easyJet have also been encouraging ex-Monarch crew to apply for vacancies they have at LTN and LGW.

Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me if all airlines are interested in any applications that come from ex-Monarch crew. It's good to see that other airlines are keen to taken them on and I hope they all find new jobs quickly.

Appears to be some speculation EI will announce Seattle in the next few weeks if they can secure an additional aircraft in time for summer 2018.

They did say when they announced PHL they hope to be back with another announcement in a few weeks.

Mood lighting roll out on long haul fleet has also started.

Not going to happen but would love if they started PHX or a Texas route Austin or Dallas would be great .

Criptic Facebook post about CPH

New route ?

A one off Copenhagen flight is on sale for the Ireland vs Denmark match.

Aer Lingus have tried and failed this route numerous times, don't see it making a full time return.

They may have in the past, but Facebook are building a huge data centre in Odense and 75% of the construction workers and engineers are from Ireland. The daily Ryanair, SAS and Norwegian are doing very well from this project which is set to last 3 years

Looks like EI recruitment announcement came at the right time:

https://www.irishtimes.com/business/...jobs-1.3276935

Reported Aer Lingus will announce new T/A route on Friday. They have apparently agreed A330 lease in the last 2 weeks. Rumoured x4 weekly SEA while PHL will be increased to daily.

Does Aer Lingus codeshare with Alaska Air?

No, doesnt look like it. Interestingly BA codeshare with EI and Alaska.

Well hopefully then EI will be able to use that relationship to codeshare with them as Seattle is their biggest hub.

While not part of Oneworld or any alliance, Alaska routes/fares are listed with Oneworld Global Explorer as well.

Very strange route if it happens really hoping for a Texas route soon .

SEA has become a major tech hub....even Apple have a serious setup there.

EI flying a kite in the hope of Microsoft, Amazon etc block booking capacity ?

Perhaps with a bit of a push from IDA to all concerned ?

Isn't it also a major cruise port?

The aircraft will be from air tanker - air tanker flight deck and aer Lingus cabin crew.

Sure it's no AB

If it's air tanker that will seriously dilute the Aer Lingus experience. Air Tanker have been running TCX long haul flights from MAN and pax already complain that there are no seat back TV's and lack of premium cabin, imagine what that's going to be like for EI who have a J cabin?

Hard to see Air Tanker unless it was a medium/long term lease and EI would fit out the aircraft. They have no new A330 on order after the final one arrives this month.

Getting pilot approval for outsourced A330 ops is rather interesting, hard to see how they would get it passed.

The aircraft would be reconfigured into the standard Aer Lingus layout, with the Aer Lingus hard product. Air Tanker did the same when they leased their aircraft to Jet2 - their A330s all had Jet2's grey and red seating. Also, Thomas Cook's Air Tanker A330 was in fact reconfigured into standard Thomas Cook layout, with Zodiac Rave seat back IFE installed, so your comments regarding the matter are incorrect.

The air tanker for TCX did not get reconfigured per se. It got the basic MT seats but no premium cabin. This is why there were questions about its use on the new MAN-SEA route as the product probably wasn't the best choice for a (new) west coast USA route, with no Y+ cabin to book. The second AircTanker didn't even have PVT's.

https://www.thomascookairlines.com/e...r-airlines.jsp

As for the Jet2 one, it's a short haul configured aircraft, apart from the seat colours, there was little difference form the standard air tanker config anyway.

It's up to each individual airline as to what way they configure the aircraft.

The 3 year air tanker TCX lease has seat back tv's. GM which is basic white with decals doesn't - but this was only a 1 year lease initially.

Take the Jet2 GL - they goose what way for it to be configured - insisted on their seats and choose what way to paint it. It's up to each airline that is leasing the aircraft how much money they want to put into it. The Jet2 lease is a summer only 3 year lease (apart from the 3weeks for EWR flights) but when it's not on lease to Jet2 the seats r starting and it's still painted.

CEO said yesterday they have "no plans" to rejoin One World and have not even looked at a business case for it.

Seattle x4 weekly starting 18 May more less offical now.

