Aer Lingus Fleet/ Routes Discussion Pt 2 (ALL possible routes included)

sherology

8 LRs in fleet for potential first wave near-Europe rotations, 2 new neo's last year, 2 due this year (same lessor I believe - Russian non-deliverables - hopefully they'll be EI configuration -seats, galley, containerized cargo etc. as opposed to SmartAvia configuration as EI would likely have had time to request), and two ordered from Airbus a few months ago from IAGs booking - likely 2024; 6 XLRs coming from 2025 (I assume they'll be a bit later than 2024 certification date). No idea if they're returning ceo's, but DVL isn't that old. It appears to be hard to get any aircraft or even spare parts these days so maybe they're holding onto it... Guess you'll know soon enough if it gets a repaint.

EchoIndia

EI-DVJ on approach to Dublin at the moment - all-white as predicted.

Gary walsh 32

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120205564#Comment_120205564

Yep it was withdrawn on the 27th of January

tomister

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120203149#Comment_120203149

EI-EIN headed to Bordeaux on 9th Feb

donkey balls

What's with the flyers coming through house hold doors, With EI advertising ground & Cabin crew jobs also why are they using that agency who FR use.

Have to say in all my years working in the transport industry, And since the lifting of restrictions I've have never seen so many companies who have never really advertised vacancies, Apart from job websites advertising on radio and in newspapers and now flyers.

bikeman1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120228424#Comment_120228424

Because there is a MASSIVE shortage of employees across every sector. From Accountants to Pilots to Cleaners to admin staff to the service sector.

Companies are now really coming under pressure as they have more work / flights / trains / buses to deal with than they can cope at the current staffing levels.

It is for this reason that they are resorting to as many different ways to recruit staff for their organisation.

California Dreamer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120228436#Comment_120228436

We are desperately short of staff, we need you now etc etc. BUT we will still only pay you slightly over minimum wage and you will have to deal with the (mostly) angry travelling public in a frontline roll. 🙄

EchoIndia

Angry travelling public?

donkey balls

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120231007#Comment_120231007

Are the EI ramp lads not on €20 an hour plus shift allowance? My crowd are finding it hard to get staff and the work is M/F days no night shifts etc.

lordleitrim

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41069696.html

Clever use of transatlantic planes for in between short-haul flights.

EchoIndia

They have been doing that for several years. I flew DUB-AGP return on A330s in 2012.

LXFlyer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120235945#Comment_120235945

That’s been the case for a long time!

HTCOne

AGP and FAO have been served by A330s in the Summer about 15 years now.

sherology

I thought it was funny, but good 'free' PR I guess.

Any word when the two new leased 320neos will be coming this year (based on last year's announcement of 2 in 22 and 2 more in 23).

Sexual Chocolate

Surprised that EI never got some standard all economy a321 neos for their busier routes or is there a plan to use the LRs for short haul when the XLRs arrive and reconfigure them to all economy ?

Ireland trains

Are the brand new a320 neos going to be 186 seats aswell.

if they’re anything like the newer BA short haul seats they’ll b a big downgrade.

Jack1985

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120237217#Comment_120237217

The A320neo's EI already operate (-SA/SB) are and will continue to be delivered as Y186.

It would be my opinion, forward of the exit rows, BA's A320 Neo cabins are superior to EI's. Aft of the exit rows they present the same product that EI offer in whole cabin. BA also have in seat power points.

Tenger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120236073#Comment_120236073

At least 12 years. I flew an A330 to Malaga in 2010. (maybe 2009)

Tenger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120237077#Comment_120237077

The A321neo were order to operate thin routes across the Atlantic. At the point they were order EI already had 3x A321ceo in their fleet and the XLR wasnt yet launched.

The A321neos do operate some shorthaul routes. EI will get more profit using them on longhaul.

Im sure than once they commit to a full fleet refresh there may be 2-3 A321neo in all economy config to complent the A320neos.

