Aer Lingus has just revealed plans to launch two new transatlantic routes in the summer of 2024, and they’re to the hubs of a Star Alliance and SkyTeam airline.
Continue reading: Aer Lingus Adds Denver & Minneapolis Flights
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Hi oh mention that Aer Lingus had an on again off again approach to service, implying you think
These may not last. Can you please point to routes which were recently started and stopped? I can’t think of any, and given that you question Aer Lingus’s commitment to these routes long term I’m
Interested to see the evidence on which you base your assertion.
I think it's important to mention the pre-clearance facility at DUB. This makes connecting there a very attractive alternative. Crossing the Atlantic and arriving at a domestic terminal is sheer bliss.
For Minneapolis, apparently the local... business groups or politicans identified Ireland as a destination with lots of demand but it was underserved. One of the big corporations previously headquartered in Minneapolis moved a large part of their operations to Ireland for tax reasons.
The route apparently did VERY well (it previously operated with a 757 before quickly switching to a 330), and I for one am glad to see it return.
I wish they'd just officially join One World. I know it's not that easy though.
I believe the DEN route was close to happening pre-pandemic. My understanding was that they were waiting for more planes (321XLRs) to free up A330s to launch this route. Glad to see it launch finally with the plan to operate year-round.
Now where is that TK flight they teased a year ago...
Other airline hub raiding with its own geographically well positioned hub is a big part of EI’s business plan
St Paul (Minnesota) continues to have a large Irish population and a long standing travel agency specializing in Irish tourist travel. A major Minnesota health care conglomerate joined hands with its Irish counterpart. This flight will do quite well and MSP business travelers would wish that Are Lingus could join the Sky Team alliance. Pre clearance will streamline business travel.
Terrible airline. A few weeks ago it was more than an hour in line to check in at Dublin. They had surly agents, which is stunning for Ireland. The people behind us missed their USA flight because of the line (and no they didn't call that flight at close-out) and the airline then charged them big bucks to fly home .... 3 days later. And zero OneWorld benefits. The flight itself is fine other than the expected inedible food, but they really suck if anything goes wrong.
BY the way, if you're flying to Ireland, the Dublin airport crowds are a horror show, while Shannon airport is a pleasure. If I lived in MSP I'd connect to Shannon before taking a nonstop to Dublin. USA customs preclearance are in both places.
Do you still have to walk out onto tarmac and climb up stairs for connection to Birmingham at Dublin airport.?
Minneapolis to Dublin makes sense because there are several medical device manufacturing corporations that have facilities in both Minneapolis and Ireland. Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Surmodics, and Abbott are a few that I know of.
Don’t forget that BA is short of aircraft too, so Aer Lingus is a good proxy for new routes at the moment.
Also would add that EI as a hub is quite well-placed for Scandinavian connections from MSP---akin to Icelandair. Wish they'd drop a 321 into DTW...
Also Kerry Gold amongst a number of other large agricultural concerns both here and in Ireland have offices in the Twin Cities area due to the very established ag-food sector here.
Worst airline service ever. Flown twice. Once was double charged and no response from multiple requests for refund (had to credit card chargeback). Second instance the connection flight in both directions did not exist (JetBlue flight number on booking hadn't flown for months)
As an Irishman living in the US for 18 years I’ve had a curse of EI introducing service not long after I leave a metro area on two occasions. DEN being the latest. It was long rumored pre-pandemic. Living in NC I’ve heard rumors they may try A321 service to RDU, and I hope they do. It would be nice to have an alternative to AA’s seasonal and poorly timed nonstop from CLT-DUB.
Important to note that EI is not part of OneWorld, so they are not entitled to give you OneWorld benefits. Sounds like an awful experience tho, do you have an option to check-in online like FR?
St.Paul has a fairly substantial Irish population. But also the Twin Cities has a number of corporations with ties to Ireland, especially in the medical device sector.
Because there isn’t any, really. To my recollection, Aer Lingus has cut its transatlantic network twice in the last 20 years. The first occasion was the GFC, when LAX and SFO were axed (since resumed). The second was the pandemic, when MSP, BDL, and MIA were axed (all since resumed). I think we can give them a pass for doing so at times when many other airlines were doing the very same.