Aer Lingus Fleet/Routes Discussion

Locker10a

sherology wrote: »

My point was TATL seems less work heavy than the shorthaul as food is just doled out as is. Remove the duty free nonsense (on all flights... Which SAS et Al are doing), and it's one less piece of old-school nonsense to give everyone a breather

I think the difference between and transatlantic and canaries flights is the emphasis on service flow and time. A canaries flight is straightforward, you take off and the crew have the guts of 3.5/4 hours to go through the cabin at a relaxed pace and offer items for purchase. A TA has a more controlled service flow especially for business class, like on a night flight, most people will want to try and rest, but there’s a meal included so there’s an obligation to serve everyone that meal and drink and then dim the lights to let people rest and then serve the breakfast snack before landing etc while also encompassing the legal nutritional/rest break for the crew. The “rushed off feet” is probably not because the service is extra demanding but the time in which it must be carried out is.

kevinandrew

I have absolutely no doubt that Aer Lingus, like other airlines, have regularly run the numbers on the duty free offering. If a saving is to be made by axing it, you can be sure Aer Lingus would drop it tomorrow!

...

In fleet news, both EI-EIN and EI-LRD have had their customer acceptance flights.

Tenger

I agree. I dont see how the Duty Free is still making money (with the rise in online shopping) but Im sure the financial people are looking at that side of the business.

Remember the statement from Ryanair that there have 400 Centra's in the air evveryday!!!

Nicetrustedcup

In regards to duty free, must of it would be last minute gifts if you forgot to get something in the airport,

The only airline I seen people duty free in crazy numbers was Japan airlines, nearly everyone around me bought something and I can tell you their range was not air lingus or Ryan air prices it was Brown Tomes gear and prices,

I fly a lot and never once bought duty free,

However I am week for a airlingus bacan and Sussage sandwich

Locker10a

Tenger wrote: »

I agree. I dont see how the Duty Free is still making money (with the rise in online shopping) but Im sure the financial people are looking at that side of the business.

Remember the statement from Ryanair that there have 400 Centra's in the air evveryday!!!

I worked for an airline once who refused to add a particular instruction placard onto the back of exit row tray tables citing “weight” as the reason, the same airline apparently had specific AED casing designed before they started carrying defibs onboard... again weight ! Yet this airline still carry a fully stocked cart of shopping products, heavy bottles of perfume, watches etc. So that should answer that! It must be worth the weight!
I know a UK airline who stopped certain duty free from certain bases, I think anywhere north of Manchester (inclusive) still offer full duty free, litres of voddy, fags, the lot, while Southern and European bases don’t!
They worked it out based on passenger demographic and inclination to buy!
I believe Aer Lingus Regional did something similar, I could be wrong here but I believe the only route to sell duty free on the ATR is ORK-JER. Again because it was quickly figured out that Cork pax love duty free and will purchase it!
What will probably happen and would be sensible is sky shopping will be removed or reduced on selected routes like UK routes and promoted on other routes like Spanish/ Portuguese/ Greek flights etc

L1011

The flights I've seen the highest amount of Sky Shopping tat sold on are EU city break routes. Young couples buying each other awful jewelry. UK routes I'm sure it'd make more money to swap for more food carts.

Also, the scramble when people realised that the Ryanair flight to Basel/Mulhouse/Freiburg I was on was coded to BSL not MLH/EAP was amazing - don't think anyone had any idea they could get duty free. They ran out of smokes!

Arrivals duty free in BSL is cheaper; but you actually must leave to Switzerland to use it; onboard people taking the French exit could still buy.

joeysoap

There’s nothing you can buy from duty free that’s not cheaper in most countries
Ie cigarettes on the canaries flights. In Portugal you can buy cigs and booze as cheap as duty free at the airport. Passengers have changed too, personally I can’t be ars*d lugging duty free around ( especially as there’s usually a price war between the local supermarkets at Christmas and Easter).

Now, if you could buy medicines as cheaply on board as Spain and Portugal.................:)

Trampas

I’ve flying to LCY with 2 and 5 year olds. Of course they’ll be glued out the window. Would rows 11-14 to ok? No seat map for the RJ85 on seatguru for EI but seems fine on af.

Thanks

EchoIndia

Does the EI website not show a seat map when you book? My recollection from a few flights on the type is that the further forward or towards the back you are, the better,as the wing and engines occupy much of the view for the middle portion of the cabin.

Van.Bosch

EchoIndia wrote: »

Does the EI website not show a seat map when you book? My recollection from a few flights on the type is that the further forward or towards the back you are, the better,as the wing and engines occupy much of the view for the middle portion of the cabin.

Yup and there is a row in there with no window or a very limited window.

When are you flying?

Trampas

Van.Bosch wrote: »

Yup and there is a row in there with no window or a very limited window.

When are you flying?

Tomorrow rows 11-14 are free on one side and 12/14 on other.

Af says row 6 is no window but could it be different on ei?

Van.Bosch

Trampas wrote: »

Tomorrow rows 11-14 are free on one side and 12/14 on other.

Af says row 6 is no window but could it be different on ei?

I’d say it’s the same, EI charge for first 8 rows, so you won’t have too much choice.

Captain_Crash

Trampas wrote: »

Tomorrow rows 11-14 are free on one side and 12/14 on other.

