WishUWereHere wrote: » Thanks for sharing this. On opening the page, I saw the following on the scroll bar on the RH side:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4_t7a0gXRQ On 1m23, there is a TU 134 belonging to Aeroflot taking off. Did Aeroflot fly regularly then between Dublin & ( I guess ) Moscow?
Fascinating, I had always wondered what the G-STB* series had stood for. Any ideas what's behind the reg's of the 78s? G-ZBJ*, G-ZBK* and G-ZBL* ... can't seem to figure that one out.
This is just a guess, but ZB looks like 78(7) to me.
Any idea when it happened and why?
In 2020 maybe, the aircraft being used were part of a lease deal with Cityjet, and they were an older generation, they were retired and not replaced with an equivalent type that would be certified to use the small runway at London city airport
COVID happened, LCY was shut entirely, EI cancelled the contract. Then WX didn't keep the Avros.
If they really wanted to get service back on their own metal, Emerald have ATR72s which are approved, but they're probably just going to wait for Oneworld and slap a code on Cityflyer.
That would work for me. The glacial pace of integration between EI and BA/AA is frustrating.
They already have code shares in all the LHR with BA so the absence from Cityflyer (taking in onwards connections from LCY also) continues to be odd.
I'm almost certain you could book BA flights to LCY on the EI website not that long ago, maybe around 2021/2022.
You definitely could but at stupid prices - €75 on BA, €200 on EI.
MOD POST
Good afternoon folks,
The regulars here will be well aware of a long running in thread ban on discussing a certain route from Dublin.
This ban was put in place at a time when lots of Irish were very excited about the idea of flying to Vegas several times a year for cage fights. The subject came up often enough that the mods decided to ban that topic as it threatened to dominate/derail the thread.
We are at a different time now, and the Vegas hype has died down. So we feel that the ban has fulfilled its purpose and the time has come to lift it. If the discussion on this subject derails the thread then we may re-implement the ban.
So, DUB-LAS with Aer Lingus is now allowed to be discussed on this thread.
Thanks to all for your understanding over the last few years.
Has anyone seen evidence to support the rumours of Aer Lingus basing two more a330s at MAN?
Manchester crew have been told to expect an announcement in the coming weeks/months regarding 2025 expansion but nothing is confirmed yet.
Hopefully not at DUBs expense. Great to see MAN grow but it would be disastrous to take two a330s from DUB and place them in MAN.
No evidence but ongoing rumours.
The original.plan was for 4 aircraft so could be that EI Execs are still hoping to achieve this.
No info on the MAN-BOS which had been cancelled after launch. Perhaps if EI are looking at another Caribbean route then another A330 is needed. Perhaps another A321 to operate MAN-BOS. (This aircraft can be replaced in Dublin by the expected A321XLRs)
The decision to go all A333 at MAN was apparently driven by strong loads on JFK but also the need for additional cargo capacity, Manchester is now part of the IAG Cargo wide body network via Aer Lingus.
I originally thought A333s would be too large year round for JFK and the lack of A321s based at MAN would limit expansion potential but with cargo playing a bigger role this might not be the case. ORD seems the most heavily rumoured now and seems achievable. There’s talk of LAX but I think that’s unlikely considering the complexity of acquiring and basing a dedicated west coast aircraft (range, crew rest, etc.) at such a small base. Another Caribbean destination might be tempting, particularly as BGI seems to have found its feet, especially at the pointy end of the cabin!
The rumour a couple of months ago of another pair of ex-QR birds seems to have gone quiet but I wonder if that’s where the MAN expansion talk has come from?
2025 does seem to be a year of expansion, the XLR arrivals, the freeing up of at least one A332 (the MSP aircraft) and possible wide body additions certainly puts MAN in with chance for some growth.
I could see them placing a couple of the new XLRs in MAN definitely, but I can’t see them taking a 333/2 out of DUB to give to MAN. Unless the cap is still in place in mid 2025.
Interesting about the two new QR rumours.
What are the odds on a Caribbean route(s)from DUB with EI over the next couple of years?
I had heard before that ex QR birds weren’t allowed to go onto G- reg directly and it was something to do with there being a lack of agreement about maintenance records between the UK authorities and Qatari equivalents.
This is why EIL/K when sourced had been planed for MAN but weren’t accepted and had to go to EI- reg as the authorities here accepted the aircraft.
I don’t know how true this is, it was something I heard a good while back.
But would probably mean any more ex QR aircraft would once again be based at Dublin
I strongly doubt that the XLRs will be sent to Manchester.
Dublin is the main hub, their shiny new aircraft will be debuting on the DUB-MSP route in winter 2024. I expect 1-2 new routes from Dublin to be in the pipeline for summer 2025 to utilise the XLRs. EG. Nashville, Raleigh.
Manchester can use the LRs to operate MAN-BOS if needed. ORD would use an A330 (cargo capacity)
Aer lingus management in Manchester dont want 321’s when they know they can fill 330’s. The rumoured 330s for Manchester are not at the detriment of the DUB fleet.
The few lower management there are for regulatory purpuses only and have no imput into commercial decisions on what may or may not be based there.
Not how it works.
😂 “regulatory purposes “ now there’s a laugh.
there’s only 1 real Ei manager in Manchester and without him it all falls apart so actually I think it’s you who dosnt understand how much input they do or don’t have.
im not suggesting for a moment Manchester tells Dublin how it’s going to be. But Manchester successfully campaigned for a 2nd 330, have so far successfully resisted the return of LR’s and are looking for preferably 330s only for future expansion. And it looks like they’re about to get 2 !
A big factor in MAN getting the second 330 was because DUB needed the 321LR for Cleveland.
I was refering to the general strucutre of the sub. That's his job and I agree its been executed very well and a plus towards achieving additional investment.
The decision to swtich a/c was operational and/or numbers one just like any future decision will be.
Was thinking this as well, surely they should have more focus on Dublin with the lifting on the cap hopefully in or before 2025 and expansion of gates plus pre clearance?
There’s nothing to stop them doing both if the opportunity and investment is there.
G-EILA op MAN-JFK returned to MAN this afternoon. Operations informed the aircraft it sustained damage, it was over Dublin when it turned back.
After inspection, passengers were moved to G-EIDY which was luckily available today. G-EILA had only just returned from routine maintenance in Dublin, hopefully won’t be out of action long.
Looks like it's scheduled for Bridgetown in a few hours so fingers crossed 🤞
It looks like Aer Lingus might be ending all Gatwick flights from the end of March. I'm very surprised to see this if it ends up being true. I checked myself after I saw this tweet and I can't find any flights bookable.
Yup it's true.
Following a review of route performance the service will be ceased
