Irish carrier outlines plans to extend long-haul network and streamline short-haul fleet
Aer Lingus is evaluating its long-haul fleet replacement as it looks to expand North American services and add Asian destinations. The airline is also considering abandoning its Airbus A321 narrowbodies and streamlining to a short-haul fleet based solely on the A320.
According to the Irish flag carrier's chief executive Willie Walsh, more North American flights are planned once existing restrictive bilateral agreements are replaced with either an Open Skies agreement between the European Union and the USA, or a new Irish-US deal.
Aer Lingus has also held preliminary talks with Kuala Lumpur and Singapore airport authorities with a view to launching flights from Dublin "towards Australia", but terminating at an Asian hub. Bangkok, Dubai and Hong Kong are also being considered.
Walsh says the expanded network would require aircraft with a range of 12,000km (6,500nm). He adds that the carrier's seven-strong A330 fleet could operate the new flights "at a push", but because four of the A330s are scheduled to be returned in 2005-6, the airline is examining its Airbus and Boeing long-term replacement options.
The airline projects a need for nine to 11 250- to 350-seat aircraft, depending on the final status of transatlantic Open Skies deals. Walsh says: "Effectively, the choice boils down to A330-200s, plus high gross weight A330-300s on one hand, and the 7E7, with 777s as an interim measure, on the other."
Meanwhile, Walsh says there is serious thought being given to simplifying the airline's short-haul fleet to one model, the A320, despite earlier indications that it might take three members of the Airbus single-aisle family. "From an aircraft integration, crew rostering and scheduling point of view, it makes it much easier to swap aircraft in and out if they are all identical," says Walsh. "We may go to a 27-unit A320 fleet," he adds.
The carrier has six A320s and six A321s in service, and is poised to start receiving a new batch of 17 A320s on lease and through direct orders. The new aircraft will enable the airline to phase out its 11 Boeing 737-400/500s. Walsh says efficiency studies point towards harmonising on one type once International Lease Finance leases on three A321s expire in 2005-6. The remaining A321s could be sold "with no difficulty", says Walsh.
JUSTIN WASTNAGE / DUBLIN
Source: Flight International
