Could someone have a go and tell me what the idea was around the EI fleet in the late 90s. Bae 146's, 734/5's, A320/A321. It was such a messy mixed fleet.
The best option EI should go for would be the 100 seat aircraft, and I think the best option there is the Embraer E190. Seems to be a winner for JetBlue!
hi Airbourne
In the 90s FR were expanding rapidly with a very affordable fleet of B11s and 73S's out of Dublin on UK routes. These were reported to be on operating leases at around £50k per month (B11s and 73S purchased cheaply from LH, BY & HV amongst others) compared to EI's 737s at £250k. Ryanair were stealing the show on UK routes and at this time hadny set there sights on continental european routes except for may CRL and BVA.
EI needed a cheaper aircraft that was a jet and so a cheap enough deal was done to secure the 146s from the desert alot of ex US Air model that were parked after Gulf War. This was in 1994 if memory serves me correctly. They were certainly alot more cost effective in terms of lease repayment that 737.
About this time EI were looking at ways to be more effective in competing with FR and talked at some lenght about setting up a company called Aer Lingus Express to be low frills and more aggressive against Ryanair. That never happened.
The F50s were for domestic and thin UK routes (all of which were cancelled upon withdrawl of F50s, eg LBA, EMA, NCL etc)
The 737s were the mainstay of London routes and European routes, the 146s did the Uk regions and some other near euro routes DUS, BRU and to places like JER. For a time Aer Lingus did twice weekly BHX NOC on 146 where it fri and sun rotations!
It wasnt until WW came along and saw a value in one type which at that time seemed like the right thing to do, and the cost base was certainly shaping up but the company's firm plan was to mimic Ryanair in so many ways and now we clearly see that EI needs to be different and better and Niche.
I agree wholeheartedly that EI need a smaller type perhaps in the 100 seat market (like KLM for eg or Jetblue as you refer to). Akerosid has been saying this for some time and I agree.
Nobody on this forum ever refer to Ryanair's avoidance of competition with Flybe, FR avoid them like the plague, why? because on thin routes FR cannot compete profitably with them as BE will do high frequency and reasonably fares (never bargain basement), and this is exactly the reason why EI should persue this line of attack, and in the mean time keep developing the RE relationship.
If RE can make the routes like BRS, ABZ, GLA, EDI etc work on the back of US bound or originating passengers then FR cannot extert too much pressure. The persistence of FR in recent years to get after RE on thin domestic routes and routes ex the regions to UK eg GWY MAN etc (FR offering same destinations ex NOC and SNN only to later withdraw some of said routes) proves that FR see the small carrier with smaller aircraft as a threat and FR sought to wipe out RE for fear of a tie up with EI as currently exists. Power to EI and the link with RE for progress and niche operations.
On a final but totally separate note I was in Sligo Airport (1st visit) last Saturday. The inbound flight from DUB had 5 passengers (ATR42) and 11 outbound. In July this route will end and there will be no more scheduled services from the airport. I wonder why RE hadnt looked at putting flights like this into Regional and then marketing services from Sligo to USA and Europe as one stop via Dub. Afterall parking is cheap and with the price of fuel it certainly could be attractive to park at Sligo and fly on. It is sad that it is too late and many staff will lose their jobs.
EI-BUD