Aer Lingus-7

[EI-A330-300]

EI/EIR have a contract clause on Scotland routes and overcoming this could be a problem but LHR will be guaranteed from next summer and may potentially be the only route in 2019.

Also there would be much more tangible benefits if the A321CEOs were deployed on LHR/CDG etc and the A321NEOS went to the likes of FAO etc. This is due to the increased fuel needed on those routes making it more economical.

From a fuel prospective yes however they will make more money flying NEO to LHR/AMS/CDG/FCO with J almost full. They will probally not do any med routes because the config in Y is more less an A320 and they will make little extra on the J class seats.

[Just a spotter]

It looks like one of the new A330's will need a little TLC.

While under tow to the gate in SFO EI-GAJ rubbed up against a wall

https://www.independent.ie/irish-new...-36941213.html

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...483521901.html

Edit: View looking from the front of the aircraft (credit Facebook via Boards.ie)


JAS

[Fly757X]

Originally Posted by Just a spotter

It looks like one of the new A330's will need a little TLC.

While under tow to the gate in SFO EI-GAJ rubbed up against a wall

https://www.independent.ie/irish-new...-36941213.html

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/loca...483521901.html

Edit: View looking from the front of the aircraft (credit Facebook via Boards.ie)


JAS

Had winglet removed on return to DUB

[Sober Lark]

DUB-FRA-DUB

Regular traveller on DUB-FRA route. I travel out Fridays and back mainly on Sun & Mon. Have noticed a sharp decrease in passenger numbers on Aer Lingus flights. (49 pax this evening for example). LH have increased frequency on the route. FR are starting Oct. perhaps AerLingus bussing people out to the satellite stands or the check in T2 and walk to T1 has had an adverse effect? Or LH more frequent (but generally more expensive) service with connections is more attractive? FR launch prices are not that great but if they reduce them I can’t see EI on the route this time next year.

[Jamie2k9]

Originally Posted by Sober Lark

Regular traveller on DUB-FRA route. I travel out Fridays and back mainly on Sun & Mon. Have noticed a sharp decrease in passenger numbers on Aer Lingus flights. (49 pax this evening for example). LH have increased frequency on the route. FR are starting Oct. perhaps AerLingus bussing people out to the satellite stands or the check in T2 and walk to T1 has had an adverse effect? Or LH more frequent (but generally more expensive) service with connections is more attractive? FR launch prices are not that great but if they reduce them I can’t see EI on the route this time next year.

DUB-FRA goes 3 daily Mon, Fri and Sun over most of winter season just as Ryanair start. There is no question of the route been dropped but x3 daily won't last and 49 on a Saturday evening isn't great but not unusual.

LH/EI attract very different types of passengers with EI been heavily O&D and LH connections.

[Sober Lark]

Thanks Jamie, but 101 put on their Friday morning 15 June service and I recall even less on the same service on the Friday of the June bank holiday weekend. Been doing that route every week or two for the last two years and the drop off in numbers with EI is very noticeable. EI generally have the most competitive fares and I like the airline but due to overall convenience LH gets my business if they are no more than an EI +€40 in the difference roundtrip. Have used FR from FRA on other routes but at present it’s a hell of a long bus journey from the terminal to their stand and the fares FR have on offer at present just wouldn’t entice me away from EI or LH.

[Just a spotter]

A350's still coming?

IB received its first A350 today, 26th June, and the first of the type for the IAG family.

According to the FlightGlobal article on the delivery;

Parent IAG's UK carrier British Airways has 18 A350-1000s on order while its Irish operator Aer Lingus is taking nine A350-900s.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/ar...t-a350-449738/

Is FlightGlobal just working off out of date information? Has no decision been made on the original A350 announcement? Or have the slots been reallocated within IAG and just not relabled?

Does anyone know for certain if the A350's are still arriving to EI?

JAS

[Shamrock350]

FlightGlobal just working on old information.

Aer Lingus explained its future fleet plan at an investors meeting last year and no A350s were visible well into the 2020s. The fleet will focus on A321LR and A333 for the foreseeable but those saying the order is "dead" or "will never happen" are naive as that's not the way IAG works.

