Dublin routes news and general chat

kevinandrew · 13-10-2017 2:27pm

Hainan have applied for a twice weekly Shenzhen service from June. It would compete with Cathay's Hong Kong service as it's only a few miles down the road, not ideal.

Shame it isn't Beijing as hoped.

goingnowhere · 13-10-2017 2:32pm

Shenzhen is where the tech business wants to fly

snotboogie · 13-10-2017 2:46pm

goingnowhere wrote: »

Shenzhen is where the tech business wants to fly

I used to travel there a lot and it was the worst airport I have ever been to for delays. Maybe they have improved in the last few years but back then every foreigner who traveled there wanted fly in and out of Hong Kong (where you can get the boat direct to Shekou without going through HK customs) or even Guangzhou, despite their business interests being in Shenzhen.

KevR · 13-10-2017 3:28pm

Tenger wrote: »

All eggs in one basket is an issue.

However the situation today is quite different to 2008. Back then EI didn't have a modern hub in Dublin, they ran their shorthaul and long haul networks almost as standalone entities, using Dublin as a T/A hub didn't exist for the EI exec team.
Their target market were Irish going to the US, ex-pats in the US and Irish-Americans. This was the weakness in their model.
According to the COO last week, ~40% of their current traffic is Irish based, ~25% isEuropean, ~25% is US based. (It was in the travelextra video posted a few days ago)

Indeed.

I was in Los Angeles a few weeks back and there were frequent ads on one of the local radio stations from Aer Lingus marketing flights to "Europe" from LAX. No mention of "direct flights to Dublin" whatsoever (this may have been the tag line in transatlantic marketing in years gone by). They are now marketing themselves as providing easy access to Europe.

john boye · 13-10-2017 5:57pm

Not sure how relevant it is given that it's only a fuel stop but Ethiopian ADD-DUB-YYZ is going to 5pw from December, up from 3pw.

Marcusm · 14-10-2017 5:42pm

Irish Steve wrote: »

Don't forget, the entire population of the Island is considerably less than the population of the Birmingham metropolitan area,g.

Christ, have 3 million people died overnight and the bodies just vanished? Birmingham metro area is 3.6m at most. Island of Ireland is 6.6. Irrespective, Dublin has much greater connectivity than Birmingham. Sure we have greater connectivity on BA flights alone than Birminghan. EI’s cost base cannot support the European network. Interlining with FR May come about eventually and that will provide additional feed to the back of the plane.

Irish Steve · 14-10-2017 6:31pm

OK, in the interest of accuracy, I need to clarify the figures. Some time ago, I came across these figures.

Birmingham's 60 minute catchment is 10 million

However you look at it, that's more than Dublin, and the entire Island. Sorry for any confusion.

Marcusm · 15-10-2017 4:06pm

Irish Steve wrote: »

OK, in the interest of accuracy, I need to clarify the figures. Some time ago, I came across these figures.

However you look at it, that's more than Dublin, and the entire Island. Sorry for any confusion.

In fairness, somewhere within a60 minute drive of B’ham is within 60 minutes drive from MAN, LHR or BRS. It’s not realistically a catchment area for that airport.

737max · 15-10-2017 4:35pm

Yes it is. If I'm in the catchment area of 4 airports(and I am) then I'd be comparing prices to destinations from each of them. Let us say that you are looking to go to London from Southern West Germany. a lot of options from 4 airports to a number of airports in the London region...the business is there to be won. The airport can't assume they can charge landing and passenger fees that are higher than the profit the airlines make on the routes. If you think of it like Ireland with one big city and one big airport then you don't understand the rest of Europe where high population centres are spread out mor eevenly with each being able to support their own airport but willing to poach Customers from nearby population centres too.

Gerrup Outta Dat! · 16-10-2017 7:28pm

kevinandrew wrote: »

Hainan have applied for a twice weekly Shenzhen service from June. It would compete with Cathay's Hong Kong service as it's only a few miles down the road, not ideal.

