Aer Lingus

[lbaspotter]

I agree, and if they are then clearly the route isn't going to be given time to reach its potential which is a shame. Let's face it, if Aer Lingus (albeit operated by Stobart) can't make it work to Cork, then who can?

Also lets not also forget Leeds-Cork route has been tried and tested before by both bmi regional and Aer Arann as well.

 

[lbaspotter]

I agree, and if they are then clearly the route isn't going to be given time to reach its potential which is a shame. Let's face it, if Aer Lingus (albeit operated by Stobart) can't make it work to Cork, then who can?

Also lets not also forget Leeds-Cork route has been tried and tested before by both bmi regional and Aer Arann as well.

 

[Tarn Spotter]

I would have thought the route has now had enough time for the operator to access whether it can be sustained as a long term operation.
Tourist figures are showing good inward growth into the u.k. and staycation has risen dramatically, the weakeness of the pound against the euro are all a minus for this route. There is likley to be little business travel as all the top companies in Cork are related to the public sector.
Without the Brexit vote if I had been a betting man my money would have been on the route folding within a short period.
I hope I am wrong and the route stays as some people, will use its demise if happens, as a stick to beat LBA management.

 

[tleeds]

Seems a heck of a journey, why not go LBA-LHR-JFK or LBA-DUB-JFK or is the quest for the cheapest flight?

I think the particular lady I was speaking to said she'd booked with BA alongside her FF number, and that was probably the cheapest option for her and her P.A. who'd booked it on her behalf.

 

[whoshotjimmi]

I would have thought the route has now had enough time for the operator to access whether it can be sustained as a long term operation.
Tourist figures are showing good inward growth into the u.k. and staycation has risen dramatically, the weakeness of the pound against the euro are all a minus for this route. There is likley to be little business travel as all the top companies in Cork are related to the public sector.
Without the Brexit vote if I had been a betting man my money would have been on the route folding within a short period.
I hope I am wrong and the route stays as some people, will use its demise if happens, as a stick to beat LBA management.

See what you are saying here, Tarn Spotter. Don't necessarily agree. This is a route that survives daily from the likes of Newcastle, Bristol, Birmingham, 4xweekly from Southampton (crucially with departures on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday) and up to 3xdaily from Manchester. There is no way in hell that it should not also work from LBA. As is normally the case with this sort of thing, LBA has drawn the short straw with the wrong days of operation and a short bedding in period at a time of airline uncertainty.

With regards the business comment, I agree that it is not going to attract the same sort of business commitment as LHR - JFK but to suggest that the business opportunities are unlikely is very far wide of the mark. What I am suggesting is that a daily flight (or at least 6xweekly) could attract perhaps 5 people per sector who would otherwise travel using other means. What this does is add to the 32 or so per sector the flight is averaging, bringing it up to 37. Now we are looking at flights that are more than half full on each sector. 1 or 2 of these business passengers might even pay the business price. We are then looking at an operation that was just breaking even to one that is now making a small profit. Next, we factor in the additional customers who use the service because they have access to it as a daily concern. Let's add another 5 people per sector for kicks. Now we are looking at averaging 42 per sector. All of a sudden, we are looking at a route that is reasonably healthy rather than one that is on the borderline. Frankly, if there were Monday, Friday and Sunday flights, I think you could go further and add another 10 to 15 passengers to those particular flights as people would then be able to access Leeds and Cork as weekend destinations, which they currently cannot. If flights are going out with between 42 and 57 on board, it would go further from making a small profit to making a tidy profit. This would then make it attractive to any airline coming in to take over from the incumbent.

Considering Stobart has done everything possible to make the route as unattractive as possible to potential customers, an average load of 32, I suggest, is not actually that bad. We have already heard from a number of people on this very forum that have bemoaned the lack of a daily flight. My personal experience was that I travelled to Cork with my hockey team for a pre season tour. Of the 11 of us who went, only 1 of us - me - used LBA. And even that was just on the inbound as there was no outbound flight. I have heard from someone else here who travelled there as part of a sports group but was, again, thwarted by the lack of options. What we are talking about here is two people on a forum - a very select group of consumers. Now imagine the many millions of people using LBA who don't post on this forum. It is potentially a huge number of people that are missing out. In my case, Stobart lost out on 11 return flights, with sports equipment and an eagerness for a few beers and, should the flight still be around this time next year in the same guise, will lose out on at least 22 return flights with sports equipment and an Irish drinking mentality when we return the favour.

So let's do the Maths.

Based on my one story and based on the fare from Cork to LBA of £48.91, sports equipment charge of £25 each way per person and a can of lager per person each way for £4, the lack of daily flights will mean that Stobart/Aer Lingus misses out on a potential £4,986 of revenue. Again, that is only my story. There are thousands of untold stories out there.

