Aer Lingus - 6

[MCDU2]

Dontgothere - just internally at the mo. It's just a union meeting where we get to find out the specifics like rotations, rosters and bidding etc.

[Cyrano]

Originally Posted by Dontgothere

Another point is that flying to Halifax from BHD would be prohibitively expensive seeing as the UK air passenger duty just rapes the holidaymaker of their hard earned cash, such to the extent that on taxation alone, you'll still be financially better off driving the 100 or so miles from Belfast to Dublin, many people do this already. If say you're travelling as a family of four, (£69x4 = insanity (£276)).

No, there is no UK APD for direct long-haul services from Northern Ireland. See here for example. Connecting flights from Belfast through Heathrow for example still incur the duty, but direct flights don't. (IIRC this was done to save the United BFS-EWR flight.)

The official HMRC information is here.

[SecondDog]

I never heard about the special reduction (I'll have to read into it), anyhow I checked the ADP thing on HMRC, and then checked it against WebFlyer Mile Calculator and it's well within the 2001-4000 mile thing, I think it's really quite insane, I checked Halifax from LHR and it appears not to be exempt from the excessive ADP.

Yeah sorry Dontgothere, I guess my post was a bit poorly worded. As some of the others have more successfully written, I meant the long haul flights out of Belfast being at a reduced rate of APD. I mentioned measurements being taken from London because I heard recently that it is a stumbling block for a turkey flight not getting the reduced APD (would quailfy from BFS but the HMRC measurements are taken from London - I do tend to get info about 3rd hand so sorry if it takes anyone in the wrong direction)

[Dontgothere]

Right folks, thanks for updating me on the situation. No worries, SecondDog. Certainly an interesting situation RE: APD on BFS long haul.


Back to the transatlantic operation from Dublin, it does seem like interesting times are ahead for Aer Lingus, I wonder how long it will be before there is an official announcement from Aer Lingus regarding TA expansion?

[DollarBill]

Well the statement from EI was that new routes would be announced by the end of September.

Please note that it was the newspaper article than mentioned Dallas. The EI response was that "its an interesting destination"

[BFS Dude]

EIN Summer 2015

When does Aer Lingus release their Summer 2015 flights only bookable to July 2015. Thanks

[belfastmark]

looking at whats out for next may from BHD looks like Palma has got the axe. Gatwick 3 daily all the same times 7 days a week. Bit of a shame they don't get creative and offer a 1 x weekly flights to two unserved destinations? Naples weekly or 2 weekly Lisbon? Just by the way how far can a a319 go from the runway at the city maybe this limits options?

[EI-A330-300]

looking at whats out for next may from BHD looks like Palma has got the axe. Gatwick 3 daily all the same times 7 days a week. Bit of a shame they don't get creative and offer a 1 x weekly flights to two unserved destinations? Naples weekly or 2 weekly Lisbon? Just by the way how far can a a319 go from the runway at the city maybe this limits options?

PMI is never released early from either BHD or ORK.

September/October full changes should start to be made. They only allow 330 day advance sales.

[Mlinnie]

Aer Lingus S15 TA Expansion

Looking at Aer Lingus' timetable Toronto is now showing as daily from the start of the S15 schedule, SFO Daily from 1st May onwards and now MCO showing an extra Wednesday flight from May onwards

[Cian]

Is Toronto not daily for S14 anyway?

[Dontgothere]

Yes it was, but the original intention as far as I'm aware was that Toronto would be 4x weekly next summer, good news about it retaining this year's frequency and hopefully more good news in a month or so's time.

[SecondDog]

Any of you EI insiders heard anything concrete about a return (of some description) to BFS?

It is a rumor that seems to be picking up pace....

[strawberry Ribena]

Lgw-dub

I know the base is closing but just noticed LGW-DUB isn't bookable after march 27th? But bhd is up... Anyone know why?

[Cian]

NOC isn't up after then either as it happens.

[j636]

Who says the base is closing?

Loads of EI routes are not up yet.

[strawberry Ribena]

The crew told us. They are being offered redundancy or relocation to Ireland.

[EI-BUD]

Not a chance that DUB LGW is closing , one of the busiest routes ...
Don't know anything about LGW base closing, my understanding was that they had secured good charter business ex LGW, so it would surprise me ...

[mart901]

Regardless of whether LgW base closes or not DUB/NOC can easily operate.
Hopefully they will keep the base.

[mart901]

LGW-DUB summer 2015 on sale 4x daily with DUB base a/c. NOC may still turn up.

[strawberry Ribena]

Thanks mart