Aer Lingus - 3
Join Date: Jan 2000
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I can tell you when things will change.......when its too late and the numbers start to go down on the T/A routes. This whole thing has pissed me off no end! I know, you know they have a shoddy service but still the insist on not doign anything about it! So they will when its too late!
Join Date: May 1999
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Sadly
Just returned from the US yesterday.
Out CO and back DL. Both airlines were exceptional. No problems with transfers in either EWR or JFK. Bags everything. Sadly in the last 7 trips to the US this year I've flown everyone but EI. On the T/A I find their service is not nearly what it once was. Now neither CO or DL have seat back TV's etc. But I found staff to be excellent, on the ground, and on the a/c.
So I would now fault EI, check-in, the ticket desk- can be a nightmare and god do they love handing off problems. Cabin crew - effecient and then it depends on who you meet as to friendly or not.
Seats - I find them tight. Now I will say I find AF on the 330's equally so. So I'm assuming it's something to do with cabin widths etc. But I'm sure I'll be corrected. Ringing EI.com is a giggle at times again.
Anyways on the plus side.
On Europe - best airline from Ireland. The E-tickets are magic, seats comfy, and in fairness - operationally I will say they do are always spot on. It's just the frills - which have been trimmed a touch too far I think. Indifferent staff etc I feel comes from the top down. Plus in a customer focus issue world - if your trying to deal with pax on a "target" basis where alittle extra time is needed it might be skimped on. Again I'm sure I'll get rattled - I'm sure it's not all target orientatated. But my question is EI trying to become FR part 2? or is it trying to be a "hybrid low cost" or finally is there an ambition to be a "Full service" airlines and Mr. M just hasn't got the whole show there yet?
Sincerely,
Shamrogue.
Out CO and back DL. Both airlines were exceptional. No problems with transfers in either EWR or JFK. Bags everything. Sadly in the last 7 trips to the US this year I've flown everyone but EI. On the T/A I find their service is not nearly what it once was. Now neither CO or DL have seat back TV's etc. But I found staff to be excellent, on the ground, and on the a/c.
So I would now fault EI, check-in, the ticket desk- can be a nightmare and god do they love handing off problems. Cabin crew - effecient and then it depends on who you meet as to friendly or not.
Seats - I find them tight. Now I will say I find AF on the 330's equally so. So I'm assuming it's something to do with cabin widths etc. But I'm sure I'll be corrected. Ringing EI.com is a giggle at times again.
Anyways on the plus side.
On Europe - best airline from Ireland. The E-tickets are magic, seats comfy, and in fairness - operationally I will say they do are always spot on. It's just the frills - which have been trimmed a touch too far I think. Indifferent staff etc I feel comes from the top down. Plus in a customer focus issue world - if your trying to deal with pax on a "target" basis where alittle extra time is needed it might be skimped on. Again I'm sure I'll get rattled - I'm sure it's not all target orientatated. But my question is EI trying to become FR part 2? or is it trying to be a "hybrid low cost" or finally is there an ambition to be a "Full service" airlines and Mr. M just hasn't got the whole show there yet?
Sincerely,
Shamrogue.
Join Date: Apr 2006
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I would normally fly Aer Lingus T/A a couple of times per year, but this year I only flew them once in coach to Boston, with CO getting the rest of my business. Premier on EI isnt worth the money.
EI's crew are always great on European services. I'm not sure why they are different on Longhaul. I know their crew operate both short-haul and long-haul, so it could be somthing to do with that.
I hoped Mannion would turn EI into a mini-EK with great T/A service like EK, and feed traffic onto its euro routes. I would love to see EI turn Jetblue, with PTVs on its 320's!!!!! If only!!!!!
EI's crew are always great on European services. I'm not sure why they are different on Longhaul. I know their crew operate both short-haul and long-haul, so it could be somthing to do with that.
I hoped Mannion would turn EI into a mini-EK with great T/A service like EK, and feed traffic onto its euro routes. I would love to see EI turn Jetblue, with PTVs on its 320's!!!!! If only!!!!!
Like all other operators running medium and long haul routes EI face the same challanges ...
