Aer Lingus to Dubai from March

Sarsfield

from www.aerlingus.com

Aer Lingus Launches New Route to Dubai
Fares from €199 one-way including taxes and will be on sale at
www.aerlingus.com from 3rd November


Aer Lingus has today entered a new phase of its development with the announcement of a new non-stop service from Dublin to Dubai. Commencing March 2006, the service will operate three times a week and is expected to carry 70,000 passengers in the first year. This is the first time Aer Lingus has offered a long-haul destination outside of the USA and is the first step in the expansion of its new long-haul network.

Making the announcement, Aer Lingus Chief Executive Dermot Mannion said "This is a very positive step for the airline and demonstrates our commitment to the development of a low fares, long-haul strategy, embracing new routes with significant growth potential. Our twin track strategy encompasses both short-haul and long-haul routes, which provides us with a competitive edge, a unique offering and furthermore enhanced choice for our customers.

Dubai is recognised as the business centre of the Middle East. In addition it has seen a huge growth in tourism from the Irish market over the last 10 years. Dubai will also provide a unique growth opportunity for Irish tourism from new and existing markets. These factors give us confidence that this route will be a major success."

In addition to being an attractive location in its own right, Dubai is the leading hub in the Middle East for destinations such as Bangkok, Hong Kong and Sydney.

Dubai will be the fifth route in the Aer Lingus long-haul network along with New York, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles. In all, Aer Lingus has announced sixteen new routes in 2005. The eight-hour non-stop flight of 3682 miles to Dubai International Airport will be serviced by three Airbus A330 aircraft.

Just thougth I'd beat Victor to the press release

BuffyBot

Hmmm..with Gulf Air doing a service to Bahrain, the middle east seems fairly well served from Dublin already. I would have thought it would have made more sense for Aer Lingus to go somewhere it could connect with Cathay or Qantas (considering they are OneWorld partners).

honru

I like all this expansion.

dowlingm

Mannion being ex-Emirates means he knows the territory.

BuffyBot

Expansion is good, but 3 times a week with an A330 to a dead-end destination is an odd choice. Dubai has great potential as a tourist route, but 3 a week seems overkill. Considering Aer Lingus's current product offering, they have a lot to live up to when compared to the likes of Emirates etc (even if a passenger has to go via Heathrow).

Victor

http://www.transport.ie/viewitem.asp?id=7045&lang=ENG&loc=1850

Minister Cullen Welcomes Aer Lingus Announcement of New Service To Dubai
27 October 2005

Mr. Martin Cullen, T.D., Minister for Transport, has welcomed today's announcement (27 October 2005) by Aer Lingus of the commencement of a new long-haul non-stop air service to Dubai from Dublin. The service will begin in March 2006 with three operations a week.

Minister Cullen said: "I was delighted to hear the good news about the new service to Dubai. This is an important and exciting step for Aer Lingus in taking advantage of the significant growth opportunities that are out there in the markets. Aer Lingus flying to and from more destinations means the airline can offer greater choice to consumers, open new markets for Irish tourism and grow jobs.

"As all of Aer Lingus' long-haul services up to now have been to the US, the service to Dubai represents the start of a new expansion phase for the Company's long-haul network looking eastwards. It is a reflection of the commitment of the Board, management and staff in the Company in ensuring that Aer Lingus continues to thrive and grow, despite operating in a volatile environment with ever increasing competition and rising oil prices. Achieving an appropriate cost base and the operational flexibility to compete and support this growth will be essential."

The Minister has consistently said in the past that Aer Lingus flying to and from more destinations means that the airline can offer greater choice to consumers, open new markets for Irish tourism and help to grow jobs. The Dubai service, together with the fifteen other new short-haul routes announced by Aer Lingus in 2005, are a testimony to the confidence we can have in the Company and its ability to meet the challenges it faces as well as to take advantage of opportunities.

The Government is also playing its part in ensuring that Aer Lingus can take advantage of growth opportunities and be able to withstand external shocks with the decision earlier this year on funding. Work is underway by the financial and legal advisors appointed by the Ministers for Transport and Finance to recommend the most appropriate transaction mechanism, including advice on its size, type and timing. That phase of their work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

ENDS

dowlingm

Apparently neither EI nor now apparently the DoT remembers that Montreal is not in the United States. Hell, it's barely in Canada as it is!

positron

BuffyBot wrote:

Expansion is good, but 3 times a week with an A330 to a dead-end destination is an odd choice. Dubai has great potential as a tourist route, but 3 a week seems overkill.