Shame it isn't Beijing as hoped.

Irish passport holders do not require a visa for Hong Kong, but they do need one for Mainland China. People will choose Cathay to Hong Kong despite the potential extra cost to avoid visa hassle. Arranging a Chinese visa is like arranging an escape from a North Korean Camp (ie, veerrry hard).

Popeleo · 17-10-2017 11:50am

I was also disappointed to see that Shenzhen is being planned instead of Beijing for several reasons. Apart from the political benefits of having the capitals connected, Beijing is a much better hub for travelling to many parts of China. And a lot of the Chinese community in Ireland seem to be from the northeast of China, so Beijing would suit them better.

.

Gerrup Outta Dat! wrote: »

Irish passport holders do not require a visa for Hong Kong, but they do need one for Mainland China. People will choose Cathay to Hong Kong despite the potential extra cost to avoid visa hassle. Arranging a Chinese visa is like arranging an escape from a North Korean Camp (ie, veerrry hard).

And yes, getting a Chinese visa is a pain. So picking one of the major cities not a part of the visa-free transit scheme
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/embassy/visa/free-72hour/ is inconvenient. If you have to go for a short trip in a hurry, it's easier to make a last-minute booking via a third country than having to go through the visa process.

Any chance that Hainan are trying to scare Cathay off the HK route before they start and will plan Beijing later?

Jamie2k9 · 13-11-2017 9:37pm

Air Transit have cancelled their once weekly YUL service next year in light of AC starting the route. They will fly extra direct to YYZ (5 weekly now). It was previosuly a DUB-YUL-YYZ weekly before changing to DUB-YUL 2-3 seasons ago.

JCX BXC · 13-11-2017 9:42pm

I always found Air Transats approach quite strange, a once weekly service, quite unusual.

cojamocork · 13-11-2017 10:33pm

Aer Lingus to announce a new Transatlantic route on Friday. The most strategic would surely be a major hub like Dallas or Atlanta with a widebody jet and my educated guess is Pittsburgh as a likely destination for a narrow body.

http://www.travelextra.ie/aer-lingus-announce-new-trans-atlantic-route-friday/

LXFlyer · 13-11-2017 10:37pm

Luxair to add a second Luxembourg-Dublin rotation for Summer 2018.

http://www.travelextra.ie/16804-2/

13-11-2017 10:48pm

cojamocork wrote: »

Aer Lingus to announce a new Transatlantic route on Friday. The most strategic would surely be a major hub like Dallas or Atlanta with a widebody jet and my educated guess is Pittsburgh as a likely destination for a narrow body.

http://www.travelextra.ie/aer-lingus-announce-new-trans-atlantic-route-friday/

Apparently it’s rumoured to be Seattle, it was meant to be announced with Philly but they couldn’t source an extra 330 they have sourced an ex Air Berlin I’m informed.

Idbatterim · 17-11-2017 3:43pm

with Seattle having been added, I hear there will be a few new routes when aer lingus get the A321LR is it?

JCX BXC · 17-11-2017 7:14pm

Getting a great laugh from the Facebook comments complaining that Cork didn't get a route to Seattle.

17-11-2017 9:40pm

JCX BXC wrote: »

Getting a great laugh from the Facebook comments complaining that Cork didn't get a route to Seattle.

Is it the two usual people whining about it ? One in particular is well known within aviation circles as a trouble maker.

john boye · 17-11-2017 10:18pm

JCX BXC wrote: »

Getting a great laugh from the Facebook comments complaining that Cork didn't get a route to Seattle.

Is this on the Dublin spotters group?

circular flexing · 17-11-2017 10:26pm

Has it been mentioned which model will be operating the Seattle route? Couldn't see mention of it.

Hotblack Desiato · 17-11-2017 11:09pm

It said A330 on the press release. I presume a 330-300 with crew rest area would be needed?

