Papal Flights

Tenger

Trampas wrote: »

Who’s paying for the flights?

Any route suffer as a result?

The PR for this once in a generation event is worth more than a flight to London or Portugal.
EI have a reduced schedule to London on Sundays so I doubt anything was affected. Perhaps they didn’t schedule one departure/arrival pair to ensure they had the backup available.

PukkaStukka

The seats aboard papal flights are sold to the press corp at business class rates. That's how the flight costs are covered and makes it cost nuetral for both the Vatican and the carrier / host.

goingnowhere

Cost was 1277 per seat for Rome - Dublin - Knock and return, once you sign up you must complete the full journey

Cloudio9

goingnowhere wrote: »

Cost was 1277 per seat for Rome - Dublin - Knock and return, once you sign up you must complete the full journey

Presumably the Irish hacks could come back to Dublin last night too.

goingnowhere

That would be extra, the deal with Papal flights is you fly from Rome the entire itinerary and back to Rome

It wouldn't surprise me if EI had done a deal and assuming cabin bag only took the Irish hacks back with them. It was business class catering to Rome, thats probably why a 321 was used as it still has a larger front galley and the rails for the business class divider are still there and it looks like EI kept them in store after going all economy

Sorry it was 1227 per seat not 1277

Under His Eye

Could an ordinary joe have bought a seat if they wanted to pay?

goingnowhere

Nope, only journalists accredited by the Vatican who applied to travel and were invited to accompany the Pope on his visit could fly.

And you had to queue up in person to complete the formalities

Tenger

goingnowhere wrote: »

Nope, only journalists accredited by the Vatican who applied to travel and were invited to accompany the Pope on his visit could fly.

And you had to queue up in person to complete the formalities

I had read an article about that, the journalists had to travel to the Vatican previously in order to get their press validation.

I did see a pic on facebook taken from onboard. It was well back but you could see the crew giving a large tray to a passenger, about 4-5 other cameras visibel pointing at 'the action', in shot was the old curtain installed on the A321.

LXFlyer

Tenger wrote: »

I had read an article about that, the journalists had to travel to the Vatican previously in order to get their press validation.

I did see a pic on facebook taken from onboard. It was well back but you could see the crew giving a large tray to a passenger, about 4-5 other cameras visibel pointing at 'the action', in shot was the old curtain installed on the A321.

I think that was the tray with the hot towels Tenger!

Tenger

LXFlyer wrote: »

I think that was the tray with the hot towels Tenger!

Could well be.....its years since EI had those on A321's!!!

Locker10a

http://aerlingus.newsweaver.com/News/1opqf1tkfuc1qhjn8l5bks?email=true&a=5&p=1588810&t=221712&autoPlay=VIMEO-287430652