Aer Lingus @ DXB

[Aer_Lingus]

Anyone know if the first Aer Lingus flight arrived on the 29th ?


Alex

[A300Man-2005]

Yes, the Shamrock most certainly did arrive in DXB, and could be seen parked up at a remote stand. And nice to see it too!!

Contrary to popular belief, it will NOT be allocated a gate adjacent to the Terminal's famous 'Irish Village Pub" each and every day.

[akerosid]

Good luck to them!

It's a pity they didn't choose a better departure time from DXB. I understand loads (particularly on the first flight) weren't great, so if they could push the departure back to about 7 next morning, they could get feed from all the EK flights AND get back to DUB in time to operate a t/a flight from DUB.

Still, they can always adjust this at a later date.

[mini cooper]

Quite an interesting piece in one of the free newspapers here. Aer Lingus opens first flight between Ireland and Dubai, which is also a daily flight, and gets no coverage. Did anyone see anything about it in the newspapers? On the other hand the big chinned, cheesey one (Branson) brings Virgin to Dubai 4 times a week and all you can see in the newspapers is his hideous face for 3 days running. bearing in mind how many flights there are to London each week by Ek (49 I think) its hardly ground braking news!!!! Branson then goes on a radio show to talk about it all. The DJ was also expecting to talk to the CEO of Air Lingus - Dermot Mannion ( ex EK top wallah) about Air Lingus and also about the EK expansion looking from the outside now he has left, but he cancels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Either he was 'chicken' or the Air Lingus PR dept needs shooting!!!!

[CorpoRat]

Why are you so down on Branson? He has made a lot of jobs for crew and all the folks I meet that work for him seem to be mostly happy and its a popular airline, is there something I don't know?

[akerosid]

I think that was the point of what was said; I certainly didn't interpret it as a criticism of RB - quite the opposite in fact.

I think EI made two key errors:
-** Despite six month lead in, only one acft (EI-DAA) has IFE ... shared with LAX route.
-** Scheduling - the key one.

Now, EK still expanding. It wouldn't surprise me if EK looked at DUB again and realising that EI scheduling doesn't allow scheduling/feed options they would like, will go on the route. They would most likely lill EI on the route - quality, marketing, scheduling/onward connections ... and all of it, from EI's viewpoint, is completely avoidable.

I hope EI does well on this route, but as its first eastbound venture, not an encouraging start. Lessons to be learned. Only opening themselves up to further competition; my belief has always been that DXB was selected to forestall threat of EK coming in, which would have threatened viability of their further expansion eastwards. Even if that was the case, still all the more important to get it right. If pax find it inconvenient and still find it easier to fly via LHR/LGW etc, EK may well see direct route as best choice; completely avoidable. In the immortal words of Baldrick: "shall I prepare the guestroom for Mr. Cockup".

Pity EK chose CPH, now dropped; of course, hindsight is a great quality and couldn't have forecast effect of cartoon protests.,

If not EK, then QR. Get it right, first time!!!!

[Desert Diner]

DUB via LHR from the ME is no picnic. Even worse when you are trying to depart on that invariably delayed 6:30AM flight to connect with the 10-11 AM ME flights out of LHR.

The N/S GF flight out of BAH is a Godsend and I'm sure the same can be said for the EI DXB flight. There are enough Paddys in Dubai to support it.

When going home the last thing I need is IFE. A couple of pints at the airport bar and I'm ready to be poured onboard for some sleep. And all the way back, all we need is a few strong ones to keep the desert out.

[Desert Nomad]

Mini,

dermot was due to come to DXB for the flight but with the iminent announcement by the Irish government on the privatisation of EI he was battling the unions back in DUB.