Aer Lingus Fleet/Routes Discussion

Cloudio9

Bussywussy wrote: »

correct.however the powers that be have selected GO-GO for the 320 fleet

Probably cost of the satellite Wi-Fi. Will it be gate to gate Wi-Fi? I think that's critical on sorry haul.

Bussywussy

joeysoap wrote: »

EI 139 left Dublin slightly ahead of EI 109 earlier today, so how is 109 ahead on FLight Radar? Are 333s faster than 332's or would it be down to RTÉ destination airports and landing slots? Just curious. Both tracking 236 until a few secs ago.

weight i would say is the reason,the -200/300 speed rating is same

Cloudio9

Bussywussy wrote: »

weight i would say is the reason,the -200/300 speed rating is same

Or different altitudes will result in different head winds westbound.

Bussywussy

Cloudio9 wrote: »

Probably cost of the satellite Wi-Fi. Will it be gate to gate Wi-Fi? I think that's critical on sorry haul.

i haven't heard about gate to gate as of yet! i think they should of went with dual sat and ground based, although there is a plan to locate ground equipment on ships,oil rigs etc etc

Tenger

Bussywussy wrote: »

i haven't heard about gate to gate as of yet! i think they should of went with dual sat and ground based, although there is a plan to locate ground equipment on ships,oil rigs etc etc

The Jetblue and American system only works over continental USA, (used both over last 6 months) so I assume its also ground based only.

Would I be right in guessing that ground based is cheaper and/or has better bandwidth/reliability of connection than satellite based system?

Bussywussy

Tenger wrote: »

The Jetblue and American system only works over continental USA, (used both over last 6 months) so I assume its also ground based only.

Would I be right in guessing that ground based is cheaper and/or has better bandwidth/reliability of connection than satellite based system?

cheaper yes and reliability probably,haven't used both enough to say...i found the jet blue wifi quite good using it.

Cloudio9

Tenger wrote: »

The Jetblue and American system only works over continental USA, (used both over last 6 months) so I assume its also ground based only.

Would I be right in guessing that ground based is cheaper and/or has better bandwidth/reliability of connection than satellite based system?

I heard they couldn't get the business case to make sense for extending the 330 system to the 320 which would probably explain why the rollout is a couple of years behind schedule and why they're now going with a ground system.

Also I think the satellite system is more complicated e.g I believe there's a moving antenna that has to point at the satellite.

Bussywussy

Cloudio9 wrote: »

Also I think the satellite system is more complicated e.g I believe there's a moving antenna that has to point at the satellite.

correct,it's hooked up to the aircraft ADIRS to get its location.it also switches satellites depending on location and can cut out for 5-10 mins.

HTCOne

So I'm guessing the A320 WiFi won't work on the Canaries routes on T16? Since they're out of radar coverage most of the way down....

Tenger

Cloudio9 wrote: »

.......
Also I think the satellite system is more complicated e.g I believe there's a moving antenna that has to point at the satellite.

Bussywussy wrote: »

correct,it's hooked up to the aircraft ADIRS to get its location.it also switches satellites depending on location and can cut out for 5-10 mins.

Cool.

I was one of those eejits who had to send a photo of my map display to a mate to show him where I was.....like a kid I was!

Bussywussy

Tenger wrote: »

Cool.

I was one of those eejits who had to send a photo of my map display to a mate to show him where I was.....like a kid I was!

The route is inputted from the Fmgec too,thats where the line your following comes from but it's not given a very full and accurate route like the ND displays,The IFE contains the flight number routes and a rough map of the route,The FMGEC input will override any wrong selection at the IFE Control Centre

Locker10a

CityJet are operating for EI today, an RJ is doing the EI232 to LGW right now.
Earlier in the year there was rumour of cityjet doing some LGW flights to free up an aircraft for EI, is this going to be a regular occourance or a last minute sub in?

Locker10a

Locker10a wrote: »

CityJet are operating for EI today, an RJ is doing the EI232 to LGW right now.
Earlier in the year there was rumour of cityjet doing some LGW flights to free up an aircraft for EI, is this going to be a regular occourance or a last minute sub in?

