Aegean Scraps A321XLR Order Over Seat Certification Issues

Aegean Airlines has canceled its order for two Airbus A321XLRs, which were acquired from JetBlue's deferred inventory. The airline cited seat certification issues as the primary reason, noting that if the planes could not be delivered and certified in time for the peak summer season, they were no longer viable for the carrier's immediate needs. The cancellation impacts Aegean's long-haul expansion strategy. The airline had planned to use these aircraft for its long-haul debut to India, specifically Delhi (DEL) and Mumbai (BOM), in partnership with IndiGo Airlines. Aegean will now stick to its original order of four A321LRs, with deliveries starting in 2027. While the official reason is certification timing, speculation suggests potential economic or operational factors, such as the inefficiency of a small two-plane subfleet or broader global uncertainty affecting long-haul demand