Dublin Airport Bus Service Changes

L1011

18 quid e/w for walk up fares. No mention of staff or taxsaver discounts.

I'll stick to train and 41 for 2 euro e/w....

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120019891#Comment_120019891

Aircoach have a few hire-ins to allow Panthers to be used for the 705x expansion to Derry, until the new Tourismos arrive. There's a Eirebus Jockneere regularly on the 700 and another hire-in has been seen on the 706x as well.

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120019216#Comment_120019216

Yep noticed the address was the same as Dualway, definitely an odd situation going on there

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120020560#Comment_120020560

I'm not sure that is actually what is happening this week though, if you look at bustimes.org you can see the usage of the fleet over the course of this week and yesterday there was around 15 Aircoach owned vehicles of various ages that didn't turn a wheel in service.

https://bustimes.org/operators/aircoach/vehicles

I would imagine this is all about staff shortages as drivers take leave, they are having to backfill with hire ins.

devnull

Latest updates from the Airport Hopper

We're only a small start-up family-ran business at the moment as we find our feet.

We are getting over 200+ messages and comments every single day. At times, we may miss your message which can be easily answered by looking at our website (FAQs section, timetable, tickets etc.)

If you cannot find the answer to your query on our website, please then email our team at [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Please note, there is a HUGE volume of emails but we will respond as soon as we can

As a new business, which we technically are, we need as much help as possible in getting the word out there to people who may use our service.

If you know ANYONE who used the old Airport Hopper OR has given out about the cost of the Airport Carpark or Taxis, please let them know that we're back!

There has been a few comments on their social media posts I note about services not arriving the last couple of days and also I gather they are going to allow social welfare pass holders to book a seat for free to guarantee them a place.

It does seem though if Dualway are at all involved (not been able to establish this for certain yet), there is another company involved with this service that wasn't prior to the pandemic.

p_haugh

Seen on one of the Bus Enthusiast Facebook groups, that Spain's of Galway now own it. Now of course that's very much not officially confirmed mind you.

devnull

They are the company I have heard are involved in the delivery of the service in terms of staff and vehicles but there are still things to be clarified if any other company is involved in any aspect of the operation.

L1011

The vehicles are definitely the old Dualway Noone's (apt for a Maynooth service, of course!)

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120032334#Comment_120032334

There has been at least one of Spain's vehicles seen as well in white. Perhaps that is ex Dualway?

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120032364#Comment_120032364

Seems to be the exact same buses and livery with the Dualway branding removed. Saw one near Harristown garage.

devnull

I see there is now more details on the Dublin Airport Flyer on their website

https://airportflyer.ie/

It looks VERY similar to the Dublin Airport Hopper site in terms of layout and booking engine.

Route appears to be

Barrow Street - St John Rogerson's Quay - Airport Coach Park according to the timetable but the journey planner has Capital House Dock, Charlemont Street and Radisson Blu hotel listed as stops. 

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120019903#Comment_120019903

I see being difficult for these kinds Suburb-Airport routes.

Aircoach's Greystones and Killiney routes appear to be struggling what use is a 2 hourly airport service in Dublin business travellers and those in a rush will probably just use a taxi or park their car and pleasure travellers with more time on their hands will take advantage of the 90 minute fare. Maybe if the times suited you could use the coach.

I think Aircoach seem to be focusing their business model more on the intercity market as opposed to the Dublin market. Dublin Express seem to be capturing the tourist market more.

p_haugh

Pre-covid the 702 & 703 were each every hour, shame they haven't been able to return to this schedule yet.

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120034745#Comment_120034745

Aircoach, like most operators only have a certain amount of driving staff right now and it the simple fact is that if they were to increase the frequency of the 702/703 route or run it later, they'd have to reduce services on the 700/704/705 routes which would make no sense because the services those staff/coaches run on now achieve far better financial performance.

They've already increased their pay but their MD said recently that the main reason for staff leaving them was not because of the pay which people were happy with, but was because of the late hours and unsocial hours that many of their services involved. That no doubt is part of the reason that the 702/703 are not running so late as previously.

I think the fact that they've acquired Airporter will be not only helpful in developing their network, but also helpful in terms of giving them access to another pool of staff to prospectively be bus drivers on the routes operated from the Northern Ireland base. Often they are having to sub Dublin based drivers and vehicles on the Belfast route which should be operated fully by Belfast because of shortages.

Unfortunately when an operation is short of staff they will always deploy their staff in the most profitable way possible and simply put, the 700, 704 and 705 routes are always going to be higher priority at this time.

belfast stephen

not all Airporter staff moved to Aircoach

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120038447#Comment_120038447

I'm aware that not everyone has moved across, but still it does give them access to extra staff than previously and an extra location to source their staff from which will no doubt be helpful.

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119993577#Comment_119993577

On top of this previous request to rate a service that wasn't at the time running five stars in order to negate previous bad reviews from the previous owners from when the service was actually running, the Airport Hopper Facebook page has now asked for people to not leave negative reviews if they have had a negative experience.

Have you used our service and really enjoy it? Are you happy to hear that we're back? Take two minutes of your day and review our Google & Facebook page 5 stars

If you feel that the service isn't yet 5 stars, please hold off leaving a review and let us know how we can improve in the comments or private message!

I know things such as the above are not unique to the Hopper, but there's been a number of people commenting on their posts who have claimed services have not turned up with seemingly no response to the posts to that effect, at least that I can see publicly.

devnull

Few updates for the new year.

Airport Hopper

I note that the Airport Hopper timetable now shows a service every hour rather than every half an hour as it did initially. There has been no notification of this whatsoever to potential patrons apart from changing the timetable itself.

