Aer Lingus - 6
I'm with DollarBill on the sleeping thing. I'll sleep in economy no problem. I've slept in cockpit jumpseats (got woken up by turbulence once and was extremely confused) and the fold down seats cabin crew use during take off and landing, and I can assure you those are far less comfortable than an economy seat, even an FR one! Couldn't walk right for weeks.....
Connecting from CFN to GLA, all depends on the times of the T/A flights, and where they are going, who with etc. I can't praise JetBlue enough in comparison to the U.S. legacies, who are all woeful, especially AA. DL are the best of a bad bunch in my experience.
Connecting from CFN to GLA, all depends on the times of the T/A flights, and where they are going, who with etc. I can't praise JetBlue enough in comparison to the U.S. legacies, who are all woeful, especially AA. DL are the best of a bad bunch in my experience.
Consider my brow firmly beaten Cyrano.
I'm curious about EI102/103. Early day time departure from JFK, arrive in DUB at 23:30 local was it? I'm guessing they are after business people looking to get a good night sleep in a hotel before doing a day's work in Europe, but it arrives way too late to get any connection with EI, and they're using a 757 with no sat broadband, unlike the Airbus, meaning these people can't do any work on the flight. Is there any scope for swapping an an A330 if loads demanded it? Put the Boeing on a later rotation? There are plenty of daytime flights to LHR to compete with.
I'm curious about EI102/103. Early day time departure from JFK, arrive in DUB at 23:30 local was it? I'm guessing they are after business people looking to get a good night sleep in a hotel before doing a day's work in Europe, but it arrives way too late to get any connection with EI, and they're using a 757 with no sat broadband, unlike the Airbus, meaning these people can't do any work on the flight. Is there any scope for swapping an an A330 if loads demanded it? Put the Boeing on a later rotation? There are plenty of daytime flights to LHR to compete with.
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I wouldn't assume it's only business people. I'd say anyone who doesn't want the purgatory of an overnight transatlantic schedule and the resulting jet lag.
I'll definitely be using the daytime flight if I have to go to New York this year.
I'll definitely be using the daytime flight if I have to go to New York this year.
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I'm also considering flying from Belfast on the way there and with them on the way back. Can't be asssed with the whole sleep thing. Only problem is united doesn't have it.
I think it is targetting everyone and is more a test in the water. Its better than any of the LHR routes as it leaves well past their timings of 8am.
I think it is targetting everyone and is more a test in the water. Its better than any of the LHR routes as it leaves well past their timings of 8am.
Last edited by owenc; 9th Feb 2015 at 03:42.
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Key point here is that what a few might like isn't supported by enough revenue. The daylight flight means missing a full working day, and so however owenc might want to rearrange a market to suit his ideas, that's not how life works. If indeed they're just "having a go" to "see what happens" then someone in route planning needs a career change(!) Aer Lingus need to maximise their assets in summer to pay for the lean winter months which means making as much €€€€ as humanely possible.
Daylight flights are also comparably rare to LHR.
VS offer JFK/EWR, BA JFK/BOS, AA offered ORD and are opening PHL, and UA offer IAD/EWR. With AC on YYZ, it's a single flight from each major Eastern hub really with no London connections offered.
Daylight flights are also comparably rare to LHR.
VS offer JFK/EWR, BA JFK/BOS, AA offered ORD and are opening PHL, and UA offer IAD/EWR. With AC on YYZ, it's a single flight from each major Eastern hub really with no London connections offered.
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I'm curious about EI102/103. Early day time departure from JFK, arrive in DUB at 23:30 local was it? I'm guessing they are after business people looking to get a good night sleep in a hotel before doing a day's work in Europe, but it arrives way too late to get any connection with EI, and they're using a 757 with no sat broadband, unlike the Airbus, meaning these people can't do any work on the flight........
