Iberia’s Airbus A321XLR has officially returned to commercial service after being grounded for more than four months following a serious bird strike incident.
Back in the Air After Four-Month Grounding
The aircraft, registered EC-OOJ, resumed operations on December 27, 2025, operating a short-haul flight from Madrid Barajas Airport to Lisbon, its first passenger service since August.
The following day, the jet marked a major milestone by operating its first transatlantic flight since the incident, flying from Madrid to Boston Logan International Airport.
According to flight-tracking data, the aircraft safely returned to Madrid on December 28 and is scheduled to operate another Madrid–Boston rotation on December 29.
Delivered to Iberia by Airbus on June 30, the A321XLR is a key component of the airline’s long-haul narrow-body strategy, enabling thinner transatlantic routes to be served more efficiently.
What Happened During the August Incident?
Iberia’s A321XLR aircraft was withdrawn from service after a bird strike on August 3, while operating a flight from Madrid to Paris Orly Airport.
Spanish aviation investigators reported that a large bird struck the aircraft at around 6,400 feet, severely damaging the radome. Debris from the impact was ingested into the left CFM LEAP-1A engine, forcing an in-flight shutdown.
The flight crew declared MAYDAY and returned safely to Madrid, though the cabin reportedly filled with white smoke during the emergency. While no passengers were injured, the aircraft sustained significant damage and remained grounded pending investigation and repairs.
A post-incident test flight was carried out on December 26, lasting just over two hours, clearing the way for its return to commercial operations.
Safety Lessons and Ongoing Investigation
The incident raised wider safety concerns after investigators found issues with Protective Breathing Equipment (PBE) used by cabin crew.
Several crew members struggled to activate the equipment, and one lost consciousness after the PBE failed to deliver oxygen. Subsequent inspections revealed a design vulnerability that could cause a critical activation lever to break during use.
Spanish investigators have issued seven safety recommendations to Iberia, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and PBE manufacturer Safran Aerosystems, warning that similar equipment is installed on many other aircraft worldwide. The investigation remains ongoing.
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