Originally Posted by
biddedout
True but surely this should now be done by EI (UK) using their own crews in G- reg machines controlled from their UK subsidiary.
Aer Lingus have seemingly found a workaround for this. When the rules changed on 1 January 2020, the BHD-LHR service was allowed to continue on certain EI registered aircraft as a wet lease with British Airways. They were even able to step in following the collapse of Stobart and have continued to operate domestically from BHD to LHR, MAN and EDI.
Aer Lingus is either still operating this wet lease for British Airways at BHD or has found a more permanent solution without having to re-register some of their A320s. We can assume this same deal will be in place for Emerald until they secure their UK AOC later in the year.
Ryanair was caught out trying to use this same ‘flag of convenience’ tactic with their Ryanair UK subsidiary. The problem for Ryanair was they planned to have just a token aircraft registered to the UK and would then wet lease the remaining aircraft from its other subsidiaries. This meant the majority of RUK flying was under foreign registered aircraft, the CAA put a stop to it.
Aer Lingus didn’t have this problem wet leasing to British Airways because it didn’t impact the majority of BA flying.