Within IAG any aircraft currently on the books could go to any airline should a business case be put forward and be successful, if in a few years Aer Lingus decide its ready for next generation aircraft it could get them pretty quickly by either dipping into the IAG orders or exercising options held by the group just like they did with the recent A333s. The A321LR was ordered pretty quickly once Aer Lingus displayed to IAG the business case was there for them.

So are the original 9 A350s still coming to Aer Lingus? No. Could they still arrive at a later date? Definitely.

[Skipness One Foxtrot]

So are the original 9 A350s still coming to Aer Lingus? No. Could they still arrive at a later date? Definitely.

OK so they're going to Iberia or BA instead? IAG are still taking them?

[Shamrock350]

Originally Posted by Skipness One Foxtrot

OK so they're going to Iberia or BA instead? IAG are still taking them?

It's not clear.

The majority of the original order hadn't been assigned production numbers by Airbus yet, by early 2016 only the first aircraft had been given MSN 197 with delivery scheduled for Q2 2018 but that was later assigned to Vietnam Airlines, obviously not an IAG carrier. Obviously IAG already has an A350 order pool, I'm not sure if that officially went up by 9 units when Aer Lingus joined the group or not and that's the only way to tell where those aircraft went.

The original slot was clearly reassigned by Airbus on instruction from Aer Lingus/IAG sometime in 2016.

When I suggested the aircraft could arrive at a later date, I was talking about the larger A350 order already at IAG including options which could be exercised relatively quickly like the recent brand new A333 arrivals.

[airnoc]

How many passengers were affected by NOC/Gatwick flight on 28/06/2018 that was canceled?
What was the real reason?

[owenc]

Is anybody a member of Aerclub? I’ve just signed up. I’ve been looking at the conceirge level:

4 free upgrades
complimentary passenger

are these 4 free upgrades guaranteed, in that you book an economy flight and they upgrade you there and then? I need confirmation of this before I dedicate myself to flying back and forth between Belfast and Heathrow.

I wouldn’t want to spend all that time and money only to discover that it doesn’t guarantee me an upgrade.

[Shamrock350]

Originally Posted by owenc

Is anybody a member of Aerclub? I’ve just signed up. I’ve been looking at the conceirge level:

4 free upgrades
complimentary passenger

are these 4 free upgrades guaranteed, in that you book an economy flight and they upgrade you there and then? I need confirmation of this before I dedicate myself to flying back and forth between Belfast and Heathrow.

I wouldn’t want to spend all that time and money only to discover that it doesn’t guarantee me an upgrade.

As always upgrades are subject to availability, as for upgrading you there and then, sure, if there’s space.

In all honestly, if you’re dedicating yourself to flying BHD-LHR just to get Concierge and a couple of upgrades a year, I wouldn’t bother.

[owenc]

Why not? I fly back and forth constantly (but not heathrow).

[Shamrock350]

If that's the case go for it, you'll obviously get plenty of other rewards working through the tiers.

[owenc]

Fair enough Shamrock. It is a treck from my University to Heathrow but I thought it might be worth it for the free Business Class upgrades.

I wanted to be sure that it’d be guaranteed though.

I will maybe give it a trial run.

[EI-A330-300]

Owen,

Unless you can advance a level by 1 December 2018, there is no point in starting until after 1 Dec. They reset it annually so you have 1 year to move up a tier.

[owenc]

Reset what? The points? Avios too?

[irishlad06]

Originally Posted by owenc

Fair enough Shamrock. It is a treck from my University to Heathrow but I thought it might be worth it for the free Business Class upgrades.

I wanted to be sure that it’d be guaranteed though.

I will maybe give it a trial run.

You do know that Aer Lingus do not do business class on short haul yet? I likely never to be from BHD I’d they do introduce it.

The upgrades are are on the long haul flights to America operates by A330/B757 and soon to be A321N-LR.

Your ur best bet is to open a BA account. That way claim both miles for travelling on BA and EI and earn your way up through the tiers. U should be silver in no time which gets you lounge access and other perks.

[owenc]

Yes I was planning on using it on a long haul return flight, on Aer Lingus. I am aware of that. It now sounds like it’s not feasible based on what members are saying.