Any confirmation on where the aircraft is coming from and what it is? IE A332/A333?

Not sure but long term lease and will be fully crewed by EI apparently.

There is some suggestions that they will be ex QR.

Officially confirmed now ! Amazing expansion from aer lingus on translantic.

The Irish Independent (15th Dec) is reporting EI is adding 2 A330's to the fleet in 2018 giving a total of 13 A330's.

https://www.independent.ie/business/...-36410579.html

EI-GCF plus one more?

Second is a long term leased A330-200, reportedly coming from QR but that latter not confirmed.

British Airways have agreed to wet lease a A320 from Aer Lingus. The lease will run from today through until 23MAR18 with the aircraft being used to operate as shown below

Monday to Friday

BA831 DUB 07:10 LHR 08:40
BA962 LHR 09:35 HAM 12:15 (Ops 10 mins earlier on Friday)
BA969 HAM 13:10 LHR 14:00 (Ops 5 mins later on Monday)
BA826 LHR 15:20 DUB 16:50
BA827 DUB 17:40 LHR 19:10
BA824 LHR 21:15 DUB 22:35

Saturday

BA831 DUB 07:10 LHR 08:40
BA962 LHR 09:40 HAM 12:20
BA969 HAM 13:10 LHR 14:00
BA826 LHR 15:25 DUB 16:55
BA827 DUB 17:40 LHR 19:10
BA828 LHR 20:10 DUB 21:35

Sunday

BA833 DUB 07:25 LHR 08:55
BA962 LHR 09:40 HAM 12:20
BA969 HAM 13:15 LHR 14:05
BA826 LHR 15:25 DUB 16:55
BA827 DUB 17:50 LHR 19:20
BA824 LHR 21:15 DUB 22:35

* All flights will operate in a all economy configuration
* Complimentry Drinks and Snacks will be offered to all passengers

Today’s flights will be operated by EI-DVE. Does anyone know if EI are planning to use the same aircraft for the duration of the lease or will the aircraft used change on a daily basis?

Future EI Routes
 

Any predictions on new routes for next year? The current fleet plan has 4x A321-LR arriving and 4x 757s staying so there is room for 3-4 extra daily transatlantic rotations....

The A321s will give EI huge flexibility to "right-size" routes. 2x A321s will give a small capacity increase v 1x A330 and the extra frequency gives much more connecting options in Dublin. Routes like JFK, BOS, ORD would all be candidates for this IMO, freeing up an A330 for a new route further west (Denver, Dallas, etc). Montreal is probably the biggest gap in their East Coast network but Detroit/Charlotte/Baltimore/Cleveland could all be options.

My prediction would be:
2x A321 to JFK
1x A321 to Montreal
Increase Philadelphia to daily
4-5 weekly Denver with the spare A330

It'll be interesting to see what they do on SH as well with the A321s doing a morning short-haul rotation in between translatlantic services. In particular EI currently operate to some big cities which lack US flights (eg, Lyon, Nice, Prague, Budapest). These routes are aimed at O/D travel and connections aren't sold ATM but maybe frequency could be increased to allow it. I'm sure there's demand.

1 757 to leave next year afaik. presumably CJX

PHL goes daily this month!

As for the A321s, it depends on delivery schedule but they operate LHR and likely AMS, CDG and possible EDI but thats a little more complicated.

These new A321LRs are intended for Transatlantic services replacing the B752s from ASL. As for the current A321s they operate to Seaside destinations and Ski resorts with the odd Rome and elsewhere too.

There is potential for the A321LR to operate some European services between transatlantic operations. This has been mentioned by both the CEO and COO recently.

Of course, however it is much to earlier to pin them on LHR/CDG. EDI is out of the equation (as you mentioned) I'm afraid for the foreseeable as no intention has been made public. This is probably due to the strong competition from Ryanair. 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.

Yes, for the foreseeable anyway.

I think that's exactly what they'll do. Morning rotations to key feeder or business markets before an early afternoon trans-atlantic. That will in turn free up A320/A321 ceos to add new short haul routes or increase frequency.