreed to sell to IAG on 10 July 2015 for €2.55 per share. In August 2015, Aer Lingus' shareholders officially accepted IAG's takeover offer. IAG subsequently assumed control of Aer Lingus on 2 September 2015. The Airbus A320 family consists of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger twin-engine jet airliners manufactured by Airbus. The family includes the A318, A319, A320 and A321, as well as the ACJ business jet. The A320s are also named A320ceo (current engine option) after the introduction of the A320neo. Final assembly of the family in Europe takes place in Toulouse, France, and Hamburg, Germany. Starting in 2009, a plant in Tianjin, China, has also been producing aircraft for Chinese airlines. In April 2013, Airbus started construction of a new production facility for the A319, A320, and A321 variants in Mobile, Alabama. The aircraft family can accommodate up to 220 passengers and has a range of 3,100 to 12,000 km (1,700 to 6,500 nmi), depending on model. The first member of the A320 family—the A320—was launched in March 1984, first flew on 22 February 1987, and was first delivered in March 1988. The family was soon extended to include the A321 (first delivered 1994), the A319 (1996), and the A318 (2003). The A320 family pioneered the use of digital fly-by-wire flight control systems, as well as side-stick controls, in commercial aircraft. There has been a continuous improvement process since introduction. In December 2010, Airbus announced a new generation of the A320 family, the A320neo "New Engine Option". The A320neo offers a choice of CFM International LEAP-X or Pratt & Whitney PW1000G engines, combined with airframe improvements and the addition of winglets, named Sharklets by Airbus. The aircraft will deliver fuel savings of up to 15%. The first A320neo will enter service with Virgin America in 2016. As of December 2011, a total of 1,196 A320neo family aircraft have been ordered by 21 airlines, making it the fastest ever selling commercial aircraft. As of 31 March 2015, a total of 6,494 Airbus A320 family aircraft have been delivered, of which 6,231 are in service. In addition, another 5,088 airliners are on firm order. It ranked as the world's fastest-selling jet airliner family according to records from 2005 to 2007, and as the best-selling single-generation aircraft programme. The A320 family has proved popular with airlines including low-cost carriers such as EasyJet which purchased A319s, and A320s, to replace its Boeing 737 fleet. The aircraft family competes directly with the Boeing 737 and has competed with the 717, 757, and the McDonnell Douglas MD-80/MD-90.