Aer Lingus Fleet/Routes Discussion

goingnowhere

Aeroflot had a remove a lot of aircraft as a result of the changing economic situation. Good old hard currency game.

Flown with them in 2013, aircraft cabin in impeccable condition on both flights. They do take a bit of pride still as a flag carrier (for the USSR, its still on the logo)

Tenger

joeysoap wrote: »

Why would Aeroflot 'store' a 2009 320? Quick glance at airfleets show they have much older 320's active. Could this be a 'troublesome' aircraft that was first on their list for getting rid of?

As above, its not necessarily Aeroflot 'storing' the aircraft. It's Aeroflot ending/allowing to end the lease of an A320 from GECAS. The newer aircraft are more expensive to lease than the older ones.

cdsb46

Can anyone confirm if Aer Lingus has changed from the 757 to 330 for Toronto?

JCX BXC

cdsb46 wrote: »

Can anyone confirm if Aer Lingus has changed from the 757 to 330 for Toronto?

It will from next summer.

Jamie2k9

cdsb46 wrote: »

Can anyone confirm if Aer Lingus has changed from the 757 to 330 for Toronto?

From March 14 until 28 October.

CaptainSkidmark

goingnowhere wrote: »

Aeroflot had a remove a lot of aircraft as a result of the changing economic situation. Good old hard currency game.

Flown with them in 2013, aircraft cabin in impeccable condition on both flights. They do take a bit of pride still as a flag carrier (for the USSR, its still on the logo)

Agreed, Fantastic airline. Top class service. No alcohol in economy class AFAIK, certainly not on Moscow to Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk or Khabarovsk. My colleagues used fly Transaero a few years back on those routes and it used be carnage. People thumping each other on board.

L1011

KLM are returning two CF6 powered 330s to lessors this year - even if its their oldest, they're 11 years old. Considering recent A320 adds have been lease returns I do wonder if these are on their radar. With the vast bulk of recent 330s being Roller powered, useful second-hand CF6 models aren't that abundant.

Razor44

L1011 wrote: »

KLM are returning two CF6 powered 330s to lessors this year - even if its their oldest, they're 11 years old. Considering recent A320 adds have been lease returns I do wonder if these are on their radar. With the vast bulk of recent 330s being Roller powered, useful second-hand CF6 models aren't that abundant.

You would have to think it would make sense for EI due to the rarity of the CF6 330s. However does EIs current CEO have the vision for that, and the ability to make that vision/strategic view into a business case for them.

Looking at EI from the outside of late just reminds me of EI.COM days. Cut costs maximise profits even if the service suffers.

Couple that with the service changes across IAG, BOB on BA etc (not working well at role out) I wonder is WW's model dated? It worked for defending against LCCs etc to be only driven by numbers. But has the market changed? For former legacy carriers.

Perhaps a bit of a longer term view on service etc vs value of fair.

The same applies to fleet management in EI's terms. Stay with ceo's etc. I can't help but feel while it makes sense for today's numbers in a few years they will be left behind.

Simon Gruber Says

I was on the two new 330's recently, FNG & FNH. They have an updated economy seat, with a little more cushion, middle armrests that can actually be fully raised and a better IFE screen with a standard headphone jack and USB port. Is it just on the new arrivals and are they going to upgrade the older machines to these if not?

Locker10a

Simon Gruber Says wrote: »

I was on the two new 330's recently, FNG & FNH. They have an updated economy seat, with a little more cushion, middle armrests that can actually be fully raised and a better IFE screen with a standard headphone jack and USB port. Is it just on the new arrivals and are they going to upgrade the older machines to these if not?

That cabin look very nice indeed.
I don't know of any plans to upgrade the older cabins, but I'd happily bet that there aren't any!! As long as the transatlantic product is more or less the same across all the fleet (which it is) I doubt any additional money will be spent

joeysoap

Looks great alright, but a friend who travelled on one says the toilet set up is poor, doors opening onto where staff were taking their lunch break (don't know if it's a lunch break , but where they were having food anyway). But the cabin does look good, clean and bright.

Locker10a

joeysoap wrote: »

Looks great alright, but a friend who travelled on one says the toilet set up is poor, doors opening onto where staff were taking their lunch break (don't know if it's a lunch break , but where they were having food anyway). But the cabin does look good, clean and bright.

Ah yes, sounds about right for any new build airbus. New airbus cabin designs seem to have been built and designed by someone who has totally forgotten a team of crew are required to work onboard them everyday. Newer cabins, while having nicer seats, now have less space for crew and passengers when it comes to aisles, galleys and toilets. Anyone familiar with the A320neo spaceflex will have seen this. Not to mention the cheap and shoddy standard of new overlead locker latchesand galley ones too !

Simon Gruber Says

joeysoap wrote: »

a friend who travelled on one says the toilet set up is poor, doors opening onto where staff were taking their lunch break (don't know if it's a lunch break , but where they were having food anyway).

