Aviation News – An Aer Lingus Airbus has been grounded after sustaining heavy damage during a hard landing at Dublin Airport.
The incident highlights how extreme weather can have serious operational and financial consequences for airlines.
The aircraft, registered EI-XLT, was operating flight EI155 from London Heathrow to Dublin on 13 December when it encountered strong winds and difficult weather conditions during landing around midday. The touchdown generated a force of 3.3 g, far above the normal landing range of 1.1 to 1.4 g, prompting mandatory technical inspections before the aircraft could return to service.
Following the inspection, engineers determined that the landing gear had suffered damage beyond repair and must be fully replaced. As a result, the Airbus has been withdrawn from operations for an extended period, removing it from Aer Lingus’ active fleet at a busy time of year.
An Aer Lingus spokesperson said safety procedures were followed strictly after the incident. “Our crews are trained to operate in challenging conditions, but aircraft safety always comes first. The aircraft will only return to service once all required work is completed,” the spokesperson said.
The grounding is expected to cost Aer Lingus several million euros due to repair expenses, aircraft downtime, and operational disruption. It also underscores the growing impact of adverse weather on airline operations, particularly at major European hubs.