Undoubtedly, the conversion rate will change things somewhat but enough to completely change the face of aviation? I don't think so. The sort of people that are staying at home now are the sort of people who could barely afford to take their massive family on holiday in the first place. Package holidays may see changes but, if the tour companies get their product right, people will still buy it. Similarly, if Aer Lingus got the LBA-Cork schedule right, people would buy that too.

 

[lbaspotter]

Bad news: Aer Lingus have brought forward the date of the axing of the Cork - Leeds/Bradford service which will now be discontinued from Tuesday, October 4th. The service was originally due to run until the last weekend of October which is normally the end of the summer scheduled..

 

[cmj]

Seems a heck of a journey, why not go LBA-LHR-JFK or LBA-DUB-JFK or is the quest for the cheapest flight?

More Avios?

 

[leedslad]

I for one was a business customer deterred using it by lack of daily service. Otherwise would have been ideal. Otherwise it's fly to Dublin and hire car :-(

 

[lbaspotter]

After seeing a tweet on Cork Airport's twitter feed the other day I had a twitter conversation with Aer Lingus yesterday regards the Leeds - Cork route. Interestingly Aer Lingus could not confirm if the route was either been axed altogether or if it might return for next summer 2017.

See below:
1/ It all started with LBA retweeting Cork Airport tweet

Cork Airport ‏@CorkAirport Sep 12
Fly direct to @LBIAirport from @CorkAirport with @AerLingus Regional #FlyFriendly

2nd/ LBA's added this tweet:

LeedsBradfordAirport‏@LBIAirport
@CorkAirport Flights are available until 4th Oct; @aerligus will operate a Dublin twice daily service through the winter.

3rd/ I then sent the following message to Aer Lingus:

Ross Bailey ‏@rossbaileyleeds Sep 22
@AerLingus will the @LBIAirport to @CorkAirport route operating again next summer 2017 season? If not it's a shame it's been dropped again.

4th/ Aer Lingus duly replied with the following:

Aer Lingus ‏@AerLingus Sep 22
@rossbaileyleeds Hi, we're working to finalise the full schedule for 2017. We're should have the full schedule released in the coming weeks.

5th/ which i sent of another message:

Ross Bailey ‏@rossbaileyleeds Sep 22
Not really answering the question @AerLingus Dose that mean @LBIAirport to @CorkAirport route might actually be reinstated next summer?

6th/ to which Aer Lingus replied again to as follows:

Aer Lingus ‏@AerLingus Sep 22
@rossbaileyleeds Unfortunately, we cannot confirm this until the schedules released, Ross. We're sorry about the wait.

 

[lbaspotter]

It would seem that Aer Lingus Regional have made some scheduled changes to there Dublin - Leeds/Bradford service timings for summer 2017. The service remains operated 2x daily Sunday to Friday and 1x Saturday flight using Stobart Air ATR72 aircraft.

Leeds/Bradford - Dublin Schedule

Monday & Tuesday
EI3390 = DUB 06:25 – LBA 07:35 / EI3391 = LBA 08:10 – DUB 09:25
EI3394 = DUB 17:05 – LBA 18:20 / EI3395 = LBA 18:45 – DUB 20:00
Wednesday
EI3390 = DUB 06:40 – LBA 07:45 / EI3391 = LBA 08:10 – DUB 09:25
EI3394 = DUB 17:05 – LBA 18:20 / EI3395 = LBA 18:45 – DUB 20:00
Thursday
EI3390 = DUB 06:40 – LBA 07:45 / EI3391 = LBA 08:10 – DUB 09:25
EI3394 = DUB 19:05 – LBA 20:20 / EI3395 = LBA 20:45 – DUB 22:00
Friday
EI3390 = DUB 06:25 – LBA 07:35 / EI3391 = LBA 08:10 – DUB 09:25
EI3394 = DUB 19:05 – LBA 20:20 / EI3395 = LBA 20:45 – DUB 22:00
Saturdays
EI3390 = DUB 06:25 – LBA 07:35 / EI3391 = LBA 08:10 – DUB 09:25
Sundays
EI3392 = DUB 14:05 – LBA 15:20 / EI3393 = LBA 15:50 – DUB 17:05
EI3394 = DUB 19:05 – LBA 20:20 / EI3395 = LBA 20:45 – DUB 22:00

 

[lbaspotter]

Aer Lingus Regional winter 2017/18 Leeds/Bradford-Dublin route schedule is now online and bookable. Flights will continue to operate 2x daily SUN to FRI and 1x SAT using Stobart Air ATR72 Aircraft

