CAA proving flight was today with a A321.
EI went hunting a few years ago for some UK regional locations, Dublin has picked up a significant volume of business as people voted with their feet and wallets to avoid the madness, stress and flying the wrong way via LHR/LGW. So the next step was to fly direct.
1. EI has a heavier focus on Y, BA is heavily tied to premium cabins. EI send A330's down to Spain daily in peak season and fills them, none of the messing BA has with load management on 4 class 777's in Europe.
2. The A330-300 is an efficient long haul passenger aircraft, sure the 777 has more capacity but you don't need the MTOW/range for bucket and spade jobs
3. EI has the A321NEOLR which is unbeatable cost wise. EI's cost base is highly competitive which comes from having Ryanair camped out at your home base, no such worries at LHR...
4. If BA did show up at MAN it would be a worn out 777 or one with the 10 across densification, which isn't going to get you return business. The EI J seat was the best seat on the Atlantic for several years and the A330 Y cabin is a vastly nicer place to be than any 777 version
5. Thomas Cook/Monarch demise and Virgin's constant uncertainty left Manchester with a target on its back and EI took first move advantage