Aer Lingus Fleet/Routes Discussion

Lapmo_Dancer · 01-02-2018 10:17PM

You’re a bit mixed up. They have CPDLC but 320 fleet is not ETOPS.

T16 is an oceanic procedure airway but there is no requirement for etops

HTCOne · 01-02-2018 10:31PM

Lapmo_Dancer wrote: »

You’re a bit mixed up. They have CPDLC but 320 fleet is not ETOPS.

T16 is an oceanic procedure airway but there is no requirement for etops

The 330s and 757s have FANS sure, but the 320s don’t (EI I’m referring to).

As for the 320 ETOPS thing, I’m just going on what an EI skipper told me on a fam visit last year, said the 320s have fire bottles etc specifically due T16 and ETOPS requirements.

I know they have ACARS for ORCA clearances etc (unlike FR) but not CPDLC? Unless they’re fitting it now to the 320s? I do remember reading WiFi would be rolled out fleetwide, would make sense to tag in full Satcom capability at the same time....

Captain_Crash · 01-02-2018 11:04PM

alancostello wrote: »

ETOPS has to be certified per plane and per carrier, and isn't cheap, so it would seem the aircraft are capable of being *certified* as ETOPS as standard, not ETOPS as standard. WOW doesn't have any ETOPS certifications last I'd heard, but they were on their way to certification so it may have changed recently, they traditionally they take slightly longer routing over Greenland for their US flights to avoid the ETOPS requirements.

Yeah your interpretation makes sense, they’re delivered ready to go but still need to be certified should the airline wish to do so

01-02-2018 11:30PM

ETOPs from my understanding is all encompassing so it’s airline/aircraft/pilot not just yeah the planes good lads off ya go. It takes at least 2 years for an airline to get up to speed to be considered for check out for ETOPs from the start. Even expedited ETOPs approval can mean minimum 12 months at best but lots more hoops to jump through. @MMSBA wasn’t being clear when he said that. BA could certainly take the NEOs in and nearly be good to go. Norwegian still won’t be approved for full ETOPs but will probably be eligible for a relaxation of the minimums as they tick the boxes and pass the time limits.

mikel97 · 02-02-2018 08:28AM

Deleted User wrote: »

Norwegian still won’t be approved for full ETOPs but will probably be eligible for a relaxation of the minimums as they tick the boxes and pass the time limits.

All 6 of Norwegian B737Max8 and a select few NGs ARE Etops Approved as is Norwegian Air International. There approval is 180 Minutes. Fans to follow. Theres no such thing as full or partial etops. Its not rocket science just another approval for Aoc Aircraft Engineering and Aircrew of course as they operate it.

Phen2206 · 02-02-2018 10:47AM

HTCOne wrote: »

The 330s and 757s have FANS sure, but the 320s don’t (EI I’m referring to).

I know they have ACARS for ORCA clearances etc (unlike FR) but not CPDLC? Unless they’re fitting it now to the 320s?

The EI 320 fleet is not ETOPS certified and it’s not a requirement for the Tango routes down to the Canaries and Portugal. Most of the 320 fleet do have CPDLC (FANS-B) and it’s used quite a lot all over the European network.

trellheim · 02-02-2018 01:33PM

31'' seat pitch is fine for shorthaul but LH 31 is cramp city , you really feel it on long sectors. Wish they'd standardize on 34 and 38 for econ and premium.

Jamie2k9 · 02-02-2018 10:43PM

They have only upgraded LIS to A321 4 days a week for the summer. Paris-Nice-Lisbon on M, W, F, Su so unlikely an A330 candidate.

Third_Echelon · 06-02-2018 09:07PM

Slightly related to EI, a lot of A321 talk in the last few pages...

I flew from Orlando to San Francisco last week with Virgin America/Alaska Air on their brand new A321neo (not LR). It was a really nice interior with plenty of leg room. Didn't feel cramped. Beautiful looking aircraft! Flight was 5 hrs 30 mins, so not too far off a Dublin to East Coast US time and I felt grand getting off.

This is the particular aircraft: https://worldairlinenews.com/2017/12/22/alaska-and-virgin-america-unveil-their-airbus-a321-most-west-coast-logo-jet/

Pic of the interior (not the aircraft I flew on, but exactly the same): http://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1364893

If the EI A321neo LRs provide the same level of comfort, they'll be a great addition!