1) The driving down of air fairs by the LoCo's (nearly all on short haul) with the knock on expectation by customers of low fares on medium and long haul routes.
2) The need to control costs to match the customers price expectations. This has resulted in the cutting of "Frills". Now, some might calim the cuts have been too deep. Others may say they've not been deep enough and given the perceived profitibly on particurly TA routes, there is room for further lower fairs and damn the quailty.
3) Maintaining some level of service while addressing points 1 and 2.
There certainly is a place in the market for a quailty service provider on medium and long haul routes ... short hop is lost forever to LoCo's and when you think of it, most short haul hops are about the same duration a a provincial bus route; so why pair for more.? Virgin have estabished a business model for quality medium and long haul ... but will others be brave enough to follow ... ?
JAS
1) The driving down of air fairs by the LoCo's (nearly all on short haul) with the knock on expectation by customers of low fares on medium and long haul routes.
2) The need to control costs to match the customers price expectations. This has resulted in the cutting of "Frills". Now, some might calim the cuts have been too deep. Others may say they've not been deep enough and given the perceived profitibly on particurly TA routes, there is room for further lower fairs and damn the quailty.
3) Maintaining some level of service while addressing points 1 and 2.
There certainly is a place in the market for a quailty service provider on medium and long haul routes ... short hop is lost forever to LoCo's and when you think of it, most short haul hops are about the same duration a a provincial bus route; so why pair for more.? Virgin have estabished a business model for quality medium and long haul ... but will others be brave enough to follow ... ?
JAS
Join Date: Aug 1999
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EI, in my experience, has a very good product on short haul and I guess that with new technology, such as online check in and seat selection, they can reduce their costs further; however, it has always been said that with increased competition from FR, in particular, the development of long haul would be of critical importance.
The big issue in the early part of next year (starting with a meeting of EU transport ministers and major EU carriers, in Brussels) will be the approach taken to new O/S negotiations with the Americans. It is of crucial importance that Ireland's case is put in a very direct, forthright manner and that if EU/US talks fail in late January, Ireland can put into effect a Plan B. If Ireland's agreement with the US includes a "community clause" (allowing any other EU airline to begin services from Ireland to the US, once O/S is agreed), there is no real reason for the EU to object. If EI can get the green light by the end of January for expansion this Summer, then maybe some growth can be achieved this year.
Judging from comment on another site, it appears that there is some concern among EI employees at a lack of information from senior management about developments and also, the development of long haul (including the new fleet order). I can only guess that the reason for the latter may be that they're waiting for the end of January, so as to tie their short-medium term needs into any long term fleet deal, with Airbus or Boeing, but that carries with it the risk of losing production slots to other carriers.
I think, one way or another, we should have more concrete info by the end of January.
The big issue in the early part of next year (starting with a meeting of EU transport ministers and major EU carriers, in Brussels) will be the approach taken to new O/S negotiations with the Americans. It is of crucial importance that Ireland's case is put in a very direct, forthright manner and that if EU/US talks fail in late January, Ireland can put into effect a Plan B. If Ireland's agreement with the US includes a "community clause" (allowing any other EU airline to begin services from Ireland to the US, once O/S is agreed), there is no real reason for the EU to object. If EI can get the green light by the end of January for expansion this Summer, then maybe some growth can be achieved this year.
Judging from comment on another site, it appears that there is some concern among EI employees at a lack of information from senior management about developments and also, the development of long haul (including the new fleet order). I can only guess that the reason for the latter may be that they're waiting for the end of January, so as to tie their short-medium term needs into any long term fleet deal, with Airbus or Boeing, but that carries with it the risk of losing production slots to other carriers.
I think, one way or another, we should have more concrete info by the end of January.
Join Date: Nov 2006
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Aer Lingus Service
I agree with many of the comments about Aer Lingus staff being friendly. On all flying occasions with Aer Lingus I have found the crew to be so nice. Earlier this year I was on a Manchester/Dublin sector and the flight attendant remembered me from a week earlier on a Heathrow/Dublin flight. There is a warmth about them and it reminds me of the old advertising campaign that EI had way back that said something like you are in Ireland when you board an EI flight!!!!
Sounds a bit philosophical!!!
