Aer Lingus Fleet/Routes Discussion

JCX BXC · 19-01-2018 11:47PM

NH2013 wrote: »

Novair on the A330 and Virgin Little Red on the A320 come to mind

Remember both, slipped the mind. I don't know how I forgot the little red.

I stand corrected!

billy few mates · 20-01-2018 08:34AM

JCX BXC wrote: »

What wet leasing have EI done over the past number of years though?

NH2013 wrote: »

Novair on the A330 and Virgin Little Red on the A320 come to mind

JCX BXC wrote: »

Remember both, slipped the mind. I don't know how I forgot the little red.

I stand corrected!

I remember a Qantas wet lease back in the early 80s, damp leases to Libya, and numerous contracts where staff were effectively leased out to other operators when Aer Lingus had maintenance and flight crew personnel in all sorts of places, Africa, the Caribbean, the Far East, and the Pacific. The concept of aircraft leasing was practically invented in the HOB.

EchoIndia · 20-01-2018 01:20PM

Three examples with the 747:

EI-BED Boeing 747-130 by Irish251, on Flickr

EI-ASI Boeing 747-148 by Irish251, on Flickr

rushfan · 20-01-2018 02:44PM

I certainly remember the LanChile one alright.

Comhrá · 20-01-2018 04:40PM

Aer Lingus once leased one of their B747s to British Airways. It carries the reg. G-BDPZ and was referred to as the Paddy Zulu by the BA crews.

When it was being returned to EI service, it was repainted in the Aer Lingus livery, and when the Irish crew boarded the aircraft at Heathrow, to fly it back to Dublin, there was a small note left on the flight-deck, saying "Fly green side up". It would have been around 1975 or 1976, not a great time for Anglo-Irish relations.

Bussywussy · 21-01-2018 08:35PM

Heard rumour of another A330 coming as a spare for AOG cover,painted white...it's a -200 with big doors at 3L&R which is very rare, so allows higher density config.

Locker10a · 21-01-2018 11:32PM

Bussywussy wrote: »

Heard rumour of another A330 coming as a spare for AOG cover,painted white...it's a -200 with big doors at 3L&R which is very rare, so allows higher density config.

I’d be very very surprised to hear any airline would lease or buy an aircraft simply for for rescue missions. As cost wise it’s a sitting duck unless they really foresee schedule issues next year.

duskyjoe · 21-01-2018 11:35PM

Time to be surprised so

Tenger · 22-01-2018 12:07AM

Locker10a wrote: »

I’d be very very surprised to hear any airline would lease or buy an aircraft simply for for rescue missions. As cost wise it’s a sitting duck unless they really foresee schedule issues next year.

I would agree but with a larger TA fleet the case for more disruption cover becomes stronger. It also allows increased options for upgauging B757routes on an advocate basis.
I looked at the EI peak summer schedule, looks to be about 88 departs per week among the 13 A330 aircraft. (11 daily flights, 11 x week combined to MIA,MCO and SEA) So not a lot of slack there.

Jamie2k9 · 22-01-2018 12:10AM

Tenger wrote: »

I would agree but with a larger TA fleet the case for more disruption cover becomes stronger. It also allows increased options for upgauging B757routes on an advocate basis.
I looked at the EI peak summer schedule, looks to be about 88 departs per week among the 13 A330 aircraft. (11 daily flights, 11 x week combined to MIA,MCO and SEA) So not a lot of slack there.

4 A330, 1 B752 gaps. That's an extra A330 gap this summer which should be enough.

billy few mates · 22-01-2018 12:35AM

Locker10a wrote: »

I’d be very very surprised to hear any airline would lease or buy an aircraft simply for for rescue missions. As cost wise it’s a sitting duck unless they really foresee schedule issues next year.

Unless they were getting it at the right price...?

Jamie2k9 · 22-01-2018 12:36AM

billy few mates wrote: »

Unless they were getting it at the right price...?

Unless that price was free, I don't see Stephen going for it!!

22-01-2018 12:57AM

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Unless that price was free, I don't see Stephen going for it!!

This.

If Qatar are parking it up, it might as well be parked here and get some use at some stage. It’ll cost parking charges, painting and to keep it ready to go at short notice. It makes sense.

Mebuntu · 22-01-2018 01:15AM

Locker10a wrote: »

I’d be very very surprised to hear any airline would lease or buy an aircraft simply for for rescue missions. As cost wise it’s a sitting duck unless they really foresee schedule issues next year.

Judging by all of the T/A problems Aer Lingus had these past two Summers I'd say it would pay them to have a standby at DUB rather than have to rely on expensive hire-ins that have to be flown at short notice to Dublin before they begin to operate flights.

Jamie2k9 · 22-01-2018 01:20AM

Mebuntu wrote: »

Judging by all of the T/A problems Aer Lingus had these past two Summers I'd say it would pay them to have a standby at DUB rather than have to rely on expensive hire-ins that have to be flown at short notice to Dublin before they begin to operate flights.

Hire ins would still be cheaper unless they are not paying lease costs for aircraft. To be fair the problems experienced are rare and by in large the fleet is very reliable. It would be rare for an aircraft to be out of action for more than 24 hours.