It's just doing the ei232 and ei233 today. I think it's a last minutes sub but can't say 100%.

Any update on when the 2 replacement 320s are due to enter service

trellheim

Nothing yet, there's still a bit of slack with the fleet of 320s until the end of the month I think

obviously not if they are hiring in Cityjet ..

EchoIndia

Also, I noticed ASL Airlines 737 EI-STA on EI208 to MAN today.

Locker10a

EchoIndia wrote: »

Also, I noticed ASL Airlines 737 EI-STA on EI208 to MAN today.

I've seen that operating a few times for EI over the past few weeks, indeed right now it's operating the EI245 from LGW

john boye

EI-EZW seems to be currently inbound to Dublin as EI991 from Naples. Over Wales atm.

Locker10a

john boye wrote: »

EI-EZW seems to be currently inbound to Dublin as EI991 from Naples. Over Wales atm.

Just noticed this, it's parked up close to T2, wonder if it's been brought back into service for a flight today or if this is maint/paint flight for its next owner

john boye

Locker10a wrote: »

Just noticed this, it's parked up close to T2, wonder if it's been brought back into service for a flight today or if this is maint/paint flight for its next owner

Well it went to Naples for post-lease maintenance so I would assume it's left the active fleet. I think it's due to join Brussels airlines so can't imagine it re-entering service with EI.

Bussywussy

its re-entering service until EI-GAL/GAM come at end of month,CVC is still grounded in the hangar

Locker10a

Bussywussy wrote: »

its re-entering service until EI-GAL/GAM come at end of month,CVC is still grounded in the hangar

Was it CVC that had a hydraulics failure/problem ?

Bussywussy

Locker10a wrote: »

Was it CVC that had a hydraulics failure/problem ?

Don't think so,that's not the reason it's grounded anyway,it's a common A320 problem.

billy few mates

Bussywussy wrote: »

Don't think so,that's not the reason it's grounded anyway,it's a common A320 problem.

What is the reason it's grounded...?

Bussywussy

billy few mates wrote: »

What is the reason it's grounded...?

Wing skin corrosion found on check

duskyjoe

Bussywussy wrote: »

Wing skin corrosion found on check

Way too much info on a public forum imo.

Locker10a

duskyjoe wrote: »

Bussywussy wrote: »

Wing skin corrosion found on check

Way too much info on a public forum imo.

Why? It's not unreasonable for the public to see/hear about aircraft maintenance. I think most of the public are well aware aircraft have insepections and like any machines built by man, sometimes need repairs etc. A quick google of the issue in question brings up plenty of public information and some items published by airline themselves(namely Monarch).
Most of the readers here are aviation enthusiasts and probably find this interesting.
Besides airlines themselves do far worse in relation to exposing flyers to various maintenance issues. I can't really see much harm in the mention of a common maintance issue.


On a separate issue I see EI-EZW is back in service this evening doing the EI574.

Bussywussy

it's extremely common and is probably in every A320 fleet across the world,even doing C Checks 5/6 years ago it was common,it's a manufacturing issue and not airline related. Airbus have had similar problems like the A380 wing issues as well as A320 rib 5 cracking issues from years back.if the mods think its too much leave em take it out

Dardania

I remember watching a BBC documentary about a D check on a BA 747 in Wales - they were quite open on the programme about looking for fatigue cracks (and finding them) on the structure under the floor in first class.
Reassured me to see that they found them and dealt with them.
And I'm reassured that there's an open enough culture on boards that users in the know are happy to share inside info about issues - suggests to me that they're being resolved.

In my experience, blanket secrecy of routine issues such as this lead me to worry about a cover up culture...

arubex

Aer Lingus seem to have given-up shuttling an auxiliary A320 overnight between Dublin and Belfast City and for the past week have had two based in Belfast. Currently EI-EDS and EI-DVI with one doing Heathrow and the other the leisure routes.

