Actually not, SHAMROCK was used by Aerlinte Eireann for transatlantic flights. After those were folded into the Aer Lingus portfolio, SHAMROCK transferred over to the rest of the network from about 1980 onwards.

No, SHAMROCK was used at that time by Aerlinte Eireann for transatlantic flights. After those were folded into the Aer Lingus portfolio, SHAMROCK transferred over to the rest of the network from about 1980 onwards, replacing AERLINGUS.

Well I remember the 1-11s calling Shamrock in 1969 when they did the European flights ex Manchester to Zurich, Copenhagen, Amsterdam etc

With the delivery yesterday of the second A321LR Aer Lingus UK have both their new aircraft "on the property". I'm assuming the recent AOC proving flight will have concluded succesfully thus they are getting closer to the start of operations.......

Apart for the Covid travel restictions that is :rolleyes:

El Bunto is correct re the callsign history. In fact "Shamrock" was dropped altogether for a while in the 1980s, with transatlantic services using "Aer Lingus", before being adopted again for the whole operation.

Only two aircraft to be based at MAN now. I'm beginning to get a sinking feeling about all this.

Liffy 1M

So short haul used "Aer Lingus" as well at this time?

TURIN

Why? This was the plan - 1 to do JFK and 1 for MCO/BGI. Further aircraft will be added next year when they start BOS ...

TURIN

Absolutely nothing has changed. As mentioned above, always the plan, 1 neo, 1 330 for 2021.

Actually, no it wasn't. The original plan was two A321LR and two A330. Start date was May 2021. The start date has now pushed back to end of July, the A330 was reduced to just one aircraft, and now the reduction to just one of each. I really wont be suprised if this is pushed back again to October.

These reductions however, in all fairness to them, are hardly the fault of Aer Lingus. Could anyone really have known how long Covid would be limiting the travel industry as a whole?

In fairness the launch of services is the only piece of firm data you have and that was always the plan. The second 330 isn’t needed for the schedule the neo to Boston was delayed due to the ongoing travel restrictions resulting from the ludicrous Covid policy and Boston being summer only.

the plan for the July launch is what was planned and has not since changed and I see no reason to be nervous about it

Our sources of info may differ Cumbrianboy.

Yes they probably do. It seems to me all is going according to plan though

TURIN

I'm not sure where you got May from, but that was never a 'plan', simply a rumour. When things were announced, the plan, was two aircraft in 2021, followed by another in 2022. As with literally everything in aviation these days, things are changing, so that may well become 2 aircraft in 2022 or none. So ultimately your 'fear' is based on rumours and as I said, nothing has changed.

Sadly, I cannot reveal my sources. It was not from rumour. But I will stick to what I have said. Nothing is going to plan. At all.

It can't go to plan as bookings can't gain any momentum until a realistic idea of when UK-US travel will become normalised, and I don't mean the whole family of mum, dad and several kids masked up in a tube for nine long hours whilst paying hundred of pounds each and queueing for 4-5 hours to get in or worse, back in!

I called Summer 2020 a write off early last year, Summer 2021 will be equally non existent in these markets. It's nearly May and people haven't begun booking. If we're open again by 21 Jun in the UK, there will rightly be pressure to get our own house in order before open again to the world.

Can you clarify this please? Are you referring to just 2021 or the longer term? My understanding was 2 based for later this year depending on when things open up and how bookings react, and 3 a/c next year if Boston is introduced. There was talk of 4 based going forward if the operation proved successful.

Skipness One Foxtrot

Short-haul services used "Aer Lingus" until the adoption of "Shamrock" for the whole operation. My memory as to when this occurred is unclear - late 1980s or early 1990s, I'd say.

It wouldn’t come as much of a surprise if the launch was pushed back a couple of months, the reopening of travel hasn’t happened as expected and we’re still none the wiser on what will or won’t be allowed so forward bookings must be almost non-existent.

What Aer Lingus (and other airlines) will be aware of though is how quickly demand picked up last summer during that brief window of opportunity when everything reopened. If the government give the go ahead, there’ll be a sudden rush of bookings and any airline will want to be ready and waiting to start operations.