Aer Lingus link with Aer Arann?

FlutterinBantam

My sources tell me there are rumours of a situation where Aer Arann aircraft will operate in Aer Lingus livery, and the crews in EI uniform to run some UK provincial routes.

Maybe up to 5 a/c and crew...

Cannot confirm but seems like a good idea?

BuffyBot

No rumour - the deal has already been signed (don't know if it'll be in Aer Lingus livery/uniform) but they will be feeding into the EI network from the UK and domestically.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2010/0106/1224261735975.html

Long overdue - Aer Lingus could have done with an "Aer Lingus Express" style operation before now.

Plowman

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Stovepipe

Hi there
Commuter saved EI's ass one fine day, when it was discovered that EI's AOC for it's Mainline operation had accidentally been allowed to come within a few hours of expiry. They hastily reversed into Commuter's AOC, which saved the day, until a new AOC was written for Mainline. So, the little operation saved the big operation a great deal of expensive embarrassment. Some day, the history of Commuter will be written and a few other secrets will come to light;)
regards

Stovepipe

BuffyBot

Definitely going ahead as of today's news.

Flights are loaded on aerlingus.com already, with EI flight numbers. EI are franchising the brand to RE, so it does look like they'll be flying in EI colours/uniforms with EI product.

gaff85

I think this is a great move by both EI and RE.

EI will be able to fly into smaller airports without the need to purchase different aircraft, RE now have a guaranteed revenue stream for the foreseeable future..

You never know, RE might actually start to use RJ's on the longer Euro routes that are to long for an ATR72 and the demand to small for and A320, we will have to wait and see.

Send the RE lads to the states and see how express jet, comair etc carry out the role as a regional feeder service for a main stream airline.


I cant wait to see an ATR in the EI livery.

Plowman

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BuffyBot

gaff85 wrote: »

I think this is a great move by both EI and RE.

EI will be able to fly into smaller airports without the need to purchase different aircraft, RE now have a guaranteed revenue stream for the foreseeable future..

You never know, RE might actually start to use RJ's on the longer Euro routes that are to long for an ATR72 and the demand to small for and A320, we will have to wait and see.

Send the RE lads to the states and see how express jet, comair etc carry out the role as a regional feeder service for a main stream airline.


I cant wait to see an ATR in the EI livery.

This is what EI was missing: smaller craft for those kinds of routes. Personally I'd love to see RE get their hands on an E170/190 for Euro routes..we'll see what the future brings.

Tea 1000

They won't change any livery I reckon, still be Aer Arann livery and uniforms. So no ATR's in Aer Lingus colours!

FlutterinBantam

Uhmmmm :rolleyes:

FidesEtRobur

Four aircraft, the 72-500’s, will be painted in full Aer Lingus livery with the addition of the phrase ‘Operated by Aer Arann’. Flight and cabin crew will be Aer Arann staff and cabin crew will wear Aer Lingus uniforms.

Barname

FidesEtRobur wrote: »

Four aircraft, the 72-500’s, will be painted in full Aer Lingus livery with the addition of the phrase ‘Operated by Aer Arann’. Flight and cabin crew will be Aer Arann staff and cabin crew will wear Aer Lingus uniforms.

thanks for that!

Tea 1000

Well shut me up!
If only I read it properly! I'm surprised though, first time I've seen this happen, and airlines link up with each other for certain routes all the time.
You can book a flight to Oz from Heathrow with BA and actually be on a Virgin flight, and vice versa.
Sorry for useless post above!


Edit: I must still be reading it incorrectly, I still can't see that anywhere...

Original Steyr

Well im happy to say this will be a new spotting experience, Camera's at the ready lads.:D

FlutterinBantam

Tea 1000 wrote: »

Well shut me up!
If only I read it properly! I'm surprised though, first time I've seen this happen, and airlines link up with each other for certain routes all the time.
You can book a flight to Oz from Heathrow with BA and actually be on a Virgin flight, and vice versa.
Sorry for useless post above!


Edit: I must still be reading it incorrectly, I still can't see that anywhere...

When you are here for a while you will learn to know who to believe and who not to

Note post #1:cool:

Stovepipe

Hi all,
This has been a rumour since about last October and was gathering legs over time. Aer Lingus went in and did an audit, which was done in a very hush-hush manner (staff told not to talk to media or mates,etc) and then they did one a few weeks later, walking around RE offices wearing their EI IDs in plain sight.So, the rumour started to turn into hard fact.Initially, the proposal was that the Arann aircraft would simply carry an Aer Lingus name sticker on the side but now it appears to have mushroomed to full paint jobs (where did they find the money for that??), in the fashion of American-style regionals.Ironic, really, considering that this was what Commuter was originally set up to do, so many years ago.People in EI are a bit pissed off because the Company couldn't be arsed telling the people on the ground what was going on( EI pilots/engineers/loaders/handlers/cabin crew,etc.) until we saw the Arann aircraft appearing on our scheduling pages on our workstations.Usual case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand was doing.I wonder where O'Ceidigh is on this.He's very quiet for an accomplished media whore.
regards
Stovepipe

?Cee?view

Stovepipe wrote: »

Hi all,
accomplished media whore.
regards
Stovepipe

Would "accomplished" on its own not be more appropriate? If he's really done this deal, then he's certainly really pulled the pan out of the fire!

