Aer Lingus UK
 

Following the announcement of Aer Lingus UK and for it to be based in Belfast for its launch in Manchester do we know what the future holds for EI UK in the Northern Ireland? You would assume it will have offices in the north now also.

”Aer Lingus (U.K.) Limited is the latest airline seeking access to the US market. The newly established subsidiary of Aer Lingus is based in Belfast, Northern Ireland and will be the aircraft operator of record for the company’s planned Manchester, UK base in Summer 2021.”

Assuming the Corona restrictions ease as we go into the summer, this could be a much welcome jobs boost for Manchester airport and associated employers. It should also provide a glimmer of hope for the many UK Airbus rated pilots who lost their jobs after the collapse of TCX , Mon etc. Lets hope the UK Gov are incentivizing and encouraging Aer Lingus to do the right thing in return for rubber stamping the deal.

I guess that is also so the BHD/LHR can still operate. I wonder if they will put 320 on G reg for this route.

Given Stobart are going for a UK AOC too for Belfast ops, I would suggest so.

Good to see Aer Lingus getting around the EU bureaucracy and starting services from the U.K.

EU bureaucracy - can you clarify? My understanding it's UK law that's involved. We've taken back control.

LTNman

what has it got to do with the EU ?

First A330 will be reg'd G-UKEI apparently.

The worry for Ireland is, that the airframes were supposed to be operating from Dublin, Cork and Shannon, the A321s opening new routes, plus replacing the 757s. No doubt IAG predict more profit from a Manchester base than keeping the airframes in Ireland.

I think you'll find that EI overall have additional frames in the pipeline. They also will be able to step up services from Ireland if needed, and when demand arises.
Manchester is an incremental opportunity. The airline has already said it is committed to Shannon, that was in the media some weeks ago. Some routes may not return immediately I'm guessing ex Dublin, and in the interim until they do Manchester makes sense.

According to The Irish Times, 2 A321 Neo LR's/XLR's will be going onto the G- registery.

The next two for delivery EI-LRE and RF are alreay built and carrying EI- markings, with 8 more on order following those two.

The Irish Times, 11th Dec 2020
https://www.irishtimes.com/business/...ghts-1.4434422

EI has 4 A321NEOLR's in service A-D, 4 still undelivered E-H, 2 are going to Manchester.

There is also an XLR order to follow on of 6.

The Irish Times article above refers to the two a/c to be delivered in Feb and March going on the UK register.

I think you'll find that its UK bureacracy that has required the re-registration of the a/c. If we were still in the EU this would not have been necessary. Leaving EASA is causing a right mess.

You are right if we were still in the EU this wouldn't be necessary but EASA aren't involved. Most countries reserve domestic flights for domestic operators, and similarly international air service agreements usually restrict flights to airlines between the two countries involved

EI wouldn't have been required to submit or change anything if it wasn't for Brexit

EI is a UK domestic carrier and either held or holds the UK civil service contract from travel London - Belfast, so had to do some fancy footwork to keep flying, the route network out of Belfast has grown considerably to fill the gaps from Flybe.

EI also has some legacy traffic rights at Manchester which might come into play depending on the circumstances of Brexit as DUB-MAN-DUS/DUB-MAN-CPH etc.

Expect the A321NEO to make a least 1 rotation a day either domestically or to Dublin

Indeed, always good to beat a bully

It has got very little to do with the EU and Aer Lingus wasn't being bullied. IAG's lawyers are more than capable of dealing with any bureaucratic bullies, not that there are any.

This service is being launched on the back of newly signed UK -US Air Service Agreement. Had the UK remained in the EU, they could have done the same using the EU-US open skies agreements and without the hassle of creating a UK Subsidiary. As it is, they are struggling to work around this new UK-US agreement due to ownership rules; rules agreed between the UK and US without EU interference.

They have had to create a UK operating company but the reality is that in relation to this UK-US agreement, they are a third country operator as they are ultimately owned by a Spanish consortium. Given the distressed state of the UK industry and the mounting job losses, I am surprised the DfT is even considering sponsoring this box ticking shell company as an "Airline of a Party". If it really is necessary to create competition on these routes post TCX, there are several UK airlines available to to do this work.

Such as ?

Only fully UK airline company left of ANY significance is JET2 . Without exception ALL the others are significantly foreign owner invested !

I know what you mean. The definition of a UK company is very vague but in simple terms I am thinking of companies that have staff based in the UK, living in the UK paying income tax in the UK and occasionally paying a little corporation tax to HMG. Obviously, Jet 2 is the closest but others fit the bill more closely than Aer Lingus or Aer Lingus UK which would be operating on a big loan from a foreign company. I suspect that far from offering competition on the Atlantic, this is just Willie Walsh's final attempt to kick Sir RB in the nuts before retirement. If so, the only losers will be UK workers.