Captain_Crash · 07-02-2018 09:20AM

Driving past the airport this morning on the M50 and saw what appeared to be a white A330 on the west apron... is this the QR frame that EI are getting or were my eyes deceiving me? (it was twilight and I didn't have my glasses on lol)

Bussywussy · 07-02-2018 09:28AM

Captain_Crash wrote: »

Driving past the airport this morning on the M5 and saw what appeared to be a white A330 on the west apron... is this the QR frame that EI are getting or were my eyes deceiving me? (it was twilight and I didn't have my glasses on lol)

I'd say that's ASL A330 freighter EI-HEA

rushfan · 07-02-2018 09:48AM

Captain_Crash wrote:

Driving past the airport this morning on the M5 and saw what appeared to be a white A330 on the west apron... is this the QR frame that EI are getting or were my eyes deceiving me? (it was twilight and I didn't have my glasses on lol)

Most likely DHL freighter.

jucylucy · 07-02-2018 01:52PM

Ain’t the ASL A330....that’s away for painting at the moment!

tricky D · 07-02-2018 02:32PM

Captain_Crash wrote: »

Driving past the airport this morning on the M50 and saw what appeared to be a white A330 on the west apron... is this the QR frame that EI are getting or were my eyes deceiving me? (it was twilight and I didn't have my glasses on lol)

Q Leasing but to whom, if anyone?

Anyway dropping back into DUB right now after unusual pattern out: started on a west coast sort of route towards Donegal then turned to take a lower Atlantic track and then back to DUB.

Locker10a · 09-02-2018 12:03AM

I see EI-CPH has gone tech in FAO!? EI-DEF currently returning from the rescue mission

HTCOne · 12-02-2018 10:09PM

https://www.irishcentral.com/travel/travel-tips/you-may-soon-fly-direct-from-china-to-ireland-if-hainan-airlines-has-its-way

Irish central claiming EI to announce “several” US East Coast destinations in the coming weeks, as well as Denver. Has delivery of 321LRs been brought forward?

alancostello · 12-02-2018 10:14PM

HTCOne wrote: »

https://www.irishcentral.com/travel/travel-tips/you-may-soon-fly-direct-from-china-to-ireland-if-hainan-airlines-has-its-way

Irish central claiming EI to announce “several” US East Coast destinations in the coming weeks, as well as Denver. Has delivery of 321LRs been brought forward?

Not that I've seen, but could they go hard on the marketing and announce the 2019 routes over a year in advance?

goingnowhere · 12-02-2018 10:18PM

Well Miami might be culled...

East coast would imply 757, could a 5th be in the offing, certainly was a lot of tire kicking onging in the past but that was just after the 4th one appeared.

Could Qatar be eager to offload or least more of its A330 fleet?

Far too early to announce 2019, I doubt we will see anything flying with the A321 until the winter 2019 schedule, as the first isn't due till June 2019

HTCOne · 12-02-2018 10:27PM

goingnowhere wrote: »

Could Qatar be eager to offload or least more of its A330 fleet?

Well I think I read somewhere there were 8 CF6 powered A332s they wanted rid of as more A350s arrive, not sure what engine their A333s have but they’d be lower MTOW versions with less range than GAJ and GCF.

Are FNG and FNH the same MTOW as GAJ and GCF? As GAJ is the only -300 I speak to doing west coast runs.

Tenger · 12-02-2018 10:35PM

I would cast doubt on Irish Central as a credible source. The COO previously stated that EI were looking at the business case for approx 12 cities. I’m sure Denver and Dallas are high up on that list. But unless they have sourced another A330 I can’t see any announcement until end of Summer re the A321LRs arriving in 2019. (I thought delivery was planned Q1 2019?)

alancostello · 12-02-2018 10:44PM

HTCOne wrote: »

Are FNH and FNH the same MTOW as GAJ and GCF? As GAJ is the only -300 I speak to doing west coast runs.

As far as I know the reason FNG/FNH don't do west coast ops is that they don't have the crew rest, same as EWR, not sure if they're HGW or not, I would assume not

Locker10a · 12-02-2018 11:13PM

alancostello wrote: »

HTCOne wrote: »

Are FNH and FNH the same MTOW as GAJ and GCF? As GAJ is the only -300 I speak to doing west coast runs.