Dubai is very well connected to South Asia and the Far East (Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, South India etc) - great news for the foreign workforce here in Ireland – transiting thru Heathrow (different terminals, the visa and stuff like that) is a right PIA.

Good news. Will it be great news (price-wise), fingers crossed!

BuffyBot

Apparently neither EI nor now apparently the DoT remembers that Montreal is not in the United States. Hell, it's barely in Canada as it is!

It makes the soundbite a little less snappy if you mention such things

Dubai is very well connected to South Asia and the Far East

It is. Alas, not with Aer Lingus partners.

dowlingm

buffybot

a codeshare with EK is not out of the question, in the same way EI codeshares on Amsterdam routes with Skyteam member KLM. One EI flight a day is probably not enough to tempt QF to take on EK on Aus-Dubai!

Victor

dowlingm wrote:

Apparently neither EI nor now apparently the DoT remembers that Montreal is not in the United States. Hell, it's barely in Canada as it is!

????????? Montreal ????

RicardoSmith

BuffyBot wrote:

Expansion is good, but 3 times a week with an A330 to a dead-end destination is an odd choice. Dubai has great potential as a tourist route, but 3 a week seems overkill. Considering Aer Lingus's current product offering, they have a lot to live up to when compared to the likes of Emirates etc (even if a passenger has to go via Heathrow).

Dubai is basically a hub. Which is great for business travel in the region. However its also a stop on the routes to other holiday For example you'll be able to go direct to holdiay locations like Ceylon, Maldives, India etc.

Excellente...

Maskhadov

but who would go there anyways ??

Victor

Maskhadov wrote:

but who would go there anyways ??

People who currently go Dublin - London - Dubai or Dublin - London - Dubai - elsewhere

BuffyBot

Dubai is basically a hub. Which is great for business travel in the region.

Nobody is denying that it is a hub, or that it is a tourist destination. I'm questioning two things - a) the need for 3 flights a week and b) the lack of onward connections at Dubai (currently Aer Lingus has no codeshares and very few good connections with Oneworld partners at Dubai)

gonker

Me I would fly to dubai ( and stay ther) if I 1. had the money and 2. if i could:D Its amazing....:D

aphex™

gonker wrote:

Me I would fly to dubai ( and stay ther) if I 1. had the money and 2. if i could:D Its amazing....:D

But it looks like the tackiest place on earth

Anyway there are thousands of arab students studying in Ireland, i'm sure there will be pretty good demand for the service.

RicardoSmith

BuffyBot wrote:

Nobody is denying that it is a hub, or that it is a tourist destination. I'm questioning two things - a) the need for 3 flights a week and b) the lack of onward connections at Dubai (currently Aer Lingus has no codeshares and very few good connections with Oneworld partners at Dubai)

Its a bit more than just a tourist destination. With all the scheduled flights that pass through, (and because its a HUB..sigh) connections aren't a problem. At least I've never found connections a problem there. Its one of the fastest growing airports in the world and it carries more passenger traffic than Dublin Airport.

gonker

NO not tacky...its really nice place...loads of shopping to do...gold diamonds sapphires
...want to get a bargain in jewellery go to Dubai

RicardoSmith

aphex&#8482 wrote:

But it looks like the tackiest place on earth

Anyway there are thousands of arab students studying in Ireland, i'm sure there will be pretty good demand for the service.

Yes an airport that looks like a 5 star hotel, all that gold, and marble. Tacky is the word I'd use. :rolleyes: Theres the usual Irish bar in the airport.

dowlingm

Victor

Montreal was served from 1966 as a stop en route to Chicago. Service ended in 1979 or 1980 but I am having trouble finding an exact date.

Victor

Erm, technically aren't the Canary Island flights long haul (hence Ryanair won't fly there)?

