Aer Lingus Fleet/Routes Discussion

donvito99

Locker10a wrote: »

Over the past 2 years there has been constant rumour about EI having some form of premium seating on selected European flights.....but everything management have actioned in that time had been cuts, and they have turned things ever more ultra low cost(scrimping on cleaning, catering etc.) so I don't see this happening now.
Aircraft will likely be a320neo from the IAG pool with new flexicabin layout and hopefully they will also take some a321s ! I've a soft spot for the a321

I agree. IAG will accommodate EI like they do Vueling. Sure, there's premium routes there that could foreseeably be catered to by some sort of premium cabin seating, but I don't think that that's what EI have presented themselves as in terms of their "hybrid" positioning in the airline service level dichotomy.

Van.Bosch

donvito99 wrote: »

I agree. IAG will accommodate EI like they do Vueling. Sure, there's premium routes there that could foreseeably be catered to by some sort of premium cabin seating, but I don't think that that's what EI have presented themselves as in terms of their "hybrid" positioning in the airline service level dichotomy.

I dunno with an enhanced frequent flyer program in one world they may see benefits.

Tenger

Locker10a wrote: »

Over the past 2 years there has been constant rumour about EI having some form of premium seating on selected European flights.....

Their planned 'enhanced' offering on selected routes for 2016 has been out on hold due to the IAG takeover.
Hopefully it wasnt enough to suit BA on the LHR route.

Locker10a wrote: »

.....Aircraft will likely be a320neo from the IAG pool with new flexicabin layout and hopefully they will also take some a321s ! I've a soft spot for the a321

Me too. Glad EI kept the 3 they still have.

Marcusm

Is the proposal anything other than an empty middle seat and some complementary F&B?

JCX BXC

Marcusm wrote: »

Is the proposal anything other than an empty middle seat and some complementary F&B?

Doubt it, EI wont change the fleet into two classes, because as the fleet changes around so often and the fact that the business need for flights to places like Murcia would be next to none, It wouldn't be efficient.

goingnowhere

Its empty middle seat, some free F&B
Middle seat may have a tray fitted
Lounge access, priority boarding etc included

EI informally try to keep the middle seat free next to there frequent flyers if space allows

Marcusm

Carnacalla wrote: »

Doubt it, EI wont change the fleet into two classes, because as the fleet changes around so often and the fact that the business need for flights to places like Murcia would be next to none, It wouldn't be efficient.

Didn't they announce it last July then put it on hold. It's not so much two classes or reconfiguration so much as a guarantee of no one beside you. It would equate to BA's club Europe offering apart from F&B.

They termed it AerSpace.

TheFitz13

If EI gets A320/1neos, do you think they will be fitted with IFE screens? Airlines in the US (JetBlue and Virgin America) have it and it seems to be popular over there.

JCX BXC

TheFitz13 wrote: »

If EI gets A320/1neos, do you think they will be fitted with IFE screens? Airlines in the US (JetBlue and Virgin America) have it and it seems to be popular over there.

Doubt it, completely different market here.

Dardania

I suspect some of the little r d returning A320s have drop down screens judging baby the headphone socket in the arm rest. The screens don't even drop down - probably programmed out.

In flight wifi would be useful. Perhaps.

Jamie2k9

Dardania wrote: »

I suspect some of the little r d returning A320s have drop down screens judging baby the headphone socket in the arm rest. The screens don't even drop down - probably programmed out.

In flight wifi would be useful. Perhaps.

WIFI is been looked at a a case of when not if it happens.

Tenger

Dardania wrote: »

...

In flight wifi would be useful. Perhaps.

EI did look at this a few years ago. FY2014 results had indicated a plan to have 1 A320 fitted as a trial by "end 2015"
However the guy who pushed for the installation of WiFi on the A330 fleet got given the heave-ho by the current COO so any of his projects are dead in the water at the moment. The A320 WiFi was one of his babies.
(This was the guy who had been responsible for getting the J Class cabin revamp and the lounge restyling approved by the former CEO and board)

JCX BXC

Tenger wrote: »

EI did look at this a few years ago. FY2014 results had indicated a plan to have 1 A320 fitted as a tril by "end 2015"
However the guy who pushed for the installation of WiFi on the A330 fleet got given the heave-ho by the current COO so any of his projects are dead in the water at the moment. The A320 WiFi was one of his babies.
(This was the guy who had been responsible for getting the J Class cabin revamp and the lounge restyling approved by the former CEO and board)

Haven't seen much good in the higher levels in EI since Mr.Muller left.

Locker10a

Carnacalla wrote: »

Haven't seen much good in the higher levels in EI since Mr.Muller left.

Nope, they need someone fresh to come in, just like with Muller, with an outsiders perspective, who will allow innovation and improvement

Tenger

Carnacalla wrote: »

Haven't seen much good in the higher levels in EI since Mr.Muller left.

