Yes EI will be much happier with BA on BHD-LHR and DUB-LHR in fact.
EI-A330-300; not quite sure what you mean by this statement??
From my perspective who likes to fly EI, often using it on BHD- LHR and LGW, and of the mind that if EI is serious about a base outside of ROI that can be sustained, it needs to ride the storm out and keep its focus on the LGW route.
LGW is not on sale yet for Winter 2012/3, I have a real concern about this.
If LGW doesnt work, and if not returned for winter the question is would EI continue through the Winter with a single aircraft base? If the LGW route cannot be made to work for EI, they are are the start of the end serving the Belfast market. This would be my view.
Going a step further if EI do ditch the base, it leaves BHD with no European routes again, where will it leave BA, there would be no credible alternative to them on LHR, so hence wide open for BA to look at BFS , thus allowing lower frequency with larger aircraft, hence slot release.
Be nice to hear from some EI insider who can confirm that LGW will be loaded for winter, as at this stage the other LGW routes are in the system but not BHD.....??
Regarding the link to the magazine article, it is very out of date at this stage, read this when it came out first, it is all positive
PR spin, as you would expect from any airline from the outset.
LGW is a struggle for both EI and BE. EI staff saying loads very weak on the route, BE are not much better, CAA Stats bear out the slack loads overall. EI fares are quite low so one could infer that the yield is some way off the mark. BE will not blink as it would be a clear invite to EI onto other domestic routes ex BHD.
We must wait and see...