The A340 would have marginal performance off the relatively short runway at Dublin. It is not suitable for Dublin Airport. The A330 is already limited off the Dublin runway in what it can do for EI on total take off weight. I think EI have no choice but to go for A330 and I would imagine they will go for the cheapest version they can find. As EI have little money for this cpital spending. The AIRBUS will be much cheaper and more avbl than 777. Also lower costs crew etc... A330 is their only choice sadly.
enplaned who seems to know a little about this matter says on A340 & A330 orders etc in 2005:-
* A340 and A330-300 orders number just 30, 777 orders number 154
* Boeing twin-aisle dominance in 2005 gives it much larger share of value than of numbers of aircraft. CSFB estimates Boeing got 54% of 2005 orders by number, 70% by value.
* Airbus supersalesman John Leahy says that Boeing was resurgent in 2005 because it cut prices. But WSJ notes Tim Clark of Emirates says the 777 is more reliable than the A340 and that the 777 has exceeded all planned performance criteria. Air Canada Chairman Robert Milton says the 777 has considerable economic efficiencies over Airbus models. Air France CFO says that A340s "from the 1990s" (presumably A340-300s, since Air France does not fly the second-generation A340) burns 15-20% more fuel ( enplaned comment: holy cow!) than similar vintage 777s.
Airbus's mid-sized long-haul product range doesn't seem to be working, as we've said before. WSJ says Airbus is considering tweaking the products again.
It's hard for us to see Airbus making its money back on the A340-500/600 program. Yes, it was a derivative from the A340-200/300 program, but it involved a heavily modified wing (wing root extension, as opposed to a wing tip extension), new engines, new landing gear and a big weight increase (so a significant number of other components were likely beefed up). And it will be difficult for Airbus to devote more resources to the A340 given all its other commitments. Plus, we kinda doubt there's an economic way to tweak the A340 to make up the performance gap on the 777.