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Aer Lingus BFS Base Opening

  • 09-12-2007 4:41pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350
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    Well, the time has come. Aer Lingus' Belfast base is starting operations as of tomorrow.
    • First set of cabin crew finished training within the last week or so and have been doing their fam flights out of Dublin.
    • First A320 positioned to BFS today from DUB.
    • AMS and BCN to start tomorrow (10th) and GVA to start on Tuesday (11th).
    I'll keep scouring the web and twisting arms to keep you all updated. :)

    ADD: EI-DVE in BFS today to begin ops tomorrow.


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Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,321 Foggy43
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    Some of my Northern Ireland buddies are very happy at LHR. Competition on the LHRBFS route and hell have the fares dropped. It appears both BMI and Aer Lingus offering flights at £0.01p in the new year. Works out around £40 with all the charges.

    We are still scratching our heads as to why Aer Lingus stopped the SNN slots in favour of BFS. Can't see any poblem having a base there.
    One question I have is about the cheif at Aer Lingus. Is he or was he a solicitor?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350 WexCan
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    Yeah, adding BFS is great, especially if you live to the west of Belfast.

    I think the main thing was there was no extra slots in LHR going so to start the BFS service they needed to take them from elsewhere.

    Dermot Mannion's an accountant "by trade" as far as I know.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,472 highlydebased
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    Sure its EI-DVE? My sources have it as DEK


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350 WexCan
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    Could be mistaken but have a few people telling me it's VE, also makes sense as the crew have been told the base will be launched with one of the newer aircraft.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,472 highlydebased
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    Looks like VE' was working out of DUB this morning at least

    ACARS mode: 1 Aircraft reg: EI-DVE [Airbus A320]
    Message label: ** Block id: @ Msg no: 0906
    Flight id: EI0651 [FRA-DUB] [Aer Lingus]
    Message content:-
    SBS-1 Callsign: EIN65W
    [ 09/12/2007 09:52 ]-

    ACARS mode: 1 Aircraft reg: EI-DVE [Airbus A320]
    Message label: ** Block id: @ Msg no: 1610
    Flight id: EI0650 [DUB-FRA] [Aer Lingus]
    [ 09/12/2007 08:04 ]-


    DEK is also working out of DUB as at 1900 so it is unlikely that is her

    ACARS mode: 2 Aircraft reg: EI-DEK [Airbus A320]
    Message label: Q0 Block id: 8 Msg no: S85A
    Flight id: EI0357 [MUC-DUB] [Aer Lingus]
    [ 09/12/2007 19:10 ]-

    ACARS mode: 1 Aircraft reg: EI-DEK [Airbus A320]
    Message label: ** Block id: @ Msg no: 24f8
    Flight id: EI0356 [EIDW-EDDM] [Aer Lingus]
    [ 09/12/2007 16:39 ]-

    ACARS mode: 2 Aircraft reg: EI-DEK [Airbus A320]
    Message label: Q0 Block id: 4 Msg no: S41A
    Flight id: EI040R [LIRF-EIDW] [Aer Lingus]
    [ 09/12/2007 13:44 ]-

    ACARS mode: 1 Aircraft reg: EI-DEK [Airbus A320]
    Message label: ** Block id: @ Msg no: 2220
    Flight id: EI040G [EIDW-LIRF] [Aer Lingus]
    [ 09/12/2007 08:30 ]-



    No reg on the positioning flight...
    ACARS mode: 1 Aircraft reg: NO-REG [ ]
    Message label: ** Block id: @ Msg no: 2545
    Flight id: EI0092 [EIDW-EGAA] [Aer Lingus]
    [ 09/12/2007 17:28 ]-


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350 WexCan
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    I'm lost, what does lack of picture prove?

    Neon-Circles, DVE's looking like the best bet - no low cost airline worth their salt would have an aircraft on a single FRA rotation in a day. From what I hear she arrived in BFS somewhere between 1600 and 1700.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350 WexCan
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    Everything seems to be going well, first departure to AMS left 5 minutes early, good loads too apparently though that's to be expected :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,472 highlydebased
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    It was Saint Aideen......... Aer Lingus website puts that as DVE ;)


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350 WexCan
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    Ah, must buy my sources a pint next time I see them :)


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,472 highlydebased
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    WexCan wrote: »
    Ah, must buy my sources a pint next time I see them :)

    lol :P


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,858 Henry Ford III
    Mod ✭✭✭✭


    I hear bookings are poor. Quite frankly I hope they loose their shirt up there. They did before didn't they?

    Pulling the SNN-LHR service is unforgivable.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350 WexCan
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    New info is that loads weren't actually all that fantastic on the first flight (AMS), and one must remember that a lot of the pax were journos.

    I'd say they'll do reasonably well on LHR/AMS with the BA/KL codeshares. The other routes remain to be seen, especially with direct competition from easyJet on almost every route and from jet2 on some.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350 WexCan
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    Just found this:

    http://www.airliners.net/discussions/trip_reports/read.main/114664/

    Trip report by a person on the first BFS-AMS flight yesterday, some good vids and pics.

