Aer Lingus DECs for new Aldergrove base
 

Just heard this news coming from the NIO...
Aer Lingus look like they will be crewing the Aldergrove base with Direct Entry Captains and co-pilots - a big recruitment drive north of the border is on the cards!
Having tallked to one of the recruitment specialists apparently the contracts will be nothing like the lads in Dublin are on - especially the pension - and the contractors will be operating into and out of LHR on existing EI slots.
Don't know how this is going to go down with IALPA - as far as I know they have pretty tight restrictions on who operates the green machines into and out of LHR.
The announcement is due pretty soon - wonder how this will affect the share price?

Discrimination
 

Looks like the flag carrier is discriminating against the Northern citizens.

Direct entry Captains? dream on.

DEC's in EI ? Much as that prospect would cheer up a great many people up in BFS, it won't happen. There are guys in Dublin who have waited 8 years for a command. You really think their union is going to let that happen? There's probably even enough of them from the North to crew BFS anyway.

Not a chance. Good rumour though..

There is also a bunch of people in the Aer Lingus holding pool, so if they were going to recruit anyone then it will be easier and quicker to just take them from the pool!

Ha ha. If they tried this on then it would be an all out strike and the pilots will bring the company to its knees until it sees sense. Nice one.

I doubt very much that IALPA will let this happen but then EI could always set up another business that would make it a different entity and outside of IALPA's influence. It's highly unlikely that the Aer Lingus management will miss the opportunity to get the pilots in their first new base outside of the republic on reduced T&Cs. I hope they don't but all will be revealed in time...

I think setting up another business just to have a new base in Northern Ireland is a little extreme! I'm sure it will just be another base, same as the other bases they have.

If they aren't on the Aer Lingus seniority list they aren't Aer Lingus pilots. If Aer Lingus wants to set up another airline - fine. Just as long as they don't try calling it 'Aer Lingus'.
They've had subsidiary airlines before - e.g. Futura. Wholly owned by Aer Lingus, employed non-Aer Lingus pilots, no problem.

But would Aer Lingus management seriously want to devalue the Brand by dropping the name? What would the share-holders think!

What about a GB-style armslength franchise? Possible?

Exactly MarkD, it's possible in this changing aviation world. In the early nineties most pilots at Aer Lingus reckoned that Ryanair would be gone within a couple of years, look at them now, the biggest airline in Europe. Last year FR caused a stir by making an aggressive attempt to take control at EI which for the time being has been suppressed. Take a look around, it's uncertain times over ownership at Iberia, Alitalia, bmi and the list could go on and on. Iberia have clickair, bmi have bmibaby, BA have GB as a franchise, why not a subsidiary for Aer Lingus? After all, if based in NI the pilots would be paid in Sterling presumably? If there is a threat to T&Cs then IALPA should oppose it vehemently but it could get nasty in my opinion.

A bit like EZY have done in Madrid then????

DECs
 

The only people who are staying tight-lipped about the base and the recruitment of pilots are EI themselves - wouldn't be the craziest idea they have thought of - how tightly crewed is EI anyway?

Hi all
Plenty of Norn Iron pilots in Aer Lingus,who'd love to go back to the Province/Occupied Six Counties at the first chance, without having to rough it in a real low-cost airline...wonder how much pressure the Govt put EI under to go there? Apart from the pilots, what about mechs and cabin crews? Can't move the 'Buses without them.Probably local hire-ins...
regards
TDD

Yippeeee.......another reason for a strike at EI, and I thought we were running out of reasons!!!:ugh::ugh:

How many reasons do you have for enjoying it up the jacksie?
Dozens, I'm sure. :E

So, are EI opening a base at BFS or not ?
Any more info?

Here's a link to RTE news:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2007/0805/aerlingus.html

So it looks like Aer Lingus will be setting up a base at Aldergrove!

Ei -bfs
 

Yes - Allegedly x 3 A320s. To re-open the BFS-LHR route dropped by BA and then BMI a few years back. Existing EI slots to be used.

Plus 6 European destinations. I am told these will be routes mostly already operated by either EasyJet or Jet2. A bit of head to head competition. Over 100 jobs to be created. I think it will be announed officially tomorrow.