Stovepipe

Hi there,
He's had the practise.Arann has come close to disaster a few times and only avoided closure by swift action.Certainly, he's accomplished but I think this time, more experienced heads than he gain the credit for this one.
regards
Stovepipe

?Cee?view

You're probably dead right. He's boosted (or maybe had to boost) his managment team over the last while.

Barname

this is a brilliant deal for AerLingus

AerArann will be paying to increase pax #'s for AerLingus

AerArann will be providing free advertising for AerLingus

AerArann will most likely lose money ferrying pax for AerLingus

smells of a last chance saloon gamble by AerArann to 'show a deal' and to 'keep investors on board'

Stovepipe

Aer Arann will gain from this as they will fill aircraft, fly more routes and we will get to use an economical ATR on shorter routes instead of sending a half-full A320.The later ATR-72s are fast and quiet so there are benefits there already, especially with fuel burn over short legs.If they play it right, Arran will benefit from being allied to a bigger player. I'd imagine there will be aggressive action from FR or EZY on some routes, so that woud be one to watch.
regards
Stovepipe

PILOT

I believe this codeshare brings nothing but good news for Aer Arann. RE is seen by many people as a "domestic airline" flying short hop service to dublin from the rest of the country.

The marketing of RE flights to Britain and France was poor on their behalf, that the reason for low load factors. The EI brand and with correct marketing should make this alliance successful.

Will be a pity of the New RE spiral livery on the ATR72's is painted into EI colours. That livery always brightened up my day when i saw it .......

alpha2zulu

Just came across this image on one of the other sites of the RE aircraft-REO now in full EI colours. While its a bit sad to see Aer Arann lose some of its hard fought corporate identity, the shamrock scheme certainly looks great on the ATR.

http://www.pprune.org/airlines-airports-routes/290291-aer-lingus-5-a-132.html#post5556699

View Profile

Looks very well, reminds me of the Fokker's.

Plowman

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highlydebased

Plowman wrote: »

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T'was painted in Shannon

Dacian

Neon-Circles wrote: »

T'was painted in Shannon

Should have done it in Hanger 6 to piss off the competition.

Dantanian

I will be flying to New York next Monday and was wondering if anyone could tell me if Aer Lingus provide free refreshments ie. meals, drinks and most importantly alcohol??

Tea 1000

Dantanian wrote: »

I will be flying to New York next Monday and was wondering if anyone could tell me if Aer Lingus provide free refreshments ie. meals, drinks and most importantly alcohol??

You could have looked that up on Aerlingus.ie instead of picking two random threads to stick your query in. Once was bad enough!
Back on topic, when are these Regional flights commencing?

Steyr

Plowman wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Im heading out to EICM tomorrow morning, will she be on the Ramp? Contrails says she is there now at EICM and due to stay til wednesday?

Growler!!!

28th March is when EI regional is due to start.

If its in GWY in the morning I might get to see it.:)

Steyr

Growler!!! wrote: »

If its in GWY in the morning I might get to see it.:)

Snap! Il be out in the morning i hope.

alpha2zulu

Just seen this set on another site of the rollout at SNN, definetly one of the smartest looking ATR's in the sky!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shanair/4415211276/in/photostream/

Butch Cassidy

Has anyone flown with these Aer Lingus regional/Aer Arann flights? I've noticed that the fares (well, "fares", the actual end price you pay to travel) have risen quite significantly. You could've got a Dub-Gla flight before March 28 for about €50-€60 and now a return flight is starting at €80 with the "zero fare" option.

Why introduce a new service and charge so much extra for it?

BuffyBot

Has anyone flown with these Aer Lingus regional/Aer Arann flights?

The agreement only starts on the 28th.

Butch Cassidy

Sorry, should've said has anyone booked any of the filghts.

What's the overhead cabin baggage storage like on these planes? I flew on one to Cardiff a few years ago and I remember the plane and storage space was tiny but checked baggage wasn't charged for.

BuffyBot

Well checked bags will be charged (as per standard EI rules). Cabin baggage allowance is smaller than EI's mainline allowance. From what I remember the bins are small enough.

Melion

Last one was finished in our hangar today. EI-REP

hurleronditch

Was in and out of LCY a few times in the last few days and saw one of the EI ATRs both landing and taking off. great looking bit of kit.

