Belfast City Airport-3

[allan1987]

From 1 Jan 2021 - 28 Mar 2021 Aer Lingus will operating BA flights by wetlease on BHD - LHR - BHD
Planes allocated to this will be EI-DVK, EI-DVL, EI-DVN

https://www.caa.co.uk/Commercial-ind...ermits-issued/

[The96er]

Any particular reason for this ?

[Alteagod]

That's interesting. So EI airframe but BA product on board

[SWBKCB]

EU airlines can't op domestic flights in the UK?

[sprite1]

From the CAA link;

EEA carriers are also additionally able to undertake services within the United Kingdom (cabotage flights) without a Permit.

[SWBKCB]

Until when?

[Alteagod]

Probably a way to get around things until the airline gets them on G reg as part of the MAN set up. BA did it b4 with Qatar Airways aircraft. I think as long its a BA flight number I guess any airline could operate the actual flying in the sky bit. Will save BA a clean fortune in hotac for all the crew.

[Alteagod]

And I read Eastern have canned the CWL until March

[ECR]

allan1987

Hopefully this is just a workaround to enable Aer Lingus to continue with their own schedule of BHD-LHR flights post Brexit rather than Aer Lingus taking over the operation of the BA flights on the route. I guess we will find out very soon.

[allan1987]

im guessing it only 3 month temp for aer lingus to wetlese planes to BA for BHD-LHR flights,
i guess this until BA have right paper work in place.
Will Aer Lingus need at least 2 A320's on the uk register for flights from BHD?
it is known that Stobart Air is setting up Stobart Air UK for flights from BHD at moment only known 2 ATR 72-600 planes will be on uk register, though not sure if all 5 Planes for BHD will need to be

[brian_dromey]

Traditionally I think they could get away with a single aircraft on the U.K. register and wet-lease the rest. The CAA have been giving Ryanair a hard time about the single aircraft in the U.K. register and leasing the rest from other group airlines. It remains to be seen what they can do about it. EI don’t seem to have plans to add A320s to the U.K. register. But who knows.

[SWBKCB]

I'd be surprised if they get away with less than 50% on the UK register to operate under a UK licence. RYR are adding additional UK registered a/c. CAA can stop themflying if they don't - they need CAA permission to op non-UK registered a/c on their UK AOC.

[onion]

It all maybe irrelevant now as part of the trade deal included aviation. It maybe that a status quo is in place for a while.

[Alteagod]

The Stobarts need to be G reg by 01Jan. The whole thing seems all very smoke and mirrors re EI and now the BA wet lease, not to mention BA lounge gone. How long are BA even going to keep the route.

[Cazza_fly]

onion

I believe you're correct.

[SWBKCB]

What are you basing that on?

[SealinkBF]

Originally Posted by Alteagod

And I read Eastern have canned the CWL until March

Looks like 12th March 2021 before a restart...

[Alteagod]

Eastern website reporting Heathrow suspended till 31st Jan, but Belfast City 'terminated' from 11th January as per thread on Teesside page.

[PPRuNeUser0176]

allan1987

If MAN T/A wasn't proposed then would they have applied for UK AOC application? Why leave it so late to apply if one was required for BHD-LHR, applying weeks before its needed. Transferring an A320 wouldn't be a major issue however it does make things complicated operationally for them.

Worth noting they didn't apply for wet leases or UK AOC when the UK departure looked imminent before been extended at the last minute previously.

Poor management might be one reason, something common in EI.

[allan1987]

Aer Lingus woudnt need an UK AOC application with 2 or 3 A320's on it as you said only doing this for MAN T/A

I guess this is why Stobart Air has applied for UK AOC application only becuse of UK flights, Especially if Stobart Group is looking to have Stobart Air sold by February, not sure who the new owners is, its not Cityjet or Emerald Airlines