With all due Respect just a spotter, calling EI a "small regional at best" is nonsense. RE or WX are small regionals.
Airlines that carry 10 million pax and fly long haul routes are not regional, and in a European context, are not considered small either.
By your rationale, BMI, Finnair and TAP are all small regionals too, while Virgin are but a cottage industry, measured by pax carried.
EI is a medium sized european airline with an interesting mini hub possibility in DUB, and home carrier of a Market that provides the mighty BA with 10% of it's revenue.
By your logic, Malev, CSA and many other carriers would all have been shunned by alliances because they are even smaller than the "small regional".
And no, I don't work for them....