Though i end up there way more often than i would like, i just love that airport. Actually get there as early as i can so i can sit at the window watching the lovely little ones come in and out. todays favourite was a gorgeously swift looking luxair embraer

alpha2zulu

With all the -500's now in the EI operation, what happens to the IOM-LCY route.

I know RE pushed for LCY steep approach certification for the -500's, but with all of them gone is that route just going to be a 42 from now on? Haven't heard of the 72-200's being rated for the steep aaproaches into LCY yet.

Anyway best of luck to all the REA crew with the new venture starting tomorrow:)

annex

Butch Cassidy wrote: »

I've noticed that the fares (well, "fares", the actual end price you pay to travel) have risen quite significantly. You could've got a Dub-Gla flight before March 28 for about €50-€60 and now a return flight is starting at €80 with the "zero fare" option.

Why introduce a new service and charge so much extra for it?

Funny you mentioned the fare. I fly to Glasgow a fair bit, I usually fly out on Thursday and return on Monday, the last 4 flights I made averaged out at €54.28 but when I looked for a flight for later this month early next month I was quoted €85.70 (both of those include the €10 booking fee) I will be getting the Ulster Bus service over to Glasgow (Belfast-Stranrar) for £39.50 return. I am not in any great hurry so its no big deal, would rather have more money in my pocket.
In just over a year I spent €1000 on flights to Glasgow, they wont be getting any more from me in the near future!
And I wont fly Ryanair!!!

airvan

The reason fares have gone up is nothing to do with the Aer Lingus connection. Fares are seasonal. They increase during the peak period which starts after March and usually ends in October. That's why they appear to have changed. It's the same with most airlines. Most timetables run from March to October.

It's supply and demand that's all. More people travel at this time of year.

You'll find hotel rooms have got more expensive too.

annex

Here are some flights I made the past year.
May 28 - June 2 2009 €56.21
July 17 - July 20 2009 €66.76
Sep 23 - Sep 26 2009 €49.19
Dec 10 - Dec 14 2009 €52.20
Feb 11 - Feb 15 2010 €55.97

Those fares were not "seasonal" they are different times of the year and different times of the day. I have never paid over €70 for a flight to Glasgow, why over the last year have they been between €49-€66 and now all of a sudden they hit the mid 80 euro mark for the same flight.

annex

I would like to add that the flight in May last year, the total tax was €46.21 and the tax for the same flight over the same weekend this May is €71.72.

Butch Cassidy

You are quite right annex. The flights to Glasgow - and all of EI's flights in general - have gone up and up in price quite substantially over the past year. It's now a standard 80Euros or so to get to the UK ie. with a "free" fare you end up paying about 80 quid there and back in the taxes, charges and mystical "handling fee". I know part of this is that feckin' airplane tax but at the same time they're not doing themselves any favours. As you said, you can go via Stranraer which while a bit more hasslesome you can at least leave it until a few days beforehand to buy rather than having to buy a flight months in advance to get the mythical "free" fare plus taxes and charges and fee.


The thing I want to know is how is the baggage situation on this smaller planes? As far as I remember when I last flew with Aer Arann they didn't have a checked luggage fee and there was very little space in the overhead bins. So even if you had one of them hand luggage bags you'd probably have to check it in if there's not enough space which is another cushy few quid added on top. It's bizzarre with this Aer Arann thing, more frequency yet they're making us pay through the teeth for it!

It's also a longer flight.

GeturGun

Yeah I had a plan last year to fly every month so supplemented my holiday flights with some day-trips/2-day trips to the UK and they were available all over the place, if you had a zero fare each way, the total was €42.something. Generally to Manchester, Birmingham, Gatwick and Edinburgh. Some I even booked in Feb for Aug/Sept so you could get them well in advance as well.

They are very few and far between this year, I have managed to get 2 x forty-something fares so far this year and that was by watching and waiting and grabbing them when they popped up. I'm not going to be able to do as many at those €70/80 fares this year though.

I dunno, maybe half the pax at double the fare makes more revenue in the long run for them........

It's not going to so their LFs any good though.

Butch Cassidy

Oh FFS they've changed their baggage size limit now!

http://www.aerlingus.com/cgi-bin/obel01im1/Support/helpBaggage.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@1049828202.1272929598@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccddadekfmfhmmhcefecfigdffgdfki.0&Category=2&P_OID=-536880753&C_OID=536889336#carryon



Aer Arann were the last of the Irish carriers to start charging for hold luggage and even at that they've been fairly decent and not too much of a rip off. I'm really not seeing the merits of these "regional" flights. I've a normal hand luggage bag that did me grand for the Airbus but now it's too big for the ATRs so I'll have to pay €24 return for that as well as the hike in price up to €80 starting price return - starting price ie. "free fare" booked months in advance.