Aer Lingus - 6

[EI-BUD]

This is an age old debate why shouldn't EI do Cork to the US.

In my view if Cork gets a transatlantic route it will be by a US carrier who does not currently serve, Shannon. The list of possible US airlines is getting smaller who could possibly fit this market.

Moreover, it is not to say that the route to say JFK could not work but there are some distinct challenges:
- It is not a tried and tested route, yes there are passengers travelling between ORK and say JFK but that is in AerLingus's demain, hence no concrete data, I would suggest for interested parties i.e. airlines.
- Starting such a route would take time to establish, fuel burn on such a sector would be significant given the distance and a major disincentive to any interested airline.
- From Aer Lingus's perspective a ORK JFK route may have enough demand to sustain but it then could reduce the viability of a route like ORK AMS and would hit ORK LHR. They will want to ensure that the routes to cities like AMS are well subscribed so that they can not only get the feeding pax but use them to support the size of 320 and hence be able to offer a comprehensive proposition to the business man, i.e. 2 daily services.

- However, if one looks at Aer Lingus Regional Services on ORK UK routes, if these could feed a connection to the US, it could make the US route stack up and in the same train of thought as the AMS example, it could allow EIR to open routes ex the UK eg reinstate SOU ORK, other routes like LBA and the like may be more sustainable. Just a thought.

Of course all of that is another matter, as the reputation that interlining at DUB that EI has is often centred around US pre clearance etc, so ideally ORK would get that and given the costs etc to have a facility it may well not be feasible.

Just my angle on the debate. Net net for EI, it would not serve them, yes in isolation ORK JFK could work, but it would need to be a US legacy carrier who takes it and doesnt do SNN...?

EI-BUD