Monday, Tuesday & Wednesdays
EI3390 = DUB 06:50 – LBA 08:00 / EI3391 = LBA 08:25 – DUB 09:35
EI3394 = DUB 17:15 – LBA 18:30 / EI3395 = LBA 19:00 – DUB 20:20
Thursday & Fridays
EI3390 = DUB 06:50 – LBA 08:00 / EI3391 = LBA 08:30 – DUB 09:40
EI3394 = DUB 17:15 – LBA 18:30 / EI3395 = LBA 19:00 – DUB 20:20
Saturday
EI3390 = DUB 06:50 – LBA 08:00 / EI3391 = LBA 08:30 – DUB 09:40
Sunday
EI3392 = DUB 11:10 – LBA 12:20 / EI3393 = LBA 12:50 – DUB 14:00
EI3394 = DUB 17:15 – LBA 18:30 / EI3395 = LBA 19:00 – DUB 20:20

 

[lbaspotter]

Good news is that Aer Lingus will continue to operate its popular Leeds/Bradford-Dublin route during the winter 2018/19 season. Flights will operate 2x daily Sunday to Friday and 1x Saturday* using Stobart Air, ATR72 aircraft. (* An Saturday afternoon rotation is added during the xmas and new year holidays.)

Mondays
EI3390 = DUB 06:50 – LBA 08:00 / EI3391 = LBA 08:25 – DUB 09:35
EI3394 = DUB 17:25 – LBA 18:35 / EI3395 = LBA 19:00 – DUB 20:20 Non op 24/12, 31/12
Tuesdays
EI3390 = DUB 06:50 – LBA 08:00 / EI3391 = LBA 08:25 – DUB 09:35 Non op 25/12
EI3394 = DUB 17:25 – LBA 18:35 / EI3395 = LBA 19:00 – DUB 20:20 Non op 25/12
Wednesdays
EI3390 = DUB 06:50 – LBA 08:00 / EI3391 = LBA 08:25 – DUB 09:35
EI3394 = DUB 17:25 – LBA 18:35 / EI3395 = LBA 19:00 – DUB 20:20
Thursdays
EI3390 = DUB 06:50 – LBA 08:00 / EI3391 = LBA 08:25 – DUB 09:35
EI3394 = DUB 17:25 – LBA 18:35 / EI3395 = LBA 19:00 – DUB 20:20
Fridays
EI3390 = DUB 06:50 – LBA 08:00 / EI3391 = LBA 08:25 – DUB 09:35
EI3394 = DUB 17:25 – LBA 18:35 / EI3395 = LBA 19:00 – DUB 20:20
Saturdays
EI3390 = DUB 06:50 – LBA 08:00 / EI3391 = LBA 08:25 – DUB 09:35
EI3392 = DUB 16:50 – LBA 18:00 / EI3393 = LBA 18:30 – DUB 19:40 Ops 22/12, 29/12 only
Sundays
EI3392 = DUB 11:10 – LBA 12:30 / EI3391 = LBA 13:00 – DUB 14:20
EI3394 = DUB 17:25 – LBA 18:35 / EI3395 = LBA 19:00 – DUB 20:20

 

[Aviador]

That's great news @lbaspotter thanks for the update!

 

[Finger66]

Are Lingus are, in summer 2019 to start operating daily services from Dublin to both Minneapolis and Montreal. Whilst connections with the LBA - DUB legs are not the best one or both ways, this does strengthen the Oneworld offering as a whole and may just have an extra boost to LBA - LHR connections if one of the DUB ones doesn't work. As an aside to this, as I understand the Stobart op LBA -DUB does do very well despite some recent concerns I had is it time for a third daily rotation to support the ever growing transatlantic operation from Dublin?

 

[Bigman]

A bigger aircraft on the first rotation would be a better choice for the Trans-Atlantic connections wouldn't it?

 

[Finger66]

I think that has to be an option too and that would also help support a third rotation so perhaps 1 x Airbus and 2 x ATR a day!

 

[Jerry]

My sister flew to Dublin with Aer Lingus last night on the 21.00 i think it is, departure, slight delay on takeoff but she had a good flight with them again. She said the airport was the quietest she's ever seen it.
View attachment 10193

 

[Seasider]

There are not many departures at that time of night!

 

[Jerry]

There are not many departures at that time of night!

I think she is used to the airport in the day when it's a lot busier!

 

[lbaspotter]

Aer Lingus Regional (operated by Stobart Air) also have an extra Leeds-Bradford - Dublin rotation operating this Sunday using ATR72 as follows in connection with the Ireland vs England Six Nation Rugby Union match on Saturday

Sunday 03/02/18
EI3396 = DUB 15:15 - LBA 16:35 / EI3397 = LBA 17:00 - DUB 18:20