Aircoach

Having to increasingly use hire-ins over the last week due to a lack of available staff. Doesn't look like there is going to be any expansion of services anytime soon

Derry/Londonderry route is now said to launch in Early 2023. There's no assurances it will be January anymore as there apparently have been some further hurdles hit.

One of the Mercedes Citaros on the Car Park Shuttle is permanently withdrawn. 3 ex First Plaxton Centro B7RLE's rigid buses have now had their paperwork done and ready for use - 07D124896, 07D124903, 07D124906

Dublin Express

Dublin Express are looking to expand at least a little at the start of this year. Apparently Bernard Kavanagh might be in the position to throw more resources at it soon should National Express wish to do so.

belfast stephen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120058194#Comment_120058194

i hear Dublin Express might be looking at A Cross Boarder Route but is only stating when they have the Staff and Vehicles

Also McGill Coach Travel has been Covering runs on the Belfast for a Few Months

devnull

The Derry to Dublin via Belfast Aircoach route will start on 22nd January.

The service does not have authorisation from the NI Department of Infrastructure to carry non airport passengers from Belfast to Derry or passengers from Belfast to Belfast International Airport.

This means whilst all Cross border journeys of all types are permitted. The only domestic NI journeys that are allowed on this service are between Belfast International Airport and Derry or Drumahoe Park and Ride. 

belfast stephen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099538#Comment_120099538

not surprised as that would stand on the Translink 300 service form Belfast to International airport and the 212 to Derry from Belfast so DFI would be losing Money if Translink lose money on them Routes

also understand the New coaches are Due sometime in February

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120099538#Comment_120099538

The timetable is also now available on the website. Going to be a long enough route end-to-end!

https://www.aircoach.ie/timetables/705X?date=2023-01-22

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120101770#Comment_120101770

Yes, but apparently Derry drivers will only drive Derry to Belfast and another driver takes over from Belfast to Dublin so it will be broken up a little bit. The question is going to be whether the service carries enough passengers before it calls at Belfast City Centre to make the Derry to Belfast section viable, bearing in mind it can't set down any passengers at Belfast City centre from Derry.

Really this service was always going to be a mis-mash, because they're using the cross border authorisation that they have to take people between Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, and Airporters license to take people from Belfast International to Derry or Drumahoe Park and Ride combined. Obviously the benefit of that is now that also opens up the Derry to Dublin market for them.

There's talk of new vehicles on their way but interestingly none of the 4x 2017 Panthers have been seen on any Aircoach duties since mid December,, so I would imagine that it may well be that they have been sent up to Derry to start the route off.

mikeybhoy

They surely can't do anything to physically stop passengers getting on in Derry and getting off in Belfast if they really wanted to although they wouldn't be able to get a return bus with Aircoach.

Looking at the journey times on timetables it doesn't seem to have that much in difference between it and the Translink X4 service takes about 30 mins longer but getting stuck in traffic in Belfast will likely be an issue.

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120106902#Comment_120106902

They couldn't stop the passengers no if they were forceful enough, but the Department of Infrastructure in Northern Ireland could suspend their license to carry passengers between two points in NI and also lobby for their cross border authorisation to be cancelled which would kill the route dead overnight and I doubt anyone in the DoI would be crying any tears if that happened.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120106902#Comment_120106902

Most X3 and X4 services take about the 4 hour mark to get between Dublin and Derry.

I can’t see the appeal of taking 5 hours on a coach between Dublin & Derry - the train would be more appealing for that length of time.

It’s difficult to see who would use this service apart from existing users (Derry-Belfast Intl, and Dublin-Belfast).

I can’t imagine too many people taking a coach from Dublin city centre to Belfast International given that there’s pretty much nowhere served from there that isn’t served from Dublin Airport.

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120107764#Comment_120107764

Obviously when the new road is open fully between Belfast and Derry the times will come down, but I agree with you that I cannot see there being a huge market for this, especially with the restrictions on the service permit which means they cannot take people between Derry and Belfast (which probably won't ever change).

At the end of the day Airporter only ran a small almost minibus like bus between Derry and both Belfast Airports and a few other stops, Aircoach have cut one of the airports out and took out a few stops as well, so that's not exactly going to help with demand, and you can be sure that Translink are going to not just stand and watch this happen and the DoI in NI are not exactly supportive of non public operators.

It's good that there is competition on the corridor now, but I see this not being a very easy one to make work. NI is tough for anyone other than Translink with the odds stacked against them in many ways in what is quite a protectionist environment, but you have to think that First may have seen something somewhere that prompted their buyout of Airporter. Just don't see it being the massive opportunity they make it out to be. They make a deal out of the fact that they're the first operator t connect the two airports, but there is a reason for that.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120111069#Comment_120111069

Indeed if they wanted and felt there was a market for a Dublin to Derry service they'd have probably been better off running a direct Dublin to Derry service going a similar routing to the Translink service. A strange move. Wonder why NI is so against commercial services compared to the ROI and the rest of the UK. It seems like the ROI prior to the late 90s.

devnull

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120111155#Comment_120111155

A bit of a long read, but here is a good example of some of the barriers that the commercial sector in Northern Ireland feel that they face at the moment. It's from 2021 but not a lot has changed since then. It also features a contribution from the previous owner of Airporter.

http://aims.niassembly.gov.uk/officialreport/minutesofevidencereport.aspx?&AgendaId=26607&eveID=13296

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120111069#Comment_120111069

The X4 uses the same road as far as Castledawson from Derry so the journey time on that service will drop too by pretty much the same amount.