Aer Lingus Fleet/Routes Discussion

Locker10a wrote: »

It is, I didn't think EI employed male crew in the 80s, they certainly never used them in any publicity at the time

EI hired their first male cabin crew in the mid to late 1970's. (I think it was 76-78)
They didnt have a uniform designed for them so just got a black suit with an aer lingus tie.

Engineering; Need minimum 18 month lead in on training for new aircraft type. Possibly recruitment if new type means more bodies overall in the operation. Stores and parts is additional issue.
Airbus designed the A350 to operate alongside existing Airbus types so systems are evolutionary rather than revolutionary.

EI already have new cabins on their latest A330 (EX3 IFE, recaro seats in J class, slimline in Y) so any new type wouldnt be a big job in that regard. Some work needed on cabin config and working with catering department re loading of equipment. (Unless of course EI had planed to surprise us with Y+ on the A350, this could require some work, cant see EI ever doing Premium Y)

Cabin crew; Training wouldnt require too much lead in. Mainly recruitment for expansion if needed. Issue would be scheduling it in withing disrupting current operation.

Flight crew; its supposed to be the same type rating but it would still be a 12-18 month lead in for manuals to be written and approved. Instructors to be checked out and then to ensure the right to left shuffle is done a few times to ensure they have sufficient crew for new aircraft entering service.

Back office/Logistics-wise; Im not sure what logistical systems need to be in place. But similarly would need minimum 18 months lead in for a new type.

Just as an example: The B757 operation which is a operated by ASL still required several months of disruption to allow EI to train their own Shannon based cabin crew for the B757 and ASL SOP's. Even before this happened the EI pilots who were transferring to the ASL operation were pulled offline from EI in order to be trained up, sim checked and line checked on the B757. So that was 6 months of frontline disruption for a (then envisioned) 3 yr damplease. I dont know what additional prep took place from an administrative/logistical point of view.


@sailing Im not questioning your truth as you know it.
Im stating that 'Officially' there has been nothing to say that EI were not accepting A350s until we saw this change to the delivery list.
Info re internal teams is proprietary EI info and cannot be publically sourced. Anything that cannot be found publically or online is 'rumour'
I could be Stephen Kavanaghs younger brother but unless I can prove it who would believe me?