    Interesting to see the Irish announcements weren't used.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,181 Davidth88
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    Just back from AMS

    Last night at 20:40 , you had

    Gate D2 .... EI A320 going to Cork
    Gate D4 .... EI A321 Going to Dublin ( with me on it wanting to get home having missed the 17:50 flight because of a crash on the motorway )
    Gate D6 .... EI A320 going to Belfast


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350 WexCan
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    Talking to dispatcher in BFS today, asked him how EI was doing, evening AMS - 20 pax and 11 bags booked.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6 eidub


    I hear bookings are poor. Quite frankly I hope they loose their shirt up there. They did before didn't they?

    Pulling the SNN-LHR service is unforgivable.

    I know it wasn't a popular decision down the west, but why is it unforgivable exactly?


    In addition, if loads are poor at the moment, I suppose thats to be expected as the base is still very much in its infancy, things will pick up no doubt.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350 WexCan
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    eidub wrote: »
    In addition, if loads are poor at the moment, I suppose thats to be expected as the base is still very much in its infancy, things will pick up no doubt.

    This is very true, but from what I understand forward bookings have been below expectations.

    What I'd love to know is why EI has chosen routes which all have some form of direct/indirect competition from other airlines.
    • BFS-AMS also operated by easyJet.
    • BFS-GVA also operated by easyJet.
    • BFS-BCN also operated by easyJet and Jet2.
    • BFS-LHR has indirect competition from easyJet BFS-LGW/LTN/STN, bmi BHD-LHR, flybe BHD-LGW, Ryanair BHD-STN. In fairness to this route though, it's a good one for onward connections, especially for those west of Belfast.
    • BFS-FCO has indirect competition from easyJet BFS-CIA.
    • BFS-BUD is competition-free.
    • BFS-AGP also operated by easyJet and Jet2.
    • BFS-FAO also operated by easyJet.
    • BFS-NCE also operated by easyJet.
    If you were to take a look at frequencies, EI is a bit lacking. For example, for Summer 2008, easyJet is offering up to 15 flights daily to the three London airports. They may not be Heathrow but for the majority of leisure passengers London is London, and for a lot of business travellers the other London airports are more convenient.

    EI does, of course, have a lot going for it, so it will be interesting to see how it all pans out.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6 eidub


    WexCan wrote: »
    This is very true, but from what I understand forward bookings have been below expectations.

    Yes I have heard mixed reports along these lines, but I suppose you have to keep in mind that considering there was all the uncertainty about the base opening and the possible delays with the industrial disputes, people may not have wanted to risk booking flights that may have been disrupted.

    i agree there is an awful lot of competition up there, but I suppose thats the case everywhere these days, so I think this one will need some time to settle and the base can prove itself or not as the case may be!!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350 WexCan
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    Exactly. Hopefully things will pick up during the Summer, and I can see the LHR route doing quite well.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,321 Foggy43
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    The end of SNN LHR and today the BFS LHR route starts for Aer Lingus. A jounalist from the mid west said she could not book a SNN JFK flight next winter. I tried myself just to see what happens and sure enough the EI website says the LHR JFK flights end October 25, 2008.

    Am I safe in saying Aer Lingus will be gone from SNN after next October? Are the longhaul flights moving to BFS also or is it the same flight numbers but just overflying Shannon. The DUB SNN flights must also be coming to an end as I am sure should when I tried to book a SNN JFK flight I would be offered SNN-DUB-JFK.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,213 therecklessone
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    Foggy43 wrote: »
    The end of SNN LHR and today the BFS LHR route starts for Aer Lingus. A jounalist from the mid west said she could not book a SNN JFK flight next winter. I tried myself just to see what happens and sure enough the EI website says the LHR JFK flights end October 25, 2008.

    Three things:

    1. Try booking DUB JFK for a date after 25th October.

    2. Try booking any flight ex-Dub for the same time period.

    3. Ring up the journalist and tell her she sucks at her job.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,321 Foggy43
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    Three things:

    1. Try booking DUB JFK for a date after 25th October.

    2. Try booking any flight ex-Dub for the same time period.

    3. Ring up the journalist and tell her she sucks at her job.

    What are you talking about :confused:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,213 therecklessone
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    Foggy43 wrote: »
    What are you talking about :confused:

    You cannot book any flights beyond the 25th October on the EI website because they have not loaded their winter schedule into the site yet.

    Among all of the examples I've tried I get this for BFS-LHR:
    Flights do not operate on your selected travel date/s. Aer Lingus operates from Jan 14 2008 - Oct 25 2008 on days Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,614 Rineanna
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    Foggy43 wrote: »
    What are you talking about :confused:

    He's 100% correct; the flights just aren't loaded into the booking engine yet. It's a frequent occurence, yet there's always an ill-informed journalist trying to create controversy based on absolute crap-all fact.
    Foggy43 wrote:
    Am I safe in saying Aer Lingus will be gone from SNN after next October? Are the longhaul flights moving to BFS also or is it the same flight numbers but just overflying Shannon.
    You are far from safe in saying that EI will be gone from SNN after next October. Short-haul, yes. Long-haul, no. There's a good chance, however, that EI will take advantage of the O/S agreement to make the ORD flight go direct DUB-ORD, and a possible reduction in frequency on the BOS/JFK routes.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,472 highlydebased
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    Cargo is quite high on ORD, dunno if they'd pull that or not.

