I was thinking along similar lines. Any UK operator with ATR on their AOC could step up, if they wanted to. There's also Aurigny and Blue Islands.

And EI have spare 320 sitting at BHD. Could it not do some such as BHX or MAN

The fleet isn’t owned by Aer Lingus. They are leased from a few different places. Nordic Aviation Capital, Propius (which is connected to Stobart) and GECAS.

Isn’t an EU AOC required for the ROI routes? While a U.K. one is required for the Belfast routes.

There are plenty of carriers able to do either. The question is price and what EI’s plan actually is.

It may be easier to just use an A320 on limited frequencies (say 2-3 weekly rather than per day). Not like the market is booming at the moment.

An A320 flying 3x weekly seems excessively large for what are largely regional routes. In such a scenario, I think many pax would prefer to travel from a major airport on the desired day (or by land within Ireland) instead of a different day using their local airport

If these routes are to survive, it's with a prop / small jet.... or not at all

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Aer Lingus put an A320 perhaps daily on the big routes like BHD to MAN, BHX and EDI as a stop gap until Emerald is up and running, which I would also expect to be earlier than the original plan. For the rest like LBA, EMA and GLA then it will be over to Loganair, Eastern and others?

davidjohnson6

I’m aware of that but in the short term to fill gaps it might be needed. Some of the routes they were serving were not tiny - Manchester, Birmingham etc and some were served several times a day by ATR72 so one A320 a day could easily cover that sort of number. Plus if Ireland opens up a bit demand may increase given the common travel area is green listed.

The example is after the Flybe collapse BA put a A319 on LHR-NQY which was previously 3/4 Q400 a day.

Exactly and if the EI TA from MAN stArts they will wand feed into that

Irish media reporting that BACF will pick up 2 Stobart routes temporarily.... Not sure what that's about...

They will fly Belfast to Exeter and Leeds. Not sure for how long.

“Aer Lingus will operate the Dublin/Edinburgh, Dublin/Manchester, Belfast City/Manchester, Belfast City/Birmingham and Belfast City/Edinburgh routes.

BA City Flyer will operate the Belfast City/Exeter route and the Belfast City/Leeds Bradford route.

Plans for the Dublin/Kerry and Dublin/Donegal Public Service Obligation routes are still being worked out.

Customers due to travel on the Belfast City/East Midlands, Dublin/Glasgow and Dublin/Newquay routes are being offered alternative flights”

https://www.rte.ie/news/business/202...5-stobart-air/

Aer Lingus are walking away from DUB-GLA?
Blimey, how times change!

No mention of the DUB - NCL route either....this was due to re-start soon.

Or anything at all from Cork. Hello, we still want travel from down here when we can!
With this announcement and Cork airport deciding that a good time to re-lay the runway is just as aviation starts again, despite it being practically dormant for a year; I worry that the temporary suspension of operations for EI at Cork may become more permanent.

Couple of Atr's positioned to Billund today.

EI-FSK & EI-GEV, according to Jethro's

Would it be Stobart Air crew(s) that would fly these sectors or would the lessor have to find alternative crewing options in order to get the aircraft back?

Skipness One Foxtrot

Absolutely. .I recall the classic 737s about 4 times daily on DUB-GLA with sometimes the BAC 1.11on the service...with occasional B707. And more recently Airbus 320s on the route. Indeed different times....🤭

PC767

The announcement there only covers the routes which are currently operating as of this week as a matter of urgency. This is mainly to cover existing bookings whilst also allowing for some level of repatriation. What happens with the rest of the network will be sorted in due course. I'd imagine the next priority will be to see CFN/KIR back operating and then the group will go from there.

Skipness One Foxtrot

Don't read to much into it. GLA had a very limited schedule available over the next few weeks. They will be back at GLA over the summer.

Parent of collapsed Stobart Air trying to place ATR fleet with other operators Irish regional carrier Stobart Air’s parent company, Esken, is attempting to redeploy its ATR turboprop fleet with other operators following the airline’s collapse.

https://www.flightglobal.com/airline...144138.article

Esken is seeking to sub-lease their 8 ATR 72-600's with with alternative operator, not sure if an UK Airline would be instrested?

No doubt this is aimed at Emerald Airlines or some sort of successor. What happens from here? Who knows but this was somewhat inevitable.