Aer Lingus - 5
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Yes, but hasn't he now made a volte-face and said he might be willing to support the move if it were profitable?
Just wondering about EI's interest in looking east; you may recall about a year ago, possibly more, there was talk about EI looking at various Asian destinations - Bangkok, Singapore and even Shanghai were mentioned and there was talk of KUL actively touting for EI's business, but now, it's all gone completely dead. EI does dangle the possibility of a new Asian route every so often (for example when it ordered the A350s), but apart from that it's all gone cold.
I guess Open Skies is one reason, but surely not the only one?
Just wondering about EI's interest in looking east; you may recall about a year ago, possibly more, there was talk about EI looking at various Asian destinations - Bangkok, Singapore and even Shanghai were mentioned and there was talk of KUL actively touting for EI's business, but now, it's all gone completely dead. EI does dangle the possibility of a new Asian route every so often (for example when it ordered the A350s), but apart from that it's all gone cold.
I guess Open Skies is one reason, but surely not the only one?
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I remember reading an old post from a certain someone which may provide an insight into future plans.
I'll have a look for it but I'm sure Ryanair are eyeing up Aer Lingus for its long haul operations, with Ryan feeding it. I'll see if I can find it on here to back me up.
Edit > Just found it.
I think the original writer actually means visionary management = MOL/Ryanair.
I for one would be interested to see how Ryanair would do in charge of Aer Lingus. After all, there is no long haul Southwest with a tried and tested business model and no mentor in the Herb Kelleher form to imitate in this respect!
The plot thickens, as they say!
I'll have a look for it but I'm sure Ryanair are eyeing up Aer Lingus for its long haul operations, with Ryan feeding it. I'll see if I can find it on here to back me up.
Edit > Just found it.
Enter stage left, a renewed Aer Lingus with visionary management. Not with a fleet of a few, ancient and brutally thirsty Airbus 330’s, but with 50, 100, even 200 brand new, state of the art, environmentally friendly 777’s or 787’s. Fanciful? Naïve? No, eminently possible. Why not stage an Irish coup and have Ryanair ferry all those AF, BA and LH passengers to DUB, SNN and ORK before their US pre-clearance and Aer Lingus flights to one of scores of American cities?
I for one would be interested to see how Ryanair would do in charge of Aer Lingus. After all, there is no long haul Southwest with a tried and tested business model and no mentor in the Herb Kelleher form to imitate in this respect!
The plot thickens, as they say!
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FR enters Belfast - London market?
With FR having announced its plan to enter the BHD-STN market today, I wonder what effect this will have on the FR plans for an EGM; will it bother, since it's now abundantly clear that it has a vested interest in EI being off the Belfast-LHR route?
With regard to EI and long haul, WW had apparently planned to go down the long haul, low cost market. Air Asia offshoot Fly Asia Express and QF's Jetstar are the first in this market, so I'm sure quite a few carriers will be looking at this market. I don't think DM/Aer Lingus have much interest in the concept anymore.
With regard to EI and long haul, WW had apparently planned to go down the long haul, low cost market. Air Asia offshoot Fly Asia Express and QF's Jetstar are the first in this market, so I'm sure quite a few carriers will be looking at this market. I don't think DM/Aer Lingus have much interest in the concept anymore.
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akerosid: just reading your post on Fr and the BHD STN new route. I dont think that FRs new route will matter too much to EI operating from BFS.
There is a demand for LHRBFS so EI with only 4 flights a day will do well. I think Flybe are in for a hellish time and then bmi will suffer. It is interesting to note that ABs boardings on BHD STN were almost equal to the decline that Bmi saw each month on BFS LHR however, many of these passengers were Germany bound so maybe not good comparison for FR. In addition, the AB service did not effect EZYs BFS STN route boardings. THere was not growth but it held its own. So We will see how effective FR is in attracting the STN bound pax over to LCY.
