Possible Jet Aircraft to join AerArann Fleet

Steyr

http://www.galwayfirst.ie/content/view/2230/962/


Jet off to Europe from Galway Airport in 2009?


by Martina Nee

The purchase of a fleet of jets by airline carrier Aer Arann could mean greater access to European cities from Galway by 2009.
According to reports, Aer Arann will make their decision whether to buy the jets by the end of next year and it is hoped that the purchase will transform the airline’s operations across continental Europe.

Founder Padraig O’Ceidigh has said that the airline will not be able to extend its route network beyond Britain and northern France unless they acquire the long-range jets. The jets will allow the carrier to fly from cities such as Galway and Waterford to a number of European destinations.
Aer Arann currently has 15 turbo-prop aircraft, and in 2009 it will receive the remaining deliveries from a €180 million order it placed last year to buy 10 new short-haul aircraft. It is also believed that an Aer Lingus code-share agreement yet to be ratified by the former state airline is likely to be implemented by January.

The airline, which employs 400 people, expects to carry 1.4 million passengers this year and has a target to boost that number to two million within five years. It expects to generate revenue of about €105 million this year, up from €95 million in 2006.

Hopefully this will happen!

RoundyMooney

Aer Arann has been quietly expanding and turning ever increasing profits over the last few years.

Fair play to them, it can't be easy taking on the LoCo carriers in this day and age.

dogmatix

Any idea what types of jets they are buying? Airbus or smaller CRJ's (and the like)?

More power to them - here's hoping they stay off Ryanair's radar and continue to grow.

ian_m

They are investigating Embraer or Bombardier as manufacturers.

Steyr

Embraer.

ch252

Good to see Galway airport expanding still, you never know...a longer runway could soon follow, I heard they can actually do it, its just down to money now. They got a few guys in to check it out there recently, push 08 15 metres to the north and lengthen it from there is what a controller there told me.

Darragh.

Oilrig

Good luck to them!

I spent a while chatting to one of the Aer Arran senior managers a while ago at a corporate do, very refreshing attitude, and also very sharp...

Hope they stay away from the 146's... :eek:

dogmatix

Was wrong with the 146's? BA used to use them on the Dublin to Gatwick run. I really liked them.

Punchy07

dogmatix wrote: »

Was wrong with the 146's? BA used to use them on the Dublin to Gatwick run. I really liked them.

I presume they're awkward for airlines due to their 4 engines,wasnt that the problem with the DC-10?There were other aircraft that had the same capabilities as the DC-10 but worked off 2 engines.I'd love to see Aer Arann get something like the Embraer 170/190 series,i'd love to see them over here,I doubt they will though

Run_to_da_hills

They will have to tarmac the landing strip on Inis Mor

parsi

RoundyMooney wrote: »

Aer Arann has been quietly expanding and turning ever increasing profits over the last few years.

Fair play to them, it can't be easy taking on the LoCo carriers in this day and age.

Certainly on Cork -Dublin they are a breath of fresh air. Pleasant and flexible. That said its a bummer they dropped the 08:00 flight -this was a respectable time to be travelling up to Dublin. The earlier 07:00 is such that you may as well get the 07:30 train.

dogmatix

Embraers? Pity - strictly from a "looks" point of view the CRJ wins hands down. The Embraers are too weedy and skinny looking. Also the CRJ is 2+2 I believe while the Embraer is 2+1 (confirming they are just too skinny).

ian_m

I'm sure they will be concentrating on the economics of the fleet.

I'm looking forward to seeing the paint work on a jet.

Mythago

dogmatix wrote: »

Embraers? Pity - strictly from a "looks" point of view the CRJ wins hands down. The Embraers are too weedy and skinny looking. Also the CRJ is 2+2 I believe while the Embraer is 2+1 (confirming they are just too skinny).

Embraer 135/145 are 2+1 but production has been discontinued, so any "new" purchase would likely be Embraer 170's, which look like a mini 737

pclancy

Great airline, flights to cardiff last autumm from Dublin were lovely, great service.

WexCan

Mythago wrote: »

Embraer 135/145 are 2+1 but production has been discontinued, so any "new" purchase would likely be Embraer 170's, which look like a mini 737

E170/190s are lovely aircraft, have some friends at fly(may)be who work on them - bright, reasonably spacious and 2x2 config seating.

Mweelrea

Fair play to Aer Arann they're certinly going places
Looks like Connacht will have two quality airports if Galway can expand.Should bring a massive boost to the province

WexCan

Definitely good to see Aer Arann expanding with Irish aviation as it is. Now if only they could sort out the older ATRs

cedar

from what I hear,they'll be lucky to afford the the new atr's they've ordered for next year let alone new jets.Sounds like spin to divert attention from poor preformance on many of there routes which will be cancelled next year.

ian_m

Aer Arann has recently announced flights from Galway to Newcastle and Bristol, Sligo to Manchester as well as Waterford to Birmingham.

May saw Aer Arann create a new base at Waterford Airport with a ATR 72 aircraft, operating services to London Luton, Manchester, Birmingham and Lorient.

2007 has by far been Aer Arann's most successful year of operations, and has seen increased destinations, increased frequencies, increased capacity and increased fleet across the network.

WexCan

Wonder if they'd be interested in the new ATRs - the 600 series I believe?

cedar

Yip all that is true but the ticket prices are down in order to compete and so are the profits,also they plan on only operating 10 aircraft next year down from 14 last year.On there turnover of 108million they only made .5 million profit.
Also there previously most profitable route cork-dublin is now operating at a loss due to ryanair competion.Like other routes from the west of Ireland under competeion from ryanair now operating from shannon and knock and will have to be abandoned in the new year.By there own admission they are fighting for there lives next year....

benbulbin

Shocked by the low profit for 07, not a great result after one of their busiest years and facing into a slowing economy. The runway extension at Waterford could also erode their profits in the coming years with competition from the big boys there.

So it looks like the E-jets are vital to allow expansion beyond the UK/Ireland. And, however baseless, it would remove the safety/reliability fears of the ATRs, some people still don't like the turboprops, especially in winter weather.

pclancy

Its true, a lot of people outside of aviation would worry that turboprops are unsafe and noisy compared to jets. Ive often heard people say "oh look at that old propeller plane!" not knowing its actually brand new

kraggy

Looks like it's going to happen

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0111/aerarann.html

pclancy

Cool! Good to see them do well, I wonder what types will be considered.

Steyr

kraggy wrote: »

Looks like it's going to happen

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0111/aerarann.html

Ok lads whos up for a Boards pisser in AGP?

Steyr

Hey guys i CAN confirm that Aer Arann are getting two BAE146 Jets to be based at EICM and will be in Aer Arann colours!

ch252

Steyr wrote: »

Hey guys i CAN confirm that Aer Arann are getting two BAE146 Jets to be based at EICM and will be in Aer Arann colours!

You beat me to it!!lol
Can only mean a good thing for eicm!
Darragh

WexCan

Will be intersting to see how succesful this will be. The aircraft will be operated by another company (Nex?)

I'd say most routes will be fine, not sure on Bordeaux though.

vulcan57

This is brilliant news! It will be great to see jets in Aer Arann colours and get some pictures. Like Darragh-k says it can only be good news for Carnmore, maybe now is the time to re-open the campain on expansion of EICM to allow other companies to use jets. Roll on May!