Also you'd think that if they were looking for a west coast US route from Cork (as if) they'd be looking for the home of Apple not the home of Microsoft! It's never going to happen, but is west coast US feasible with a fully loaded 330 from Cork's runway?

Zonda999 · 17-11-2017 11:15pm

JCX BXC wrote: »

Getting a great laugh from the Facebook comments complaining that Cork didn't get a route to Seattle.

I assume these are the same ones I saw underneath the Irish Examiner article.. I know though, cringeworthy stuff, coming from a Corkonian! Its classic begrudgery really ans I can guaratee its the same people who were dead against the IAG takeover. I felt like going in saying that Cork has effectively gained connectivity since the IAG takeover with the introduction of a fith Heathrow rotation during the summer months, but then again, theres no point arguing with ignorance

circular flexing wrote: »

Has it been mentioned which model will be operating the Seattle route? Couldn't see mention of it.

They've mentioned only A330 and nothing more, the website, if you attempt a dummy booking you'll find nothing extra. This is surely an A330-200 route though? I think its a ballsy enough route to launch never mind trying to fill an A333..

EI aren;t the only European airline to launch SEA next year either, Air France are beginning CDG-SEA in the Spring

JCX BXC · 18-11-2017 12:23am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Is it the two usual people whining about it ? One in particular is well known within aviation circles as a trouble maker.

Would you believe it's actually not completely for once! As Zonda said it's mainly the examiner, basically comments along the lines of "is dublin the only airport in Ireland?" "Anything to make sure cork doesn't expand"
"Aer Lingus only believe there is only one airport in Ireland"

I find that last one quite funny, because if Aer Lingus took the approach BA have taken you'd have no routes outside Dublin whatsoever, where would Cork be then!

circular flexing · 18-11-2017 12:29am

Zonda999 wrote: »

EI aren;t the only European airline to launch SEA next year either, Air France are beginning CDG-SEA in the Spring

AF previously flew CDG-SEA on A340 or 777 (IIRC). I flew it in 2011. I think they dropped it in favour of Delta.

18-11-2017 2:12pm

JCX BXC wrote: »

Would you believe it's actually not completely for once! As Zonda said it's mainly the examiner, basically comments along the lines of "is dublin the only airport in Ireland?" "Anything to make sure cork doesn't expand"
"Aer Lingus only believe there is only one airport in Ireland"

I find that last one quite funny, because if Aer Lingus took the approach BA have taken you'd have no routes outside Dublin whatsoever, where would Cork be then!

Ah good old London Airways

Tenger · 18-11-2017 2:48pm

circular flexing wrote: »

Has it been mentioned which model will be operating the Seattle route? Couldn't see mention of it.

As a new route I would suspect that it will be the A332. Both SFO and LAX were launched as A332s.
I guess the imminent airframe delivery will be suitable for West Coast as EI-GAJ was used a few times each week this summer.
I suspect we will see SFO upguaging to daily A333.
Then the yet to be acquired A330 (from someone) can cover the IAD route a handful of times per week when the B757 is operating DUB-PHL.

trellheim · 18-11-2017 3:33pm

There is considerable scope for more frequency to London in my view. Gatwick in particular could do with moving to an every 30 mins service ( on the 00 by AL, and on the 0030 by FR and a turn-up-and-go type ticketing would really help matters along ( e..g as per Belfast/BusAras BE and Aircoach) . Both are single runway jobs though, so any problem will mess things up badly.

Not everything needs to be TATL. Every flight in and out of London this year has been wedged

L1011 · 18-11-2017 3:39pm

Slots to LGW were a problem - with MON gone and the BHD slots returning to IAG there should be availability now.

18-11-2017 3:47pm

Very little has been expanded shorthaul the last few years alright. I imagine EI see the future in shorthaul being an interline with Ryanair with their vast European network.

Dublin routes news and general chat

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