One thing that struck me about the Mueller years was that he didn't try to compete head to head with FR. He know EI couldn't survive that battle. Instead EI went for a slightly more up-market approach and widened the net with the transfer opportunities.
Over the last 18 months however all we have seen is a drive to cut costs by taking away things, (no cleaning at outstations, lack of food onboard, short staffed in Dublin, etc) while at the same time FR are moving upwards from their brash ULCC image.



In more on topic news:
EI have their first A350-941 allocated to them by Airbus. This of course could be just a bureaucratic move by Airbus. There are a lot of non-allocated airframes after 100. Currently showing as MSN197. (FYI 27 currently delivered)
https://sites.google.com/site/a350xwbproduction/production-list
Airbus expect ~55 deliveries in 2016, with perhaps ~80 in 2017....that get them up to circa MSN 167 by end 2017. So 197 would be in service end of Q2 2018?

Bussywussy

Talks of acquiring 2-3 A321s too,the A320 neo isn't in pipeline anytime soon but 321neo LR will replace 757s

zone 1

time frame is around 2020 for this maybe im wrong.

Nibs05

In other news,

The 2x A330 in production have there registrations assigned

CN 1742 will be EI-FNG
CN 1744 will be EI-FNH

Locker10a

Bussywussy wrote: »

Talks of acquiring 2-3 A321s too,the A320 neo isn't in pipeline anytime soon but 321neo LR will replace 757s

Thats interesting! I would have thought they would make a move on short haul replacement soon, some of the EI-Cxx reg short haul craft will be getting fairly old in the next few years.
Will the acquired 321's replace some of the older fleet ?
I'm glad to hear they are sticking to the A321 though :pac:

Bussywussy

Nibs05 wrote: »

In other news,

The 2x A330 in production have there registrations assigned

CN 1742 will be EI-FNG
CN 1744 will be EI-FNH

The rumours of another 2 next spring seem plausible with FNI and FNJ left between the A320 FNK which I think is the reg of the one that's coming.

Nibs05

Bussywussy wrote: »

The rumours of another 2 next spring seem plausible with FNI and FNJ left between the A320 FNK which I think is the reg of the one that's coming.

I see 1 A320 on the list as EI-FNJ, it's a ex vueling (EC-KFI)

kub

Nibs05 wrote: »

In other news,

The 2x A330 in production have there registrations assigned

CN 1742 will be EI-FNG
CN 1744 will be EI-FNH

How do these regs work? Just one of RYR's latest deliveries had a reg of EI- FOG, which should come after EI-FNG.

LXFlyer

kub wrote: »

How do these regs work? Just one of RYR's latest deliveries had a reg of EI- FOG, which should come after EI-FNG.

You can order an out of sequence reg if you so wish.

There was a time when everything was strictly in sequence.

Shannon757

lxflyer wrote: »

You can order an out of sequence reg if you so wish.

There was a time when everything was strictly in sequence.

Slightly off topic but does anyone use the 4 digit reg?

Shannon757

Shannon757 wrote: »

Slightly off topic but does anyone use the 4 digit reg?

Gain Jet will be the 1st to use the EJ reg soon, don't think anyone is on the 4 digit Irish system

SRFC90

EI freeing up an air frame or two for the summer by having Stobart operate the LPL route from May 2nd? Could be old news but the first that I've heard.

Jamie2k9

SRFC90 wrote: »

EI freeing up an air frame or two for the summer by having Stobart operate the LPL route from May 2nd? Could be old news but the first that I've heard.

That was decided less than a month after they started the route and made public in Frb

Locker10a

Am I correct in thinking EI still operate 3 A321?
Does anyone know how they plan the A321 into the schedule ?
Is it done on a day to day basis, based on pax booked, or are they planned to operate certain schedules ?
I see there is an A321 operating a Napels today, not a route I would have picked out, that would require extra capacity!

Jamie2k9

Locker10a wrote: »

Am I correct in thinking EI still operate 3 A321?
Does anyone know how they plan the A321 into the schedule ?
Is it done on a day to day basis, based on pax booked, or are they planned to operate certain schedules ?
I see there is an A321 operating a Napels today, not a route I would have picked out, that would require extra capacity!

Its planned both ways, some routes are guaranteed to have it 90% of the time and others with demand. FAO (morning & evening), FCO (morning), AGP (afternoon), ACE (afternoon), VCE (morning) would generally be core routes. Would not be unusual to NAP, CTA, TFS, LPA. DBV and ADR(not this year though)

Stovepipe

Sometimes the A321s are used to play catch-up and make up for delayed flights where pax have to be moved on after a long delay or after an enforced lay over. They are often on standby for such a possibility.