I agree with you on the EI scenario re long haul low cost, Asia is out, and DM has big appetite for Open skies and concentration on USA.
There is a demand for LHRBFS so EI with only 4 flights a day will do well. I think Flybe are in for a hellish time and then bmi will suffer. It is interesting to note that ABs boardings on BHD STN were almost equal to the decline that Bmi saw each month on BFS LHR however, many of these passengers were Germany bound so maybe not good comparison for FR. In addition, the AB service did not effect EZYs BFS STN route boardings. THere was not growth but it held its own. So We will see how effective FR is in attracting the STN bound pax over to LCY.
I agree with you on the EI scenario re long haul low cost, Asia is out, and DM has big appetite for Open skies and concentration on USA.
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Dub-svq
Have EI axed the Sevilla route for good or just for the winter? The route has also disappeared of Ryanair timetables. So we will go from having six flights a week to DUB to having none!
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Far East
With Etihad now solidly flying on the DUB-AUH route it narrows EI's potential on the far east. ET have good value fares, an excellent business and first product and onward connections are improving by the day.
As the Irish economy slows up, the opportunities to grow will obviously become more restricted.
So, for EI I suspect they've missed the boat. In addition if the dollar keeps sliding - EI's income from the US will shrink also. But they've been through worse - so here's to a great future for them.
Sincerely,
Shamrogue
As the Irish economy slows up, the opportunities to grow will obviously become more restricted.
So, for EI I suspect they've missed the boat. In addition if the dollar keeps sliding - EI's income from the US will shrink also. But they've been through worse - so here's to a great future for them.
Sincerely,
Shamrogue
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US Pre Clearance at DAP
Can anyone advise me of the current position.
In August I flewDUB to ORD with EI (1430) and there was no Pre Clearance at DAP.
This month I went to IAD and again there was no pre clearance. The person at the gate told me that BOS was the last flight covered for this. EI make much play about offering this service on its Transatlantic service, but do not mention it only covers the early flights. A call to some bone head at EI had no idea what I was talking about!!
Bad and all as the pre clearance is at DAP it is absolutely appalling in the US.
Huge queues, 10% of the agents assigned to “Non US Passengers”, long processing time per passenger, overheated halls, it’s a real nightmare.
If there is a shortage of staff at DAP, surely they could transfer the SNN agents to DAP to cover all flights, after all there are only two transatlantic flights a day ex SNN.
In August I flewDUB to ORD with EI (1430) and there was no Pre Clearance at DAP.
This month I went to IAD and again there was no pre clearance. The person at the gate told me that BOS was the last flight covered for this. EI make much play about offering this service on its Transatlantic service, but do not mention it only covers the early flights. A call to some bone head at EI had no idea what I was talking about!!
Bad and all as the pre clearance is at DAP it is absolutely appalling in the US.
Huge queues, 10% of the agents assigned to “Non US Passengers”, long processing time per passenger, overheated halls, it’s a real nightmare.
If there is a shortage of staff at DAP, surely they could transfer the SNN agents to DAP to cover all flights, after all there are only two transatlantic flights a day ex SNN.
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Only 2 Aer lingus Transatlantic departures a day- but they same people have to cover other transatlantic departures also!
As far as I know US Airways dont do clearance at Dublin due to congestion in the morning.
As far as I know US Airways dont do clearance at Dublin due to congestion in the morning.
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Pre clearance
The Direct EI flight to ORD (at present EI 123) would normally pre clear US immigration at DUB. There may have been an operational reason on the day why this was not the case for your flight. I notice that you have 1430 instead of a flight number, maybe the flight was delayed and the facility was shut.
The facility in DUB is very small and cannot handle ALL transatlantic flights leaving DUB, so some airlines opt not to use it and others like EI use it for some flights. It shuts about 1500hrs (might even be earler now), so flights like EI 109 have no choice but to clear on arrival in JFK. The reason why EI 119 to IAD does not use pre clearance might be that the facility is too congested.
