Aer Lingus Fleet/ Routes Discussion Pt 2 (ALL possible routes included)

Reading this thread wouldn't leave you hopeful of any meaningful expansion for a while. Struggling on EU and maxed out on TATL.

I never flew business with Aer Lingus, but it looks inferior to business with other companies, I don't understand why they don't want to offer a premium econonmy.

My understanding is the especially post pandemic there's been a big uptick in passengers who can't afford or won't pay for business being willing to pay a bit more for premium economy.

I know the airline industry in general moves at a glacial pace, maybe it's something they'd look to do over the next few years.

NSG in the pic may not have its ETOPS certification yet hence the lacking decal would be my guess, time will tell when it arrives in EI with its also equipment list if such case

EI’s XLRs had the ETOPs markings from the start of test flight but I agree, we shall wait and see.

Yeah the seat (Thompson Aero Vantage) is very solid and used by SAS among others.

However that's pretty much where the list of positives for EI J ends these days unfortunately.

The incident aircraft is not scheduled to fly to MCO next week. In any case it wouldn't be back in service until it had been fully fixed.

Yeah, they won’t put that aircraft back online unless it’s 100% so I wouldn’t worry in the slightest. If it puts her mind at more ease, a compressor stall, as scary as it sounds is similar to a car engine backfiring and is absolutely no problem. Airbus SOP is to idle and monitor the engine. Unless there are abnormal readings a shut down isn’t required and return is just a precaution.

Tech issues can happen regardless of the age of the aircraft with maintenance quality a more important factor. Regarding the incident during the week, the aircraft was 8 years old but the age of the engine (or how long it was on the wing) is unknown. Look at EI-XLT a few weeks ago, brand new aircraft that was diverted and grounded in the US because of an issue with the centre fuel tank - point being, age doesn’t matter.

Don’t want to be flippant, these things happen. They are complex machines that do have issues from time to time, regardless of age, but the level of redundancy and the minor nature of the issues means that there is no risk to life. The amount of issues compared to the amount of hours they are in the air is very small - although listening to the media and how they dramatise the situation, you would be lead to believe it happens each day.

And just to add, EI121 is a flight number, not a particular aircraft. Some media reports about incidents (especially in the US), seem to focus on flight numbers as though they refer to an individual machine.

Thank you. Reading further and this research from 2014 is useful https://awg.aero/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/analysisofimpact.pdf

The number of cycles/pressurisations is more important than the aircraft age. As mentioned by many here before, once an aircraft is well maintained, it can operate for well over 30 years. The major US airlines for example have aircraft that are in their 30s but with refitted cabins that make them feel almost brand new!

I totally agree with you, the old livery really suited the A330’s, especially the -300s!

I wouldn't fly DL or UA if age is of concern to you!

Which it shouldn't be btw - as others have expanded on excellently above.

You could add Lufthansa and others in that group such as Brussels and Austrian, all of whom tend to fly their fleets (especially long-haul) to the end of, or their economic lives, or at least close to same.

Widebodies tend to last far longer in terms of time than narrowbodies due to how much fewer pressurisation cycles they have.

Every airframe has a cycle limit, which can be extended a number of times with paperwork from the manufacturer and regulator but each extension gets more expensive due the increased frequency of periodic checks required. If you're flying on an EU or US airframe, I wouldn't worry about the age. They're incredibly well scrutinised. Certain parts of Asia and Africa....not so much.

To see how high cycle limits can go with the right maintenance, look at the 707s, DC10s etc flying as tankers now for the military.

The current EI J hard product was comparable to F in many carriers when it came out first. Superb. Mueller really knew his stuff. It's still mid-ish range.

Where it seems to be falling down is in the soft product. The last couple of CEOs and the current one in particular have a lot to answer for.