I would argue that they are targeting the Leinster region pax and the business pax who have meetings in NYC. The early arrival suits both markets and the pre-midnite return suits the former. The late arrival into DUB could also suit some MNC exec's with a full work day in Dublin the following day. Getting the Irish based pax out early also allows them to offer more seats to inbound transfer pax.
Personally I am happy to see EI trying this option. Frequency on a busy route is attractive for the higher yield pax.
And in relation to wi-fi on the B757's.....have a little patience.
I would argue that they are targeting the Leinster region pax and the business pax who have meetings in NYC. The early arrival suits both markets and the pre-midnite return suits the former. The late arrival into DUB could also suit some MNC exec's with a full work day in Dublin the following day. Getting the Irish based pax out early also allows them to offer more seats to inbound transfer pax.
Personally I am happy to see EI trying this option. Frequency on a busy route is attractive for the higher yield pax.
And in relation to wi-fi on the B757's.....have a little patience.
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The daylight flights from the US to LHR don't have time to get in two crossings per day before falling foul of the curfew either at LHR or JFK.
Aer Lingus has solved that problem rather nicely.
Aer Lingus has solved that problem rather nicely.
Having taken the eastbound daylight flights into London they are not all they are cracked up to be. Well known is the lack of connections at both ends, which really restricts them them to point-to-point.
But take the current BA JFK-LHR flight, departs 0830, arrives 2015. You really need to be at JFK by 0700, leaving a midtown-Manhattan hotel shortly after 6, before breakfast service starts, getting up at 5, which among other things cuts back on any previous evening events.
Into Heathrow at 2015, quite possibly on a remote stand as BA overnight maintenance arrangements take precedence for parking allocations. By the time you have your bags and exited it's probably 2115, and you are starting to risk any last-train out beyond Central London. Even with a hotel there, Heathrow Express and a cab will have you there about 2230-2300. Restaurant closed, a shame as since lunch in the plane you only got a packet of birdseed before arrival. You probably don't sleep well because it's only 1800 New York time, so still feeling a bit zonked the next morning.
Yes, overnight flights also have all sorts of issues, but the daylights are not the panacea they first appear. I now avoid them. Notably, the BA business flights from New York to London City don't do them.
But take the current BA JFK-LHR flight, departs 0830, arrives 2015. You really need to be at JFK by 0700, leaving a midtown-Manhattan hotel shortly after 6, before breakfast service starts, getting up at 5, which among other things cuts back on any previous evening events.
Into Heathrow at 2015, quite possibly on a remote stand as BA overnight maintenance arrangements take precedence for parking allocations. By the time you have your bags and exited it's probably 2115, and you are starting to risk any last-train out beyond Central London. Even with a hotel there, Heathrow Express and a cab will have you there about 2230-2300. Restaurant closed, a shame as since lunch in the plane you only got a packet of birdseed before arrival. You probably don't sleep well because it's only 1800 New York time, so still feeling a bit zonked the next morning.
Yes, overnight flights also have all sorts of issues, but the daylights are not the panacea they first appear. I now avoid them. Notably, the BA business flights from New York to London City don't do them.
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share price falling - City types think deal won't go though...........
My thinking too. Was steady at 220-225....dropped to 209 today.
I really think this is a lost opportunity. No-one else will want to touch EI if the Govt scuppers this deal.
My thinking too. Was steady at 220-225....dropped to 209 today.
I really think this is a lost opportunity. No-one else will want to touch EI if the Govt scuppers this deal.
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Yes, tragic. I mean who is possibly going to be interested in a quality airline which consistently makes money? Poor Aer Lingus i suppose they'll just have to struggle on making money and serving the people of Ireland while acting as the underwriter of Ireland's connectivity. I subscribe absolutely to the iag/ryanair mantra that without them Aer Lingus is doomed and i know intuitively that their warnings are entirely altruistic and not self serving in any way. Independent thought is just too much work.
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share price falling - City types think deal won't go though...........
My thinking too. Was steady at 220-225....dropped to 209 today.
