Aer Lingus returns to Bristol

[MerchantVenturer]

According to today’s Bristol Evening Post, Aer Lingus is to restore its DUB-BRS link at the end of March. I believe Dublin-Bristol was one of Aer Lingus’s oldest routes, if not the oldest, having commenced in 1936 and it operated continuously (except for a short break in WW II) until it was phased out three years ago.

Since then Aer Lingus has code shared the route with BA Citiexpress which uses its ERJ 145s on two rotations per day. This is in competition with Ryanair’s three B 737 rotations per day.

The newspaper reports that Aer Lingus will fly only one rotation a day, at lunchtime. It doesn’t mention the equipment although another website suggested B 737s (500 series?).

I presume that Aer Lingus would continue code sharing with BACx and extend the code sharing to the rotation operated by its own aircraft.

I wonder if this route can sustain these extra seats or whether BACx will reduce its commitment or withdraw altogether.

Perhaps the rumoured BA major announcement might make things clearer, one way or the other.

This is the second BACx route out of Bristol that has found itself with imminent extra company in recent weeks: the BRS-JER is to find Flybe and Air Southwest competing with it from the spring.

[Standard Jet Dep]

If this is the case then its great news for BRS.
Always have good memorys of the old station manager Mrs Bellemy there. A good character always up for a chat. Shame that a lot more like that are not around.

Anyway good news

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

I would not be amazed to see FRA swap their 200 for 800s in response to this - thereby increasing their capacity at a stroke. Then offering a lot of good fares. They can afford to operate at a loss to protect routes - as happened with Go and Scotland - DUB.

Somehow I cannot see 4 737's plus 2 145's operating daily BRS-DUB profitably.

But you never know.

Cheers

WWW

[redfield]

Aer Lingus are using a 737-500 on the route. I doubt that all the existing schedules will continue as they are at the minute. Loads on Ryanair are usually more than 100 but there is the occasional flight with a low load. It'll be interesting to see what Ryanair do in the short term in response to Aer Lingus' move. I think DUB-BRS was Lingus' first schedule into the UK all those years ago.

[MarkD]

Might be 735 but for how long? EI going all bus - and 320/321 at that. Quite a capacity increase from ERJ to 735 to 320! Perhaps connections at DUB are up for transatlantic ex BRS.