Aer Lingus - 5

[840]

In fairness to the unions, they recommended the deal. The workforce chose to ignore their recommendation. As I understand it, the problem isn't with the deal per se, but with the lack of information about some aspects of the deal. Rather than just a theoretical description of the changes, staff members want to see new sample rosters etc. so that they can better see how it will affect them.

[Aisle2c]

I was listening to 96FM Cork, this morning and an email was read out from someone who tried to book Malaga next winter. They emailed Aer Lingus and got a reply saying the Cork-Malaga route was ending at the end of October !!! What the hell is going on ? Dropping Alicante is one thing but Malaga has always seemed popular. Rather than one more Airbus coming to Cork, is it a case of one LESS Airbus in Cork ?

[en2r]

I was listening to 96FM Cork, this morning and an email was read out from someone who tried to book Malaga next winter. They emailed Aer Lingus and got a reply saying the Cork-Malaga route was ending at the end of October !!! What the hell is going on ? Dropping Alicante is one thing but Malaga has always seemed popular. Rather than one more Airbus coming to Cork, is it a case of one LESS Airbus in Cork ?

Did Aer Lingus actually say the route was ending. It would be very unusual for them to announce it like that. Perhaps they said the current timetable ends in October and they got misquoted as can often happen. I'd be surprised if they had no sun route next winter bar the two canaries. I know a few people who travelled to Malaga this winter and they said the flights were fairly full. Its definitely not axed fully anyway. It is the Cork bases busiest sun route with daily flights this summer, and summer fares are sky high so I'd say theres zero chance of them axing it from the summer timetable.
I'd also doubt we're losing an airbus, last winter's schedule was very full with few gaps in the schedules. A number of routes would have to be axed/reduced in frequency to fit the entire schedule into 3 planes. The Malaga flights only form a relatively small part of the schedule of 1 airbus. I think we really need to wait and see. Last year there was similiar speculation about some routes being on sale and some routes not but in the end nearly all the winter routes from the previous year returned, they were just a while loading them.

I'm open to correction but I have it in my head that they had 3 ORK-ALC flights during Winter 06/07, which would have been crazy. One or two flights would have been fine.

I think there were actually 4 weekly which was probably overkill, but this was reduced to 2 weekly by January due to lack of demand and there were extra rotations to Paris and Berlin instead. One weekly would probably work, perhaps instead of the Saturday evening Amsterdam as I've heard this is the quietest Amsterdam rotation of the week.

[Bell Rhyni]

If it's one less, will it be deployed at a local or foreign base?

[ryan2000]

Ork-agp

Heard of several more people who tried to book Malaga as well. EI should load this flight if asap. Obviously the shape of the winter schedule is yet to be decided but AGP must be a cert.

[airbourne]

Now that DXB has ended, where does that leave the aircraft on that rotation? Are they starting the overhauls of the older 330s?

[Shamrock350]

It's been deployed on the US routes, SFO I think. The winter schedule as it currently stands has room for a three weekly route so if nothing fills that gap that's when the cabin upgrades are likely to take place.

[whoop.whoop]

DXB was doing better than some on the JFK flights. Some JFKs going with less than 100 pax and no freight. DXB constantly had freight sometimes up to 20 tonnes I believe. Loads on DXB averaged 60% I have heard. It doesn't add up to pull off such a route and re-deploy the aircraft on routes to the USA particularly with the current economic there.

[akerosid]

I agree, but they have already indicated an intention to look east for next year; with the US market likely to be going south for at least a year or two, looking east is a good move; with an improved product and hopefully an interline/codeshare deal with a Chinese carrier, EI should be able to learn from some of the mistakes it made with DXB.

It's a pity it had to go, but EI was already committed to it for some time and before the economic situation looked as bad as it does now.

[MUFC_fan]

Whatever the credit crisis is doing to US/EU economies, US/EU airlines need to concentrate on TATL as there is going to be alot of competition over the next few years.

Any airline is now able to fly from DUB to any destination in the US. AF could launch DUB-LAX next week just like they have done at LHR. Or LH could get into the NYC market and link up with Jetblue from DUB.

EI need to firm up their DUB-US routes before looking East. They don't have a strangle hold like BA at LHR, KL at AMS, LH at FRA or AF at CDG.

I am sure when they get their A350s they will expand back to the East.

[Charlie Roy]

Jet Blue code share

Aer Lingus booking engine now showing Jet Blue routes.
Great prices

[840]

When will it be announced what is happening to the A320 that is arriving in June?

It's not long before it will be in operation, yet we haven't seen any significant short-haul expansion for this summer announced from any of the bases.

[airbourne]

I gotta be honest, but I think it very short sighted that EI have pulled DXB. All the big companies are in Dubai, not just the airlines. Dubai is a city that is going up and up all the time. Pulling off that route will cost them a lot in the long run. The only advantage to EI pulling off DXB is that customers cant see the crap product that is the in flight service. Eitihad to Abu Dhabi is a lovely flight, and also compare EI with BA or Virgin to DXB. Personally, I go to the uk to fly to Dubai. Finally, and its the big part but EI never was really compeitive on their prices.

EI just never look at the big picture!

[airbourne]

Incidentally, how do you think customers will think coming off an uncomfortable old aircraft with drop down tvs and surley crew and then get on the pleasure that is Jet Blue with live tv, lovely cews and complimentary drinks and snacks!?

[Tooloose]

Live American TV? Underwhelmed.

[Shamrock350]

Well they're updating the aircraft this year so we've just got to wait until that's completed and the new aircraft start arriving. EI is already rumoured to have secured an early slot for their first A333E, due November this year.

[eick320]

Cork to Malaga now loaded into the system, looks like 5 times a week which is an increase of 1 over last winter. However not bookable after early Jan and decreasing to 4 a week over the Xmas period, maybe still to be loaded.

[ryan2000]

ORK-Geneva?

Cork Faro bookable untill late November on Tues and Sat, then it disappears leaving two vacant slots. Geneva for the ski season maybe?

[dubh12000]

That would be nice. Might go home for Christmas for a change....

[ryan2000]

ORK winter.

One of the 4 aircraft has a long lay over at Cork Daily ex Sa, ample time to go to Manchester if they want to continue that route although there's also sufficient time to do a 5th LHR or even BRU. I often wonder what happens the slot that for EI713/4 during the winter months as its not taken up by DUB or BFS