Bussywussy · 22-01-2018 09:12AM

Locker10a wrote: »

Bussywussy wrote: »

Heard rumour of another A330 coming as a spare for AOG cover,painted white...it's a -200 with big doors at 3L&R which is very rare, so allows higher density config.

I’d be very very surprised to hear any airline would lease or buy an aircraft simply for for rescue missions. As cost wise it’s a sitting duck unless they really foresee schedule issues next year.

They've done it with A320s in past...it's not a Qatari btw.

Cravens · 22-01-2018 09:15AM

Bussywussy wrote: »

They've done it with A320s in past...it's not a Qatari btw.

Would I be right in assuming the mystery aircraft to be CS-TQP?

Bussywussy · 22-01-2018 09:27AM

Cravens wrote: »

Bussywussy wrote: »

They've done it with A320s in past...it's not a Qatari btw.

Would I be right in assuming the mystery aircraft to be CS-TQP?

Not sure...it was in Dublin Aerospace a few years back

HTCOne · 22-01-2018 11:52AM

So if this is true, and this extra -200 is sitting in DUB 7 days a week purely providing tech cover, would it not make sense to use the other 4 spare A330 slots for something? I mean it certainly doesn’t make sense to have a pair of them sat idle 4 days a week right?

Tenger · 22-01-2018 12:38PM

Bussywussy wrote: »

Heard rumour of another A330 coming as a spare for AOG cover,painted white...it's a -200 with big doors at 3L&R which is very rare, so allows higher density config.

Before we lose ourselves in a circular debate keep in mind that this is a rumour so far. (granted from a pretty solid source)

LXFlyer · 22-01-2018 12:38PM

HTCOne wrote: »

So if this is true, and this extra -200 is sitting in DUB 7 days a week purely providing tech cover, would it not make sense to use the other 4 spare A330 slots for something? I mean it certainly doesn’t make sense to have a pair of them sat idle 4 days a week right?

They do need time to be checked in the hangars on a rotating basis surely?

That's what that time would be used for, I'd have thought?

22-01-2018 03:04PM

HTCOne wrote: »

So if this is true, and this extra -200 is sitting in DUB 7 days a week purely providing tech cover, would it not make sense to use the other 4 spare A330 slots for something? I mean it certainly doesn’t make sense to have a pair of them sat idle 4 days a week right?

The whole point of the aircraft is that it is spare all the time, most airlines have this capacity inbuilt in to their schedules. Thos other “spare” slots will be used up for maintenance or cover elsewhere.

alancostello · 22-01-2018 05:31PM

HTCOne wrote: »

So if this is true, and this extra -200 is sitting in DUB 7 days a week purely providing tech cover, would it not make sense to use the other 4 spare A330 slots for something? I mean it certainly doesn’t make sense to have a pair of them sat idle 4 days a week right?

When SEA was announced wasn't there talk of potential for another route? Might be what those other 4 slots are for(this AOG cover -200 might be what lets them do it)

NH2013 · 22-01-2018 05:37PM

Rumor is that the new craft will be used to service a 4 weekly Denver service to be announced next week once the details are finalised and additional frequency to be added to Chicago, while maintaining 4 weekly slots for maintenance and downtime in the fleet. Should be announced at the press event Thursday week if the talk is to be believed. The next "cab off the rank" as the saying goes.

Jamie2k9 · 22-01-2018 05:50PM

NH2013 wrote: »

Rumor is that the new craft will be used to service a 4 weekly Denver service to be announced next week once the details are finalised and additional frequency to be added to Chicago, while maintaining 4 weekly slots for maintenance and downtime in the fleet. Should be announced at the press event Thursday week if the talk is to be believed. The next "cab off the rank" as the saying goes.

Well this would make more sense than adding a spare aircraft. Very big UA hub so good onward connections as well.

Jamie2k9 · 22-01-2018 05:55PM

LXFlyer wrote: »

They do need time to be checked in the hangars on a rotating basis surely?

That's what that time would be used for, I'd have thought?

Lots of work is carried out between flights daily, while the spare slots would allow for more work to be carried out 90% of the time if another assigned aircraft is tech, the spare will be available.

alancostello · 22-01-2018 05:59PM

NH2013 wrote: »

Rumor is that the new craft will be used to service a 4 weekly Denver service to be announced next week once the details are finalised and additional frequency to be added to Chicago, while maintaining 4 weekly slots for maintenance and downtime in the fleet. Should be announced at the press event Thursday week if the talk is to be believed. The next "cab off the rank" as the saying goes.

Is that additional Chicago frequency beyond the double daily already scheduled for the summer or to facilitate it?

NH2013 · 22-01-2018 06:13PM

alancostello wrote: »

Is that additional Chicago frequency beyond the double daily already scheduled for the summer or to facilitate it?

That'd be beyond it, 17 weekly frequencies to ORD.

Van.Bosch · 22-01-2018 06:51PM

There is some growth now, seems to be a less cautious approach these days.

Noxegon · 22-01-2018 07:49PM

NH2013 wrote: »

Rumor is that the new craft will be used to service a 4 weekly Denver service to be announced next week once the details are finalised.

Would be a nice addition.

Still wish we had a Texas route though.

Aer Lingus Fleet/Routes Discussion

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