So, what was the press release expected from EI at 5pm yesterday (Friday, 10/7); are we any closer to knowing who the new CEO will be?
I agree that new routes are most unlikely now, until EI gets a handle on the kind of long haul carrier it wants to be. Despite the current downturn, it actually has a lot of advantages to work with:
- Arguably the best aircraft in its class, the A330
- Open Skies
- US pre-clearance (immigration and - soon - customs)
- T2 coming up, so much easier connections
Downside:
- Very little imagination; almost always "following the pack", never an innovator
- Short haul aircraft too big to be effective in hub/spoke operations; a smaller aircraft (c.100 seater, with better seat mile costs than FR's 738s) would allow EI to offer convenient connections, but also to improve performance of some European routes (frequency, for example).
Hopefully the new CEO can add a little zest, taking a leaf out of the books of players like Jetstar and Air Asia; as the world emerges from recession, people will be more value conscious and the airlines that cop onto this soonest will be better off. Should EI, for example, be sticking with its current J Class product, or considering a Premium Economy product, to supplement a "no frills", 9 abreast Y Class?
Whatever they decide to do, if EI wants to be a serious player on long haul, they need to do something fairly quickly.