Sarsfield

gonker wrote:

NO not tacky...its really nice place...loads of shopping to do...gold diamonds sapphires
...want to get a bargain in jewellery go to Dubai

Never been to Dubai, but the above sounds like the definition of tacky. Expensive tack, but tack nevertheless. Loud and expensive.

gonker

Ok its flash not tacky very tastefully done. The people are so lovely the place is so safe and clean. Looks like New York only newer cleaner and shinier. The smells of the spices in the spice souks is amazing. the gold in the gold souks is so cheap as are the diamonds. The beaches are stunning.and they love the Irish.....I love it

RicardoSmith

Sarsfield wrote:

Never been to Dubai, but the above sounds like the definition of tacky. Expensive tack, but tack nevertheless. Loud and expensive.

Stick to Moore street then, the east is not for you...:cool:

mobpd

BuffyBot wrote:

Nobody is denying that it is a hub, or that it is a tourist destination. I'm questioning two things - a) the need for 3 flights a week and b) the lack of onward connections at Dubai (currently Aer Lingus has no codeshares and very few good connections with Oneworld partners at Dubai)

I read that there are 2 almost definite new partners in OneWorld : royal Jordanian and Japan Airlines.
and perhaps another with Malev.....

There's quite a large Irish community in Dubai......so might help EI with the bums on seats....

Thomond Pk

But didn't EI exit Oneworld recently?

mobpd

Thomond Pk wrote:

But didn't EI exit Oneworld recently?

no. where did you get that from???
www.oneworld.com still includes EI

Thomond Pk

From here:

AER LINGUS TO BECOME 'LOW FARE AIRLINE'

The drive by Aer Lingus to compete with Ryanair and other low-cast airlines has intensified with the announcement that 'business class' is to be abolished and the airline is to withdraw from the 'One World' alliance with BA, American Airlines,
Qantas and others. The transport of air cargo is being discontinued also. Over 1300 staff are to be made redundant following the announcement of the plans which are sure to be opposed by trade unions.

http://www.ireland-information.com/aug04.htm

It was around the time they decided to ditch their cargo operations; Aer Lingus are a flag carrier who have followed the Air Canada model quite sucessfully whilst Ryanair are a budget airline, thankfully Walsh was dumped before we ended up with two budget carriers and no flag carrier. Hopefully Mannion can rebuild the airline into an entity that serves Ireland's strategic needs whilst O'Leary does his budget thing successfully.

BuffyBot

Aer Lingus haven't left Oneworld as of yet. RJ and JAL are in the process of joining, but it'll be a while yet.

dowlingm

Thomond Park - we have yet to see DM's position on oneworld, Willie Walsh's drive to make EI another Ryanair may have been stymied. As for Malev, if all goes well for them they will be in oneworld proper in 2006 followed by JAL and Royal Jordanian.

Victor

Thomond Pk wrote:

But didn't EI exit Oneworld recently?

I think they are out of the business class / airmiles system, but still in the coseshare system.

dowlingm

They still have Premier on the transatlantic (although calling it Business Class is a stretch I hear) and TAB Gold Circle, they just kicked all the low mileage people out. You now have to get 2400 points before you can use any of them.

Our man in Havana

dowlingm wrote:

They still have Premier on the transatlantic (although calling it Business Class is a stretch I hear) and TAB Gold Circle, they just kicked all the low mileage people out. You now have to get 2400 points before you can use any of them.

What's the justification for charging 5k a pop for a flight in premier class?

mobpd

Victor wrote:

I think they are out of the business class / airmiles system, but still in the coseshare system.

...not quite true. I am in BA exec club and recieve BA miles for flights taken with EI -

Dub13

Victor wrote:

Erm, technically aren't the Canary Island flights long haul (hence Ryanair won't fly there)?

What is the definition of a long haul flight...?

Our man in Havana

Dub13 wrote:

What is the definition of a long haul flight...?

intercontinental flights would be long haul. Anywhere not accessible by B737 and Airbus A321. Anything over 4 hours.

Victor

Bond-007 wrote:

What's the justification for charging 5k a pop for a flight in premier class?

Some people will pay for the limo pick-up, express check-in, fisrt on list, champagne on tap treatment.

Dub13 wrote:

What is the definition of a long haul flight...?

There are EU rule on flights over about 3.5-4 where proper (in airline terms ) meals must be served, etc.