As of today another one joining on a W-pattern for the Mallorca service, starting with EI-FNJ.

Locker10a

arubex wrote: »

Aer Lingus seem to have given-up shuttling an auxiliary A320 overnight between Dublin and Belfast City and for the past week have had two based in Belfast. Currently EI-EDS and EI-DVI with one doing Heathrow and the other the leisure routes.

As of today another one joining on a W-pattern for the Mallorca service, starting with EI-FNJ.

They must be night stopping crews in Belfast over the summer then if that's the case, I believe they local based crew only operate the LHR flight and there's only a small handful of local based crew in BHD

duskyjoe

Locker10a wrote: »

Why? It's not unreasonable for the public to see/hear about aircraft maintenance.

Absolutely, agree 100%, but there's a big but.......the word corrosion is life blood for hacks writing sh/te.....that was my angle and I should have explained this earlier.

billy few mates

Wing skin corrosion is a common or garden finding on metal airplanes and hardly front page news even on modern Airbus aircraft, it just occurs and it's easily dealt with. The delays often occur because the manufacturer usually makes you go through them for the repair or limits. Probably their way to monitor the extent of the problem on the fleet worldwide. The repairs themselves are usually fairly simple and straightforward.

goingnowhere

For all that fuss, EI-CVC is back flying, back shuttling between DUB and LHR all day. This is fairly routine repair really.

PukkaStukka

Something go tech with EI??

From RTE news:

Over 600 passengers affected as fault halts Aer Lingus jet

Around 660 Aer Lingus passengers had their travel plans disrupted over the last 24 hours due to a technical issue with one of its aircraft.

A flight from Dublin to JFK Airport in New York and the subsequent return flight from JFK to Dublin were cancelled yesterday due to what an Aer Lingus spokesman called "a technical issue with one of the aircraft in the fleet".

Around 600 passengers in total on the flight to New York and on the return flight were reaccommodated the spokesman said.

Earlier today an Air Lingus flight from Dublin to Orlando, using the same aircraft, an Airbus A330, was also cancelled for the same reason, the spokesperson said, with 66 passengers affected.

john boye

PukkaStukka wrote: »

Something go tech with EI??

From RTE news:

Over 600 passengers affected as fault halts Aer Lingus jet

Around 660 Aer Lingus passengers had their travel plans disrupted over the last 24 hours due to a technical issue with one of its aircraft.

A flight from Dublin to JFK Airport in New York and the subsequent return flight from JFK to Dublin were cancelled yesterday due to what an Aer Lingus spokesman called "a technical issue with one of the aircraft in the fleet".

Around 600 passengers in total on the flight to New York and on the return flight were reaccommodated the spokesman said.

Earlier today an Air Lingus flight from Dublin to Orlando, using the same aircraft, an Airbus A330, was also cancelled for the same reason, the spokesperson said, with 66 passengers affected.

Not sure if it's related, but I think LAX went tech in ORD on Sunday. Saw some complaints on twitter.

L1011

Moved some more relevant posts over

Locker10a

PukkaStukka wrote: »

Something go tech with EI??

From RTE news:

Over 600 passengers affected as fault halts Aer Lingus jet

Around 660 Aer Lingus passengers had their travel plans disrupted over the last 24 hours due to a technical issue with one of its aircraft.

A flight from Dublin to JFK Airport in New York and the subsequent return flight  from JFK to Dublin were cancelled yesterday due to what an Aer Lingus spokesman called "a technical issue with one of the aircraft in the fleet".

Around 600 passengers in total on the flight to New York and on the return flight were reaccommodated the spokesman said.

Earlier today an Air Lingus flight from Dublin to Orlando, using the same aircraft, an Airbus A330, was also cancelled for the same reason, the spokesperson said, with 66 passengers affected.

Out of interest, what do EI tend to do in this situation ? Is their first port of call to draft in a sub aircraft from the likes of Titan or Hifly ? Or would it be to rebook as many passengers as possible on partner airlines? e.g. Via LHR on BA, or on other EI flights?