Locker10a

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120236698#Comment_120236698

I’m sure I’ve heard before that as far back at the 70s 747s were used for canary flights, I’ve no source for this but I think it was touched on in the RTE documentary “The way we were”.

Im sure someone somewhere would have the facts

EchoIndia

I can recall 747s being used to LPA, FAO, LDE amongst others, all charters of course. The fleet was not so heavily tasked in those days. Aer Lingus's 737s and 1-11s were not long-legged, so 707s and 747s covered some of the longer charter services such as to Greece.

Qprmeath

Ground staff is the main issue especially roles which require full license. Wages for EI starters not much more than €400 a week takehome for driving on the ramp, rostered weekends and 4am starts is not hugely attractive not surprisingly

Sexual Chocolate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120237449#Comment_120237449

I understand how the LRs are currently operating between TA and certain early morning Europe routes. But seat wise theres very little between them and the a320s. The LRs hold 10 more pax but 16 seats are also business class.

Ive just always wondered why the a321ceos were never replaced to operate higher capacity routes. If I remember right the final jobs they performed were ferrying people back from the Canaries before lockdown. Where they always intended to be retired as soon as they were or did Covid speed it up ? 

Easyjets hold 235 pax so if EI were to even go 6 less seats at 229 or even 223 it would surely be beneficial ? Would they struggle to fill and all economy a321 at the best of times ?

I'm far from an airline expert but I've often wondered why EI do and dont do certain things. The A220 is another one I always thought EI should of went with for thinner routes. 

And that's not to say they haven't done anything good either logic wise. The LRs across the Atlantic is a brilliant idea. Not going ahead with the A350 was probably also another wise decision with the A330 neo knocking around now, not that they've ordered any yet.

goingnowhere

The A321CEO's were to go by this stage either way. They had been shuttling back and forward DUB-LHR mostly for years. Off to be converted to freighters.

The A321NEOLR has provision for conversion to a full Y config, there is a plug for the door behind the wing. You pull the extra full tanks out and its not longer a LR

The A321's were great for high capacity routes and could be moved around. They worked as EI owned them outright so having them parked up during off season wasn't an issue, roll them out for December trips to North Pole and ski charters

HTCOne

Was about to say the same thing, remove the ACTs on the LRs, change the seating and rejig the exit config and voila, short haul A21N.

bikeman1

What I’d like to see is proper utilisation of Euro business service with their A321neos.

They should bed them in on certain routes in the morning, like what they currently have on the DUB/SNN - LHR and DUB-CDG. These should be offered as a proper business flight and on board service. See less for through pax connecting across the Atlantic.

HTCOne

I believe it is almost entirely connecting J class pax filling those J seats on the LR Euro turns. If they have insufficient TATL feed, the J cabin won’t make money, meaning they’d have been better using a standard 320 on the short haul turn and sending the LR across the pond.

IIRC, FCO & MAN are also getting the 321 in the mornings this summer? One would imagine as the XLRs arrive there’ll be more. EDI & BCN must be up there for demand.

Murph85

Where are they likely to deploy the xlr to ? Denver? And maybe Houston or dfw? Any other likely spots

kevinandrew

I would have thought Denver was an A330 candidate, apparently it was previously evaluated and narrowly missed out to Seattle which we know launched with the A332. The cargo potential of new routes is often a big factor, some routes may have thinner passenger volumes suited to the XLR but may require larger cargo capacity which where the wide-body will have the advantage.

I think we’ll see the XLR replacing some current A321LR routes as well as expanding onto their own services. New services like Dallas to complement the American service and new cities like Cincinnati, Nashville and New Orleans have potential, particularly if there’s heavy incentives negotiated in the early years. Some cities will be more willing than others to do this of course.

Finally launching Montreal must be still be a priority and exploring other options in Canada too.

FR738

DEN and DFW might be a bit far for an XLR, especially if EI retain the same configuration (which I assume they will) which is more dense than SAS, JetBlue and even TAPs A321LRs