Aer Lingus Fleet/ Routes Discussion Pt 2 (ALL possible routes included)

Tenger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121203603#Comment_121203603

I flew with them in July. The app worked for me. First time I added the boarding card to my Google wallet

p_haugh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121209664#Comment_121209664

Hopefully it's fixed then, haven't used it recently as I haven't flown with them since May 🤞

ricimaki

IAG are looking to place a widebody order.

Article talks about BA's 777's replacements being the target, but could any aircraft be destined for Aer Lingus?

kevinandrew

I’d like to think so but Aer Lingus will be very lucky to see anything out of these negotiations. It’s a small fish in a very big pond and when it comes to getting new aircraft, BA and IB have stronger cases.

Although the two visits to Shamrock House by Boeing in recent months does suggest something is in the works.

The 787-10 would be an ideal A333 replacement in terms of capacity and capabilities. It can do everything they need while boosting capacity and allowing the introduction of a premium economy. Downside is losing the current fleet commonality but the long term advantages may outweigh that. In the end it’ll all come down to what the manufacturer offers.

Marcusm

BA has a much more varied set of wide bodies than IB which is solely Airbus. bA’s 772 are all year 2000 vintage - tail numbers are G-YMM- (YMM = Year 2000) and likely up for replacement. (YMMM having gone to the graveyard in the sky back in 2004 following the short landing at Heathrow.). Logically, you could see the. Mixing and matching with IB to have. A fleet which could be used by both t but then flight crew would need to be fungible as well which might not be as easy.

Gary walsh 32

Looks like ei nsa is stuck in lhr again

Sexual Chocolate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121212241#Comment_121212241

There's a thread on airliners.net about this order where some people are really going into detail as to the advantages pro cons ect on the difference between the 78X and both A350s. From what I've gathered in between all the bickering is that the 78Xis the better medium haul performer (7-9hrs) where as the a350 is better on longer flights (+9hrs). And the 78X has two extra economy rows in a typical layout over the A359.

List price between the two isn't too far different but that becomes irrelevant very quickly when airlines go to purchase.

The IGW that the 78X is supposed to be getting is expected to add on roughly 400nm bringing it's range up to 6700 with full pax and bag and I believe excluding cargo.

And somewhere in between all of that the A330neo fits in nicely.

California Dreamer

Word on the street is 2 more QR 330 joining the fleet for next summer. But could depend on delivery slots of new QR aircraft.

Locker10a

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121236513#Comment_121236513

Interesting, is there really a need ?

I had thought the current fleet covered the schedule next year

Noxegon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121236513#Comment_121236513

I gather that EIL and EIK are being refitted, so perhaps management wanted a few more frames with non-standard seating in order to maintain what has become the expected lottery when flying Aer Lingus long haul?

Tenger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121237155#Comment_121237155

15 airframes cover the current planned Summer schedule (including the new routes to MSP and DEN)

EchoIndia

There will be a new A21N by next summer also: EI-LRI.

Van.Bosch

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121237155#Comment_121237155

Maybe something new will be announced - DUB or MAN.

moonshy2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121240278#Comment_121240278

Rumour mill has Man all 321LR/XLR next summer.

moonshy2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121212241#Comment_121212241

Small fish ? BA are looking for 20. But EI to make it work crew wise could easily order a full fleet replacement and get 13-15 with options. That makes them more than a small fish. I say 13-15 because what would the point be in going half way and having half your crews tied down to a small fleet of Boeings. Rumours were MAXs were on the table so order could be even larger from EIs side of the house.

Qaanaaq

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121237155#Comment_121237155

Well with the level of lease in’s this summer I guess that it’s insufficient.

Qaanaaq

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121238941#Comment_121238941

I thought EI already had all the 321LR that were ordered? And nothing more until the XLR.

HTCOne

A21N is the ICAO code for the A321Neo....ie all Neo variants of the A321.

Edit: I might have misunderstood both posts. I assumed EI-LRI was to be the first XLR....but given the timeline it sounds like an LR?

Tenger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121238941#Comment_121238941

I thought the XLRs weren't to be delivered until end of 2024?