I really think this is a lost
My thinking too. Was steady at 220-225....dropped to 209 today.
I really think this is a lost
I can't see IAG/EI dropping any Ireland routes if there's money to be made! If the gov wanted EI to be a PS airline they shouldn't of privatised. Will Ryanair protect their precious slots? They certainly won't operate a route at a loss, for the politicians!
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Nonsense, iag one of many 'big players' to be played with. No question of loss making routes being maintained but difference is that as an Irish airline dedicated to Ireland there won't be any showboating ie. Pulling of viable routes to make political points as has happened many times with the competition. No Aer Lingus should probably not have been privatised but allot of good was achieved while it was. Now a solution has to be found that guarantees Ireland's connectivity which is by far the bigger issue while allowing commercial forces to maintain the lean mean Green machine and that site as s@#t ain't IAG.
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Willie Walsh will appear before the Oireachtas Transport Committee on Thursday. Expect some robust questions and (at least) equally robust answers!
IAG boss Willie Walsh to face Oireachtas committee
IAG boss Willie Walsh to face Oireachtas committee
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Ireland's connectivity which is by far the bigger issue while allowing commercial forces to maintain the lean mean Green machine and that site as s@#t ain't IAG.
Aer Lingus has improved vastly since privatisation, I agree but they must be free of the political shackles imposed on them. No other EU Airline would agree to the government terms, so I boils down to who do you trust to serve the nation best. O'Leary or Walsh?
Why trust politicians to run an airline, when they can't even manage a country!
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As someone who has wholeheartedly been in favour of the proposed IAG takeover of EI, I am extremely pensive today in light of the ruling by the British Competition Authority (Competition and Markets Authority /(CMA)) on Ryanair's need to dispose of its shareholding in Aer Lingus.
Ryanair are appealing to the supreme court of human rights, challenging the CMA ruling on the grounds that ' Clearly the CMA's case has now been totally undermined by the IAG offers' (referenced from RTE news service online today 12/02/15).
Lets make some very large assumptions;
1. Lets assume that BA get to take over IAG
2. Lets assume that FR can challenge the CMA's ruling. (('Ryanair said the IAG bid "wholly disprove[s] the CMA's unsubstantiated claim that Ryanair's shareholding somehow prevented other airlines from merging with or bidding for Aer Lingus')) - from RTE news 12/02
3. Lets assume that Ryanair win and subsequently buy the BA holding, Slots go to BA, Ryanair then control EI. Comforts provided by BA or guarantees are great, but if FR got its hands on EI, there would be little in principal that the Irish government could do about said guarantees...
4. BA expansion of London route portfolio for long haul, exclusivity on LHR DUB and ORK and FR and BA exist in harmony... or something like this....
Completely unlikely or possibility?
These are huge assumptions and many dependencies to arrive that the outcome suggested, but worth considering in my view.
EI-BUD
Ryanair are appealing to the supreme court of human rights, challenging the CMA ruling on the grounds that ' Clearly the CMA's case has now been totally undermined by the IAG offers' (referenced from RTE news service online today 12/02/15).
Lets make some very large assumptions;
1. Lets assume that BA get to take over IAG
2. Lets assume that FR can challenge the CMA's ruling. (('Ryanair said the IAG bid "wholly disprove[s] the CMA's unsubstantiated claim that Ryanair's shareholding somehow prevented other airlines from merging with or bidding for Aer Lingus')) - from RTE news 12/02
3. Lets assume that Ryanair win and subsequently buy the BA holding, Slots go to BA, Ryanair then control EI. Comforts provided by BA or guarantees are great, but if FR got its hands on EI, there would be little in principal that the Irish government could do about said guarantees...
4. BA expansion of London route portfolio for long haul, exclusivity on LHR DUB and ORK and FR and BA exist in harmony... or something like this....
Completely unlikely or possibility?
These are huge assumptions and many dependencies to arrive that the outcome suggested, but worth considering in my view.
EI-BUD