The facility in DUB is very small and cannot handle ALL transatlantic flights leaving DUB, so some airlines opt not to use it and others like EI use it for some flights. It shuts about 1500hrs (might even be earler now), so flights like EI 109 have no choice but to clear on arrival in JFK. The reason why EI 119 to IAD does not use pre clearance might be that the facility is too congested.
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My point about SNN is that there are only two T/A flights daily(that I could find on Kayak for Jul 08), both EI, that operate non stop to the US that could use the pre clearance facility. By transferring those US agents to DUB, all the available desks could be manned(instead of about half as now) and the facility could be open throughout the working day. Also EI market the pre clearance at DUB in Europe when selling DUB as a hub for its T/A flights. how can this be successful when the word gets around that it only applies to some flights? If there were more staff in DUB other airlines would use the facility as well.
The flight I used to ORD was EI 123 the direct one DUB/ORD, it was on time, the new 330-200 as well, nice aircraft
The flight I used to ORD was EI 123 the direct one DUB/ORD, it was on time, the new 330-200 as well, nice aircraft
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Is the opening hours and location of pre-clearance in Aer Lingus' control?
Agree about the marketing. It will backfire if they market a service that can't be guaranteed.
Agree about the marketing. It will backfire if they market a service that can't be guaranteed.
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There are more than 2 USA bound flights from SNN that use the preclearance there. Both Delta and Continental have flights to JFK and EWR respectively, and AA currently have a flight to ORD. The opening hours of the facilities in DUB and SNN are not within Aer Lingus' control, it is provided as a service by the US.
Some airlines opt not to use it as it regularly delays flights. Maybe on the day in question a decision was made to clear the EI-123 on arrival in ORD to keep it running to schedule and to allow the 145 to LAX do the same as a result of less people to process through the facility in DUB.
The best people to have asked were the staff employed to check documentation at the entrance to the preclearance area.
Some airlines opt not to use it as it regularly delays flights. Maybe on the day in question a decision was made to clear the EI-123 on arrival in ORD to keep it running to schedule and to allow the 145 to LAX do the same as a result of less people to process through the facility in DUB.
The best people to have asked were the staff employed to check documentation at the entrance to the preclearance area.
Last edited by CallBell; 18th Sep 2007 at 13:54. Reason: add last paragraph
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Aer Lingus have sold just 176 seats for BFS-LHR but have sold 10,000 seats on other routes from BFS. Bookings are expected to rise as Aer Lingus begin their ads in Northern Ireland.
The advertising campaign started today with billboards, newspapers, radio and TV adverts. Anyone seen them?
The advertising campaign started today with billboards, newspapers, radio and TV adverts. Anyone seen them?
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I would imagine that BFS-LHR is a route that will seel seats closer to the time of the fights. Most passengers will travel for business and may not know they have to be in London for dates early next year?
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One would think that with the strong euro / weak dollar that Aer Lingus would be bombarding Irish passengers with this fact and encouraging them to cheaply fly to the USA with them, where their euro will go very far. (Even if American companies can theorethically offer the best fares).
Because I imagine (regular) USA passengers who are flying Aer Lingus from the USA to Ireland, and thinking twice about coming to the Rip-off Republic where the dollar has little value anymore.
Meanwhile, rival Ryanair, who is paying the American Boeing for 100's of aircraft is continuing to hugely benefit from the strong euro / weak dollar. Lucky them
http://www.ecb.eu/stats/exchange/eur...ph-usd.en.html
Because I imagine (regular) USA passengers who are flying Aer Lingus from the USA to Ireland, and thinking twice about coming to the Rip-off Republic where the dollar has little value anymore.
Meanwhile, rival Ryanair, who is paying the American Boeing for 100's of aircraft is continuing to hugely benefit from the strong euro / weak dollar. Lucky them
http://www.ecb.eu/stats/exchange/eur...ph-usd.en.html