Eitherway, if EI is to spread its wings on long haul in the current environment then they need to decide on the crewing practices that will be the platform on which the routes are based and sell that to the unions. Get that right and with an acceptable product to sell at the right price and even in tough times there may very well be viable new routes.
I am intrigued by your comment about crewing. I would assume you are referring to flight crew. On the transatlantic the only flights that have (had) 3 flight crew were the west coast. JFK/BOS/ORD etc are all 2 crew with a single overnight for the most part. There is the occasional 2/3 night longstop but that is down to rostering and to fit into the schedule and nothing to do with unions or pilot requests etc.
Generally they will leave today get there in the afternoon US time then return the following afternoon and fly through the night for an early morning arrival back at DUB/SNN. A little over minimum rest. MCO is generally 2 crew and only in exceptional circumstances when the block hours I think go beyond 8.5 hours will they take a 3rd pilot. The company doesn't want to give you a 3rd pilot so there is usually a stand off at the 11th hour to get the extra crew member. It is not unusual for the crews to receive flight plans which route directly through a thunderstorm in order to get the block hours within limits. Do you honestly think that it is safe for 2 guys to fly for 9-10 hours etc with one taking rest and the other person working away on their lonesome and then expect them to both be fully fit for an approach and landing at the end of it. You should check out what the FAA deems acceptable in these circumstances.
To think that crewing can determine whether a route is profitable or not is plain balmy. Do the maths for yourself. Sell a single extra seat and you will no doubt cover the cost of an extra flight crew member (usually an f/o). You will also reduce the risk of people going out of hours and the inevitable knock on effects that this have to the schedule never mind the costs involved of a cancellation.
This is the sort of bollocks that gets spouted from management to defend how they only fly to 1 country since adam was a babe. More like get in some fresh blood with vision that want to drive the business forward and have extensive experience in new route generation rather than peddling out the same old tired arguments. The pilots have for years been putting forward suggestions along the lines of those mentioned previously for new routes. No one wants to hear. In the meantime you only have to look at the success of the middle east operators at Dublin airport to see what potential there was for long haul destinations.