Unless EI got/asked for an additional LR to bridge the gap?

Bocages75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121240318#Comment_121240318

You need some new sources mate.

MAN might get a NEO to compliment the 2 current 330s (or another 330) next year but an all narrow body operation is not being discussed anywhere.

donkey balls

Obviously having one fleet costs less on MX and crewing, and spares, What would happen if EI were to replicate BA cost wise?

Would love to go back in to aviation but the hours would kill me.

moonshy2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121242347#Comment_121242347

Firstly I said rumour mill, secondly it is being spoken about, you might just be behind the curve on this one. Also I’m satisfied with my source they are solid.

Sexual Chocolate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121236513#Comment_121236513

Oh god 🙄

Bocages75

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121243517#Comment_121243517

how will the NEO get to MCO and BGI or are those sources also suggesting Ei are going to cease 2 of their 3 routes in Manchester next year ?

kevinandrew

The first XLR isn’t due until at least Q3 of next year but we all know how Airbus deliveries have been in recent years so you can expect that to slip slightly before then. The expected delivery coincides with their plans to make DUB-MSP daily from Q4, something they highlighted during the route announcement a couple of months ago.

So we can rule out the XLR for Manchester next summer.

As for the current batch of available LRs in operation, unless there’s considerable reshuffling of the fleet, there simply isn’t enough to cover moving any of them to Manchester.

Finally, there’s the minor issues of range, cargo and capacity. Not enough range, nowhere near enough cargo space and while loads are hit and miss, an average of 70-80% in summer on the A333 is way above what the A321LR can handle.

In the schedules MAN-BGI appears to be getting a longer season and will now end in late May with MAN-MCO going daily from the beginning of June. JFK unchanged at daily.

That’s not to say an A321 wouldn’t be ideal for Manchester, I’ve raised this point before but the lack of fleet flexibility for EIUK hampers its potential; the A333 is fine for peak summer and UK school holidays but simply too large in the dead of winter. Strong cargo demand, influenced by IAG Cargo, has apparently been a factor.

Tenger

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121243517#Comment_121243517

Another thing to consider regarding "rumoured" fleet plans is that plans change all the time. The confirmed plan first week of September may be different to the confirmed plan 6 weeks later.

Im pretty sure that an all A321LR base in Manchester was discussed and examined. This is what planning/operations people do. They assess options, present them to the Execs and a forward plan comes together. The advantages of lower operating costs and fleet interoperability has its advantages, the lack of range for BGI and MCO is the disadvantage.

Thus I rarely scoff at "rumours" as they usually have a basis in fact. Rumours may be just that, or they may be a hint of a possible/discarded plan.

*I certainly dismissed the "A321LR operating DUB-DOH as a codeshare with Qatar" rumour with hardly a thought. It was ridiculous.

Gary walsh 32

Booked faro for July early flight so be getting an a330 3rd time lucky I might actually fly on one previous 2 were cancelled because of covid

sherology

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121238941#Comment_121238941

The LR will disappear over time as it's really just a stopgap model Airbus developed when they baulked back in the last recession at the intended (and soon to be dominant) XLR. EI could well do with an a321neo - even a few - to do the bucket and spade, and high volume routes, so it may well just be a standard all economy model with about 230+ seats. More economical than an a330 as it's right sized for year round, and plenty of room for baggage without all those extra fuel tanks aka. the LR.

goingnowhere

The fleet plan for the LR allows for conversion to shorthaul high density, the seat numbering already reflects this (over wing exits on all EI A32x aircraft is 12/13).

There is also a door behind the wing which is plugged on the EI LR's which would be needed to meet evac requirements in high density config. The extra fuel tanks are all removable on the LR, they are structural on the XLR

LR is still a great aircraft for IE-US East Coast, bear in mind the XLR costs more than the LR to purchase, has a higher MTOW so higher ATC fees.

They are leased so EI will have the option to return them or extend the lease at some point

Captain_Crash

@goingnowhere the overwing exits on the 321 are at rows 14/15, but yes the doors at 3L/R are plugged and are quick and easy to activate if/when the config changes.