Re: CORK
Cyrano
Your point with CO is reasonable although they are putting 75s into places you wouldn't normally think of, like BRS. I would agree that there are probably more profitable places in the British Isles for an American airline.
If EI was to get one or two 75s just to operate services ex ORK that would indeed be madness. However, there was a window of opportunity to convert 737 pilots to 757 if a fleet of say 8-10 752 or 753 ETOPS rated a/c were retained to handle SNN services to East Coast US/Canada, to Dublin for connections to West Coast/Dubai and maybe LHR shuttle and the odd bucket/spade. That fleet could operate a ORK-NYC if slots/numbers permitted. The 8 A330s could have then handle increased US frequencies and reduced/eliminated the crazy DUB-SNN sectors. Obviously that time has now passed.
My parents flew SNN-BOS on an AA 757 after Christmas and were happy with their experience, although they did take the upgrade to AA premium econ.
As for the mid-west and multinationals, I imagine Cork's number is not so far behind, given SCI Fermoy, Apple, and the Little Island and Ringaskiddy pharma ops.