EjetS.
Those were the days we paid $550 (400 Euro) to fly DUB/LHR/DUB or DUB/LGW/DUB. A trip of 50mins to 1hr flight time.
To-day the cost with EI is from $95 (68 Euro) incl all taxes etc.
In days gone by it took 3 people to change a 737 flight deck bulb.
To-day it takes one person.
In times gone by everyone who flew EI, BA and other state carriers the general public were paying for overstaffed airlines.
Thanks to the likes of Ryanair this is, more or less, in the past and thanks also to Willie Walsh, EI is a much more efficient airline to-day and not too bloated with excessive staff numbers.
However, everyone knows it still has some 'fat' to get rid off and when this happens EI will be well able to compete with any LCC.