Have a great new year to everyone on pprune!
Sounds a bit philosophical!!!
Have a great new year to everyone on pprune!
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Plan B
Aerlingus are strangely mute on the bilateral. If MOL was facing an obstacle of this magnitude, he'd be on every radio station in the country in an effort to gain support for his position.
On short haul EI faces a major challenge from Ryanair. Its aircraft utilisation could be far better. For instance at Cork 2 of its 4 based 320's only do two rotations a day.
On short haul EI faces a major challenge from Ryanair. Its aircraft utilisation could be far better. For instance at Cork 2 of its 4 based 320's only do two rotations a day.
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EI sectors
True, but most airlines fly a mix of short haul and medium haul in order to get at least 3 round trips per day. Maybe EI should do more UK provencial flights from Cork.
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An issue EI has is not having flight deck crew based at cork, so when an aircraft comes back from Tenerife for example, it's off to the Clarion for the crew as they're out of hours.
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If Ryanair ever go head to head with them in Cork, their crews won't be staying in the Clarion or any other hotel.
It's time for EI to base crews in Cork. I'm sure the crews would rather be going home to either Dublin or Cork every night. The novelty of staying in hotels wears off very quickly.
It's time for EI to base crews in Cork. I'm sure the crews would rather be going home to either Dublin or Cork every night. The novelty of staying in hotels wears off very quickly.
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A Cork base would be a great development, but it's just not as simple asmoving people there and opening it. Many agreements and working conditions have to be re-worked and formulated to fit in with the new procedures.
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Cork base
I agree, INLAK but with 4 320's based there it surely makes a lot of sense to move some pilots to Cork. I doubt if other low cost operators would use hotels if they had 4 planes based at an airport.
I'm all for consultations and dialogue but I'm genuinely concerned that EI will come under huge pressure in 2007 if change in both its long haul operations and short haul practices doesn't happen.
Cork needs a strong Aerlingus presence. By the way I'm told the airport reached the 3 million mark for 2006 earlier today.
I'm all for consultations and dialogue but I'm genuinely concerned that EI will come under huge pressure in 2007 if change in both its long haul operations and short haul practices doesn't happen.
Cork needs a strong Aerlingus presence. By the way I'm told the airport reached the 3 million mark for 2006 earlier today.
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Cork base?
If they were to ask for volunteers and offer a 'generous' reloc package do you think there wolud be many takers?
Last edited by chrism20; 31st Dec 2006 at 20:16. Reason: typo
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For the amount of money EI spend on hotel accomodation a year in cork they could use this money to persuade pilots to live in Cork and after a year you would have very good savings ! I can recall it being mentioned before on another thread that EI would open a base at Heathrow when open skies comes into effect and base a A330 there but i cannot see this happening.
Tech issues - mostly engine?
There's been quite a bit of conjecture on this thread about the 330's and their perceived propensity to "go tech".
Does anyone have a definitive list of the tech issues over, say, the last 18 months or so that have cause aircraft to be pulled from service? I'm just curious as to whether the speculation about the "generally ageing aircraft" is correct (which I'm not so sure about) or whether it might be related to a single system.
I remember seeing 330's, on more than one occasion, doing engine starts in Dublin before departure belching out clouds of white smoke and getting calls from the tower about it.
JAS
Does anyone have a definitive list of the tech issues over, say, the last 18 months or so that have cause aircraft to be pulled from service? I'm just curious as to whether the speculation about the "generally ageing aircraft" is correct (which I'm not so sure about) or whether it might be related to a single system.
I remember seeing 330's, on more than one occasion, doing engine starts in Dublin before departure belching out clouds of white smoke and getting calls from the tower about it.
JAS
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I notice a couple of odd EI flights at the minute due out of Shannon, EIN2133 to JFK as an MD11, and a EIN2135 to Boston as MD11? MD11 filing for an A330 temporarily, or one-off special charters being covered?
Rebel PPRuNer
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the EI 330s are probably fairly high cycle at this stage due to the Shannon stop and because EI are now using them on European routes too like AGP. Before that they were probably getting more downtime and more preventative maintenance? Maybe someone working for EI could comment?