This is true of the business cabin. The toilet on the left hand side is beside the cockpit door, so you have to go behind the curtain and through the galley to access it. There were crew members having their food and sleeping in the crew seats at times during the flight, covered head to toe in blankets for some privacy. I think this may be the case on all their 330's. The one on the right hand side is also through the curtain, but it's then just on your right and you don't need to go through the galley to get to it.

In the economy cabin, the toilets are at the sides of the aircraft and the galleys are in the middle and can be curtained off, so there's no reason for passengers to pass through it.

PaulKK

Razor44 wrote: »

You would have to think it would make sense for EI due to the rarity of the CF6 330s. However does EIs current CEO have the vision for that, and the ability to make that vision/strategic view into a business case for them.

Just wondering if you could elaborate on this point? Lurker here with an interest in aviation but I'm not close to the industry.

Are all EI 330s CF6 powered and hence there would be compatibility with maintenance etc in terms of harmonised fleet? Or is there a performance reason over RR engines that are more preferable for EI?

Apologies if it's a stupid question.

L1011

All existing EI (and IB) ones are CF6. If going 330neo/350 they'd have to go rolls then but they're different generation Trents anyway

PaulKK

L1011 wrote: »

All existing EI (and IB) ones are CF6. If going 330neo/350 they'd have to go rolls then but they're different generation Trents anyway

Thanks. What was the driver for only having this variant?

Were their first 330s CF6 powered and kept commonality in the fleet as it expanded to reduce cost?

L1011

The CF6 was first to market anyway - think their first deliveries were before all the options were available. At least it's not the Pratt and Whitney version which is even less common.

Bussywussy

Simon Gruber Says wrote: »

Is it just on the new arrivals and are they going to upgrade the older machines to these if not?

There is a plan to modify existing seats with the newer Panasonic eco monitors,not sure will it happen,there is no problem in the design and recertifying of the seats,recaro are already on it.

roundymac

http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/52430-aer-lingus-to-finalize-a321neolr-tender-shortly
Just spotted this on the web, interesting development. 7 A3231s LR.

Locker10a

roundymac wrote: »

http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/52430-aer-lingus-to-finalize-a321neolr-tender-shortly
Just spotted this on the web, interesting development. 7 A3231s LR.

So does that mean they are requesting leasing companies who have access to or orders for the A321LR to offer leases ? They don't intend to purchase any? Just lease, how soon could these leases be available ?

Tenger

Locker10a wrote: »

So does that mean they are requesting leasing companies who have access to or orders for the A321LR to offer leases ? They don't intend to purchase any? Just lease, how soon could these leases be available ?

Currently the leasing companies hold most of the early slots for the A321LR, there is no actual airline marked as the 'launch customer'.
Well that was the case last time I went digging in the Airbus production lists a couple of months ago.

Marcusm

Whether EI has the production slots or not, RFPs are issued both for ordered aircraft (in which case it could be for a variety of financing methods, ECA financing, tax leases etc) and to obtain operating leases of aircraft.

Avada

Bussywussy wrote: »

There is a plan to modify existing seats with the newer Panasonic eco monitors,not sure will it happen,there is no problem in the design and recertifying of the seats,recaro are already on it.

Thank god, the older ife system is crap

Bussywussy

Avada wrote: »

Thank god, the older ife system is crap

It'll be same system,just newer better monitors.

Simon Gruber Says

The touch screen is actually usable on them at least and they've changed the in flight map to one that looks better.

Other than that, it's the same as it was.

Avada

Bussywussy wrote: »

It'll be same system,just newer better monitors.

Its the monitor I was referring to. I found the touchscreen unusable and ending up using the remote in the armrest.

L1011

I suspect Airbus would be relatively happy with EI being the launch customer for the 321LR - restore an airline to all-Airbus status and its also one with a history of trailblazing for them across the Atlantic - taking some of the first 330s (higher serials due to sharing sequence with 340s) built and proving ETOPS on it.

Without digging too deeply I think EI may actually have had the 3rd 330 delivery after a pair to Air Inter. They have actually been *the* launch customer for a type before but a very long time ago - Fokker 27s!

goingnowhere

Indeed EI was the first after Air Inter

kevinandrew

Razor44 wrote: »

L1011 wrote: »

KLM are returning two CF6 powered 330s to lessors this year - even if its their oldest, they're 11 years old. Considering recent A320 adds have been lease returns I do wonder if these are on their radar. With the vast bulk of recent 330s being Roller powered, useful second-hand CF6 models aren't that abundant.

You would have to think it would make sense for EI due to the rarity of the CF6 330s. However does EIs current CEO have the vision for that, and the ability to make that vision/strategic view into a business case for them.  

That would be a very costly exercise and would have little to do with vision. Aer Lingus has no requirement for second hand A330s, even if they are CFM powered, when they've already got brand new deliveries on the way this year. They'd be purchasing/leasing an aircraft simply for the sake of it.

Bussywussy

Simon Gruber Says wrote: »

The touch screen is actually usable on them at least and they've changed the in flight map to one that looks better.

Other than that, it's the same as it was.

Yup the only real difference from EX2 and EX3 from pax point of view is the above mentioned and only handsets in front rows in economy,the distribution end differs alright.