    EI-DVH the ex SNN aircraft now based at BFS.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,321 Foggy43
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    therecklessone, Rineanna

    I see your point. Usually you can book online up to 12 months in advance. I never knew Aer Lingus could be this slow online. But then I always book at the last minute.

    Cargo in SNN? What ever happened to Aer Turas? Must admit the last time I saw one of their freighters was 1988. A DC8 I think.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,472 highlydebased
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    Freight carried on the EI125 SNN-DUB-ORD is high, obviously there is no dedicated freighter service


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 14,575 FlutterinBantam
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    Foggy43 wrote: »
    therecklessone, Rineanna

    I see your point. Usually you can book online up to 12 months in advance. I never knew Aer Lingus could be this slow online. But then I always book at the last minute.

    Cargo in SNN? What ever happened to Aer Turas? Must admit the last time I saw one of their freighters was 1988. A DC8 I think.

    Super DC8... they ceased to fly years ago.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,614 Rineanna
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    Freight carried on the EI125 SNN-DUB-ORD is high, obviously there is no dedicated freighter service

    Have AF stopped their Saturday 747F flights, routing CDG-SNN-ORD?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,321 Foggy43
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    It has been 20 years since I worked on DC-8-63F. I thought they would be part of history but not so. Clocking up 100,000 hours and more. Still flying mainly in America and even with the JT3B engines. I was involved in major checks which included re-engining. In with JT3B and out with CFM56's. European noise regulations was the reason. Come to think of it alot of the DC-8's I worked in Stansted were on the Irish register. GPA were one of the owners.

    I have worked the 747-400 the last 18 years and the 'old' tag and replacement is about to happen or maybe they were talking about me :eek:

    Sorry for going off topic!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,213 therecklessone
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    Foggy43 wrote: »
    therecklessone, Rineanna

    I see your point. Usually you can book online up to 12 months in advance. I never knew Aer Lingus could be this slow online. But then I always book at the last minute.

    Point taken.

    I've a mate tried booking flights recently with Ryanair for travel in 9 months time and he had the same problem, not sure of the dates but I don't think it was the end of October which is usually the switch from summer to winter scheduling..


  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 371 Traffic
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    Anyone got any updates on load factors out of Belfast?

    Read this morning that FR are pulling off Dublin - Shannon


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350 WexCan
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    Loads ex-BFS on the two major routes (AMS, LHR taking forward bookings for next few weeks into account) still low but apparently in line with company expectations.

    Nice to see EI-DVH going up to BFS, flew on her LGW-DUB last week and she was brand spanking shiny new.


  • Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 17,858 Henry Ford III
    Mod ✭✭✭✭


    I predict BFS-LHR will be a financial disaster. Too much competition on similar routes already.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,350 WexCan
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    Only upside is connecting passengers onto BA services, could work out well for them.

    Not holding my breath though.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,472 highlydebased
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    Rineanna wrote: »
    Have AF stopped their Saturday 747F flights, routing CDG-SNN-ORD?


    Still operates, will be operated with the new 777F next year. Cathay Pacific Cargo operated into Shannon from Dubai and out to Brussels, could be the rumoured new service


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,614 Rineanna
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    Still operates, will be operated with the new 777F next year.

    Class! Will have to make a trip out to see thw T7 in action!
    Cathay Pacific Cargo operated into Shannon from Dubai and out to Brussels, could be the rumoured new service
    Unfortunately that was confirmed as an ad-hoc service, transporting race-horses.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,321 Foggy43
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    Aer Lingus have chosen the quietest time of the financial year to start the BFS-LHR operation. We really will not know how succesful it is until the end of September 2008 and Aer Lingus announce their second quarter results.
    The last few days and Terminal 1 has been very quiet in the mornings.

    Also what may need consideration is people just may have had enough of the chaos caused by the security restrictions.

    I noted here http://www.live95fm.ie/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=86994&pt=n that as 'traffic' said FR are stopping the SNN DUB flights. Wasn't our dear friend Mr. O'Leary in SNN on Sunday giving out free flights?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,472 highlydebased
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    In all honesty, nobody will make money with a 738 on SNN-DUB. Not even O' Leary...


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,321 Foggy43
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    I have just had a look at the Aer Ligus and Shannon Airport web sites and it appears to me the SNN DUB shuttle service is gone. You only have the 'legs' of transatlantic routes.

    Am I correct?

    I agree it would be very hard to make a proffit using 737-800's.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,213 therecklessone
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    Foggy43 wrote: »
    I have just had a look at the Aer Ligus and Shannon Airport web sites and it appears to me the SNN DUB shuttle service is gone. You only have the 'legs' of transatlantic routes.

    Am I correct?

    Flights DUB-SHN and back again available in mid-Feb anyway.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,472 highlydebased
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    The EI flights were removed from the booking engine, available again now. €117 return- a bit steep


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