Aer Lingus - 4

[akerosid]

When you look at the likely effect of FR's action, it's probably fair to say that this may be his gameplan. If the mgmt is defeated, or even made to look weak as a result of a close vote, it must also make it hard to attract investment. Weak EI surely in FR's interest, notwithstanding its large investment? Is this the long term goal; gradually, pythonlike, asphyxiating it to the point where only viable outcome is takeover by FR and MO'L effectively able to dictate terms?

I think, in fairness, EI realises those days are long gone; Ireland wasn't the only country in which air travel was seen as a luxury.

I think the one thing that irks me more than anything about DM's stewardship of EI is the handling of the DXB route; I'm hearing more rumours circulating that this is likely to be dropped (I'm hoping these are incorrect) in favour of a new US route. Of course, US expansion is to be welcomed, but frankly, if EI can't get DXB right, it might as well throw its hat at any further eastbound expansion.

Having been at EK, one might expect DM to have known value of good service, good product etc, yet we now have EI going back to "non- connecting" schedule, inconsistent service (2 acft with PTVs, two without) and failure - as far as I can see - to interline with EK; also reports of pretty poor treatment of pax on cancelled flights. With that kind of record, it's very hard to build a basis for growth; if EI is to expand east, it MUST be at the top of its game, because the quality of airlines in Asia/ME is far better. The reputation EI is creating for itself is one of a shoddy second-rater, which is clearly well short of its capability, but that kind of reputation, once it sticks, is very hard to shake (a bit like CI/KE on safety). Get the product right straight away, or have to invest much more to shake off a bad reputation.

Compare what Etihad is doing on AUH to what EI has done on DXB; EY has recently added two more wkly flights; could EI not have done that, if it got things right first time? If EI were incapable of getting things right, I wouldn't mind so much, but their performance re DXB has been well short of their best. If the route is going to be axed, serious questions need to be asked.