I've been watching this one simmering along for a while.
A couple of observations:
Smaller aircraft have higher per-seat costs (sorry for stating basics but not all posters seem to get this). Thus the average fare I need to collect to break even on a 757 with (say) 80% load factor is higher than the average fare for breakeven on a 330 with the same load factor.
Continental in weighing up new 757 transatlantic destinations puts great emphasis (understandably) on assessing the business traffic potential. The 757s are 16C/156Y and they aim to have that C cabin three-quarters full day in, day out, as that's where a lot of the profitability comes from. For a network carrier, pure VFR and leisure traffic by itself just doesn't cut it for this size of aircraft on long haul.
The likes of Privatair operate long-haul 737s and A319s on very specific routes: city pairs with high-yield business traffic flows out of proportion to their leisure flows, and for which an all-C-class aircraft makes sense.
Do the government even consider cork for US destinations? how do CAA market themself in this regard?? Would the gov not give cork some backing to entice us carriers?? How about some runway improvements, nav aids and ramp space? this is much more important that the new terminal itself, granted it goes hand in hand.
The likes of Route Development Fund support are helpful (especially if you're Ryanair and the per-passenger support is a significant fraction of your average yield) but above all what entices carriers is MARKET POTENTIAL. If (for example) CO had one Newark-based long-haul 757 they were seeking to place and it were a toss-up between (say) Cork and (say) Lyon and if (
big if) the market sizes were similar and the business traffic were similar and the connecting synergies were similar,
then the airport with the better "deal" might shade it, but not otherwise.
Oh, and EI operating 757s? Fractionally less likely than them resurrecting Concorde. Why in God's name would they do so? The only significant advantage for a 757 over an A321 would be its transatlantic capability. It would have to offer two classes of service to be a profitable transatlantic operation (see above re smaller aircraft costs) and therefore wouldn't fit into EI's short-haul operation. So they could incur the colossal costs of introducing one or two of a new type into service (crew training, new engine type, spares holdings, etc.) and all for what? So they can capture the Cork transatlantic passengers they are getting most of already (either via SNN, via DUB, or on the ORK-LHR leg of a Oneworld connection, for which they'll get a reasonable prorate share anyway)? I don't think so. Wet-lease in a 757 from Astraeus or another European operator to do this? Saves the organisational complexity, but it'll cost them, and again,
why?
Don't get me wrong. It would be great if there were a profitable way for a carrier to operate a transatlantic out of Cork, but IMHO the combination of market size, competition, and aircraft operating economics means it ain't feasible.
C.