Af says row 6 is no window but could it be different on ei?

Put the flight number into seatguru.com and you'll get a review. its fairly accurate and marks the seats with issues such as no window or a toilet next to it.

smurfjed

geecee wrote: »

Hi Smurfjed
Curious as to why you want to avoid the Emirates A380s?
I usually go out of my way to make sure I am on a A380 and not a B777 when on Emirates?

Also what is their sequencing number that distinguishes the B77s from the A380s? (I tried to look, but I can't find any pattern!)

The main reason for avoiding them is WAKE TURBULENCE, see the following article about a Challenger that flew under an A380 off the coast of Muscat.
https://www.flightglobal.com/picture-inquiry-details-turmoil-in-wake-hit-challenger/124056.article

For the A380 destinations around me, I know the flight numbers such as EK802-806. Having found myself in a 69 degree wake induced bank (following a 777), its something that i treat with the utmost respect.

Apologies for the drift.

MJohnston

smurfjed wrote: »

The main reason for avoiding them is WAKE TURBULENCE, see the following article about a Challenger that flew under an A380 off the coast of Muscat.
https://www.flightglobal.com/picture-inquiry-details-turmoil-in-wake-hit-challenger/124056.article

For the A380 destinations around me, I know the flight numbers such as EK802-806. Having found myself in a 69 degree wake induced bank (following a 777), its something that i treat with the utmost respect.

Apologies for the drift.

It sounds like one of you is referring to avoiding A380s as a pilot of another aircraft, and the other referring to avoiding A380s as a passenger!

smurfjed

^^^^^^^

Correct.

Jack1985

EIN2395 XFW2030-2140DUB 32Q EI-LRD

Tenger

Any estimate of when EIK will join the fleet? I’m guessing our heads up will be when MSN 789 goes into a paint shop.

EIMH

Tenger wrote: »

Any estimate of when EIK will join the fleet? I’m guessing our heads up will be when MSN 789 goes into a paint shop.

It appears to have done a test flight in Doha today. maybe an indication of a further step in the process


https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/a7-aeh#2400bc24

Aviation2K16

Jack1985 wrote: »

EIN2395 XFW2030-2140DUB 32Q EI-LRD

Currently on route to DUB now. Its due in approx 21.20.

Is LRD’s first flight still SNN-JFK?

NH2013

EI-EIN being flown from TLS to BRU today for cabin fitting, departing at 14:30 from TLS.

Bussywussy

Tenger wrote: »

Any estimate of when EIK will join the fleet? I’m guessing our heads up will be when MSN 789 goes into a paint shop.

Paint next Wednesday I last heard so add on a week or 10 days plus more handover bits...so realistically it could be mid to end of march

d51984

Big jet tv is currently live at TLS. You can see EI-EIN parked there.

sherology

Tenger wrote: »

Any estimate of when EIK will join the fleet? I’m guessing our heads up will be when MSN 789 goes into a paint shop.

From Flying In Ireland (last month): EI-EIK Airbus A330-302 c/n 789 Aer Lingus for delivery April ex A7-AEH.

Looks like things are aligning to this date.

kevinandrew

d51984 wrote: »

Big jet tv is currently live at TLS. You can see EI-EIN parked there.

Pity he had to leave so soon, could have seen it depart.

Van.Bosch

Bussywussy wrote: »

Paint next Wednesday I last heard so add on a week or 10 days plus more handover bits...so realistically it could be mid to end of march

Is this going to be the new EI-GEY, with the QR business class seats?

kevinandrew

Van.Bosch wrote: »

Is this going to be the new EI-GEY, with the QR business class seats?

I think the plan is for it to be refitted but even if it isn’t, this aircraft has a much better business class product than what EI-GEY originally came with.

Here’s a report of the aircraft;

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-reports/1828600-qatar-airways-a330-300-business-class-doha-maldives-youtube-clip.html

While not identical, the basics remain.

goingnowhere

EIK already has 30 lie flat seats fitted, different spec but exact same seat count as the current A330-300

All are 2 seat pairs not the 1/2/2 + 1/2/1 per EI spec. Unclear if a refit will occur, but EI-EWR is going back so there are some seats available

forestlover

Flew with Aerlingus to and from Miami and I have to say even as a very nervous flyer it was great. Bigger planes then normally fly the route, A330 - 302, so loads of space to lie down etc. Good bit of turbulence on the way back due to the tail wind but felt safe and comfortable the whole time.

Interesting as well flew with American Airlines during the trip also going to S/America and on take off and landing the do not ask you to open up the window blind, any reason why this is the norm for European airlines and not for AA?

Locker10a

forestlover wrote: »

Flew with Aerlingus to and from Miami and I have to say even as a very nervous flyer it was great. Bigger planes then normally fly the route, A330 - 302, so loads of space to lie down etc. Good bit of turbulence on the way back due to the tail wind but felt safe and comfortable the whole time.

Interesting as well flew with American Airlines during the trip also going to S/America and on take off and landing the do not ask you to open up the window blind, any reason why this is the norm for European airlines and not for AA?

The window blind thing is not an FAA requirement, they’re basically not as strict with regulations as European authorities. It’s surprising as I’d consider it quite an important one but there you go