taken from united.com
A message from Charles Duncan, United transatlantic, Middle East and India vice-president on Ireland and why United needs to get in touch with the Irish people.
“United has zero brand recognition here (Ireland), so we’ll have to work hard to get our message across.”
One change that will be introduced is an economy-plus cabin, offering more legroom for those willing to spend a few extra bucks. This has previously been offered on United flights, but not with Continental.
Continental recently added four flights a week to its summer schedule from Shannon.
“Shannon works for us,” Duncan said. “There’s certainly a market there.”
Duncan said Continental carried 124,996 passengers in the first five months of this year on its Dublin and Shannon routes.
The load factors on its 175-seat Boeing 757 aircraft average out at more than 80 per cent.
And he indicated that Shannon is a profitable route. “We wouldn’t be increasing our services from there if it wasn’t.”
But demand from Belfast has softened, not helped by the British government levying £60 in departure taxes on US flights.
Many Northerners are now flying from Dublin, especially as Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar is preparing to scrap the travel tax. “It’s a very real difference,” Duncan said.
“We applaud the Irish Government’s decision on the departure tax. To me, it signals that the Government gets it.”