If EI had any sense they would not look at BHD - AMS.

When they first arrived at BFS they tried a double daily to AMS.....soon reduced to daily and soon afterwards withdrawn.
BMIBaby tried 6 X weekly from BHD to AMS was soon reduced to 4 weekly. BMIbaby struggled!!

Most NI passenger will still look at LHR for connections

On both occasions load factors compared to EZY were not great. EZY operate 9 X weekly flights from BFS.........no real need for anymore

Gazmo,
BHD AMS is not a route for EI ex BHD, I fear that they may look to put a daily rotation in place of the 4th daily LGW rotation that is being introduced in the summer. In any case that is a LGW originating rotation, so to bring AMS in would mean a reduction elsewhere or a 3rd airframe for Winter so cant see it. BHD AMS could work though it would need to be KLM with smaller machine i.e. EMBRAER or F70.

The schedule would be the making or breaking of the route.
I suggested before a night stop by KLM

The schedule would need to look something like this:
BHD AMS
Days :12345 0645 departure
Days : 5 1945 departure (allowing for leisure travellers)

AMS BHD
Days 1234 7 late departure ex AMS arrive late BHD say 2115
Days 5 evening departure ex AMS (allow for arrival into BHD 1915)

This pattern would give great scope for connections, great options for business men, allowing for day return granted a long day. Smaller aircraft. Would involve night stop on 4 nights of the week.

Definitely agree.

Forgive me if wrong...but don't KLM codeshare on the EI DUB-AMS? On that basis if EI could make an agreement for them to codeshare also on BHD-AMS (or, for that matter, any other ireland-AMS they might consider) would this make enough of a competitive difference (compared to the bmibaby recent efforts on the route) to make it worthwhile?

Just a thought...!

globetrotter this makes perfect sense re codesharing on BHD AMS if EI did it but EI couldnt code share with KL ex BFS before, apparently there are union rules that only allow KL to code share on 2 routes per country. Therefore BHD couldnt have it as KL code share on other routes ex UK...

EI BUD

I believe that there would be more costs involved with your suggestion, but since it refers to KLM rather than EI maybe this is not the correct thread for posting reply. I would rather see EI operating routes not currently offered rather than possibly going into a price war with EZY

Gazmo,

Yes I agree hence my KL suggestion. I dont see EI having scope on this route.
With the limited size of the market and the emphasis on outbound tourists with a 319/320 size aircraft options are limited. Yes you are possibly right for another forum, but since it relates to a comment about an EI AMS slot it was tagged on to EI discussion.

With the huge publicity around the world that the flags issue and the associated trouble in the city are gaining, I wouldnt expect the inbound tourist numbers to increase to any great extent, hence reducing likelihood of new destinations...

I've heard two versions of the union story that prevented code shares in Belfast before. One says no more than 2 destinations per airline (there are some airlines that have more, but they're all part of the AF/KL group); the other says no more than one code share airline per country ex Amsterdam.

Whichever is true still applies as EI offer ORK and DUB and FlyBe have codeshares from Amsterdam to UK destinations.

BHD-AMS is wishful thinking Aer Lingus is a carrier that matches capacity with demad and there DUB-AMS route is top proformer and its the best route from T/A pax connecting at Dublin. (I know its stage that EI get such much traffic to the US from AMS). CDG has saw extra flights added so the daily flight if used will be to DUB.

Any news from Aer Lingus wouldn't be complete without Ryanair's take on things:
Ryanair Criticises Aer Lingus-Virgin Lease Deal

Also EI have launched pre order meals for SH routes:
Pre-Order Menu - Aer Lingus

I believe it's the former. The Dutch pilots' union is not really interested in geographical markets, more in preventing KLM-coded flying from being carried out by third parties. That means limiting the number of destinations.

For example, I think you'll find that flyBE are limited to 2 UK codeshare destinations to AMS (INV and SOU). Given that they fly to AMS from more than 2 UK points you could imagine that it would be a win/win for both BE and KL if that codeshare could be extended.

Willing to wager that any VS-EI jets will have the wifi.

Timetable for the Virgin flights to EDI/ABZ/MAN

Virgin confirms short-haul details - Business Traveller

Some of those aircraft are seriously under-utilised.

+1.. But hey its Aer Lingus coming out the winners here. :)

If the EU allowed FR take over EI BA would get 85% of EI LHR slots.

Any guarantee that they would use them on Irish routes?

Only for the required 3 years. There is an article in the FT online which says that BA could use the slots to fly elsewhere and that it is desperate to get its hands on more slots since the 3rd runway has been canned and LHR is at capacity.

I am wondering with these "remedies" if MOL hasn't shot himself in the foot. He never cared about LHR anyway as he had no intention of operating into there but would get lots of cash from selling/leasing the slots. Flybe wouldn't worry him in the least operating into Ireland since at the end of the 3 year period a "seat sale" would soon push them out of the country and hey presto its back to a monopoly and the good ole days are back.

With the growth in the Irish flying through the ME and connecting onwards with EK and EY I can't see BA keeping the Irish routes going after 3 years if they were successful in getting the slots. Also with the US carriers, CBP and hub connectivity through the east coast there would only be a few routes that people would find LHR worth flying through. Probably not enough to justify BA flying into Ireland for.

Personally I am againt FR's takeover bid for EI

However I do support the sale of EI's slots at LHR (which are of a simlar number to VS at LHR), because BA would be able to lanuch new routes so they can better compete with its rivals in Europe and the Middle East

Remember that there would still be competition on the LON-IRE routes from Easyjet, Flybe and Ryanair

I also think it would be all of those slots, not 85%, since I doubt if FR wants to serve LHR

EI has way more slots at LHR than VS, they're the 3rd biggest holder of slots there. This is because EI operate high frequency flights to and from LHR where as VS operate long haul flights.

Easyjet does not fly to Ireland, and Flybe do not fly to any London airport from Ireland either.

If the slots were sold to BA you can bet that they won't be used for IRE-LHR routes as BA would find more profitable use for them on Long haul routes.

If anything, this just reinforces the fact that EI cannot be sold to FR as Ireland would lose it's LHR connections.