As far as I know the reason FNG/FNH don't do west coast ops is that they don't have the crew rest, same as EWR, not sure if they're HGW or not, I would assume not

Is the crew rest installed under the floor on these? Is it a capsule that can be easily installed?

alancostello · 12-02-2018 11:20PM

Locker10a wrote: »

alancostello wrote: »

HTCOne wrote: »

Are FNH and FNH the same MTOW as GAJ and GCF? As GAJ is the only -300 I speak to doing west coast runs.

As far as I know the reason FNG/FNH don't do west coast ops is that they don't have the crew rest, same as EWR, not sure if they're HGW or not, I would assume not

Is the crew rest installed under the floor on these? Is it a capsule that can be easily installed?

The problem is the lack of staircase down to the pod, on the crew rest enabled A330s a row of seats at the front of the rear economy cabin is removed to make room for it. Not sure how easy it would be to retrofit it. Not sure they’d need it anyway with GAJ, GCF, and the other three -200s having it already unless they massively expand west coast ops and need higher capacity on all.

goingnowhere · 12-02-2018 11:42PM

I imagine they are all HGW, gives the maximum flexibility and resale value

GAJ, GCF are HGW, I'm assuming both have the crew rest, GAJ has the magic door

ShaunOHara · 13-02-2018 01:07AM

goingnowhere wrote: »

Well Miami might be culled...

East coast would imply 757, could a 5th be in the offing, certainly was a lot of tire kicking onging in the past but that was just after the 4th one appeared.

Could Qatar be eager to offload or least more of its A330 fleet?

Far too early to announce 2019, I doubt we will see anything flying with the A321 until the winter 2019 schedule, as the first isn't due till June 2019

Miami seems to be gone. It is not for sale anymore from November ahead, although all the flights are avalible until January 2019 (And it's being pushed to a route via ORD with United)

I wouldn't listen to a source like the irish Central regarding new routes when the COO was pretty clear that growing frequencies would be the main focus for this year now, after the Seattle announcement.

It seems that due to the huge expansion on new Atlantic flights for 2019/20/21, more feeding from European cities is excpeted mainly for future early TAs and the ones that have a very early time at the moment (early JFK and BOS). With this there was recently talks on another forum of future earlier departure from key european cities such as CDG/AMS, overnighiting one or two a320s there. Wonder if this will really happen. Same as the "Aer Space" plan, re-mentioned on the PHL route by the COO.

Jamie2k9 · 13-02-2018 01:23AM

Miami seems to be gone. It is not for sale anymore from November ahead, although all the flights are avalible until January 2019 (And it's being pushed to a route via ORD with United)

Likely return April-October in 2019 as a seasonal service.

Bussywussy · 13-02-2018 08:09AM

HTCOne wrote: »

goingnowhere wrote: »

Could Qatar be eager to offload or least more of its A330 fleet?

Are FNG and FNH the same MTOW as GAJ and GCF? As GAJ is the only -300 I speak to doing west coast runs.

Yup FNG and FNH are 242T MTOW machines,they're downgraded on paper to 233T to save money on weight charges..they can't be fitted with crew rest as they are,would require modification,structurally it can take it as the provision is there.so they're no use for west coast as is

alancostello · 13-02-2018 03:26PM

goingnowhere wrote: »

GAJ, GCF are HGW, I'm assuming both have the crew rest, GAJ has the magic door

I’ll bite, cad é an magic door? The one down to the rest?

goingnowhere · 13-02-2018 04:23PM

Crew rest area,

There is a special cargo container loaded which is kitted out with bunks which sits underneath and ties into the door above for access.

So for flexibility you can remove the container if you are using the aircraft for only medium haul ops and need the space for freight or want to save on gas

alancostello · 13-02-2018 04:34PM

goingnowhere wrote: »

Crew rest area,

There is a special cargo container loaded which is kitted out with bunks which sits underneath and ties into the door above for access.

So for flexibility you can remove the container if you are using the aircraft for only medium haul ops and need the space for freight or want to save on gas

Yep, thanks, just wasn't sure if you meant the door down to the crew rest or there was some new HGW only door that GAJ had haha

Aer Lingus Fleet/Routes Discussion

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