Jamie2k9

Re book onto partners (incl non partners) or just scrap SNN and re book those onto partners if it's prolonged.

useless

Only 66 passengers on the Orlando flight... in the school holidays. Can't see load factors like that making too much money for EI. I wonder if there really was a tech problem or if EI just deemed it uneconomical to fly those legs?

Locker10a

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Re book onto partners (incl non partners) or just scrap SNN and re book those onto partners if it's prolonged.

Thanks for the reply, I do find it interesting how these situations are dealt with, and does having partner airlines make a difference? Its also topical with regards to cost vs minimising the inconvenience to passengers.

Jamie2k9

useless wrote: »

Only 66 passengers on the Orlando flight... in the school holidays. Can't see load factors like that making too much money for EI. I wonder if there really was a tech problem or if EI just deemed it uneconomical to fly those legs?

There is a tech fault.

Not saw the loads on MCO, but any availability on other services today likely had MCO passengers transferred even prehaps to United because it will work out less costly.

EDIT - Checked and passengers were re routed, hence a low number on this evenings delayed departure.

Jamie2k9

Locker10a wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, I do find it interesting how these situations are dealt with, and does having partner airlines make a difference? Its also topical with regards to cost vs minimising the inconvenience to passengers.

Not sure if partners make a difference, them and non partners would always make a deal for example if Delta had 30 seats free they would cut EI a deal to take them all. Partners may be a little more price friendly or they could have an existing cost per seat in agreement in place.

It's also likely cheaper as sourcing an leased aircraft is not easy and takes time. With EU regulations keeping passengers waiting is very costly to carriers.

Tenger

useless wrote: »

Only 66 passengers on the Orlando flight... in the school holidays. Can't see load factors like that making too much money for EI. I wonder if there really was a tech problem or if EI just deemed it uneconomical to fly those legs?

2nd week of the holidays. I would expect they all went out last week and are coming back this week?
Maybe the return flight is full, or they moved passengers onto other flights and only had to cancel on the 66.

Locker10a

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Locker10a wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, I do find it interesting how these situations are dealt with, and does having partner airlines make a difference? Its also topical with regards to cost vs minimising the inconvenience to passengers.

Not sure if partners make a difference, them and non partners would always make a deal for example if Delta had 30 seats free they would cut EI a deal to take them all.  Partners may be a little more price friendly or they could have an existing cost per seat in agreement in place.

It's also likely cheaper as sourcing an leased aircraft is not easy and takes time.  With EU regulations keeping passengers waiting is very costly to carriers.

Thanks, that all makes sense!
The whole leasing in an airline/aircraft is fascinating to me, operations like Smartlynx and Titan seems really interesting. I often wonder do these airlines have a handbook of the major airlines they serve, how they operate, their levels of service etc. And how quickly they can be ready to go if they get a call from an airline who are short an aircraft.  An very different but interesting side to the airline game

marno21

As long as we don't see that Omni 767 again...

Locker10a

marno21 wrote: »

As long as we don't see that Omni 767 again...

Id welcome it over cancellation...

john boye

Just wondering, what livery has EI-EZW been operating in since it returned? EI or Brussels Airlines?

Locker10a

john boye wrote: »

Just wondering, what livery has EI-EZW been operating in since it returned? EI or Brussels Airlines?

Id have guessed it was all kitted out with Brussels airlines livery and cabin however I may be wrong, no recent photos seem to be online

john boye

Locker10a wrote: »

Id have guessed it was all kitted out with Brussels airlines livery and cabin however I may be wrong, no recent photos seem to be online

I'd have assumed so too but I actually saw it this morning and it turns out it's still in EI livery at least.

duskyjoe

Locker10a wrote: »

Out of interest, what do EI tend to do in this situation ? Is their first port of call to draft in a sub aircraft from the likes of Titan or Hifly ? Or would it be to rebook as many passengers as possible on partner airlines? e.g. Via LHR on BA, or on other EI flights?

Is it true punters were on board when flight cancelled ????