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AER LINGUS HAS further ambitions to grow its Irish services to Canada – with Vancouver high on the hit list.
Chief executive Stephen Kavanagh revealed the expansion plans at the launch of two new transatlantic routes from Ireland.
The IAG-owned carrier will roll out summer flights next year from Dublin to US destination Minneapolis-Saint Paul and Montreal in Canada.
The daily fight to Minneapolis, which starts from 8 July 2019, will be operated using a Boeing 757 aircraft.
The Montreal route will also be a daily flight and kicks off on 8 August of next year. It will be serviced by an Airbus A321neo long-range aircraft.
Explaining the decision to select the two new destinations, which will bring Aer Lingus’s total number of North American services to 15, Kavanagh said there are significant numbers of people travelling to Minneapolis-Saint Paul on competing carriers.
He also suggested there is a business case for connecting regional France to Montreal via Dublin Airport. The Canadian city has a large French community.
Kavanagh said Aer Lingus “hasn’t finished yet in terms of our ambition in Canada”, adding that Vancouver “is an obvious candidate” for a future flight from Dublin.
He also named Las Vegas, Dallas, Denver, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Halifax as other cities on the airline’s wish list.
“We have canvassed upwards of 30 airports and metropolitan areas in North America and Canada. We will consider all of those responses,” he said.
Dublin Airport infrastructure
However, Kavanagh warned that Aer Lingus’s growth plans will be dependent on the level of infrastructural investment at Dublin Airport.
Aer Lingus and other carriers have long campaigned for improved infrastructure at the country’s busiest airport, complaining that the existing facilities are close to maximum capacity.
Dublin Airport owner DAA recently committed to a €900 million investment in improving airport stands and piers.
The launch of the new Aer Lingus routes coincided with the publication of a report on the economic impact the airport could have if it was developed into a major transport hub.
The so-called hub-and-spoke air travel model, favoured primarily by US carriers, is based on filtering traffic through a central destination and feeding passengers to onward connections.
It fits into Aer Lingus’s vision of using Dublin and its favourable geographic location to feed traffic between North America and Europe.
The report compiled by EY estimated that the development of Dublin Airport as a hub would be worth an estimated €18.6 billion to the economy and generate €6 billion additional revenue for the Exchequer between now and 2033.
Commenting on the report, Kavanagh said that Dublin has already become a hub, but it’s “an accidental hub in terms of the infrastructure”.
When asked by Fora to specify the kind of investment Aer Lingus would like to see, Kavanagh said the airline is calling for additional piers, stands for parking aircraft, apron space for planes to navigate and additional facilities to handle baggage.
He said the new facilities would cost an estimated €500 million that could be funded through airport charges, adding: “The shareholders of IAG and the capital markets, I believe, will provide funding.”
“Above all, we want, from an Aer Lingus perspective, an operation that’s capable of delivering competitive transfer connecting times.
“We are selling convenience, we are selling and advantageous geographic position … we don’t want to consume that time with an inefficient airport experience.”
Gulf carrier Emirates earlier this year revealed that it shelved plans for a third daily flight from Dublin to Dubai because of infrastructural issues at the airport.
While Aer Lingus hasn’t yet had to defer route launches, Kavanagh said “it’s becoming increasingly difficult”.
“It’s more challenging to operate efficiently,” he told Fora.
“We’re planning for the next 10 years. Very early in that time frame, we see these pinch points actually blocking us from growing … It’s why we’ve been working collaboratively with the DAA to really communicate what we require.”
Written by Conor McMahon and posted on Fora.ie
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@ MVM
Thanks
I’m not trying to be smart but the article states exactly where and when the accident happened.
Junction 16 exit to ashford/rathnew northbound
What more do you want to know ?
Who are you speaking to ?
You
I can read and I’m not stupid
I don’t understand why you are up in arms over a picture ?
The article tells you what you need to know and do if you saw anything at the time of the accident if you were there
What difference does it matter what picture is there ?
You want to see pictures with stories go get a ladybird book
Who uses books,haven’t you heard of Google
Well why haven’t you used google to get an image of junction 16 on the N11 instead of crying here about it ?
Sure I might as well get a job in the journal if I’m going to to their work for tgem
Unlikely with the errors in that comment.
Don’t feed the troll Kay, MVM regularly puts up ridiculous comments in the hopes of getting a reaction. He’s probably just a bored teenager with no mates.
Thanks willy.
@willy,trying to get a reaction…?bahaha I get more than reactions
They see me trolling n trolling
They see ne I’m trolling n they hating.
Now down minions your master is here
Rip for the man who was killed.
They Obviously won’t be needing you Dublin History, to help with the investigation.
What part of the N11 is that? You could have at least used a picture of near the scene.
Yea I agree they might as well have a picture of a back road in Thailand if they won’t use a picture of the scene
“The scene” was the N11. Get over it
@daniel,and how long is the n11?slpooy journalism
But why do you need to see the location? You either saw this poor man getting ploughed into by another car or you didn’t
@ daniel,just for you because obviously your a bit slow..
They might as well have a picture of a back road in Thailand if they won’t put up a pic of the sceen,what’s the point in having a picture 20miles away
It says where in the article
Junction 16
@kay,glad you can read
Very nicely put Daniel. Idiot.
This is not the n11 it is the r774 the eden gate roundabout between greystones and kilcoole, it is nowhere near the scene of the accident,though it is very close to the n11
Its the kilpeddar greystones link road in the picture
Wexford man was tragedy strikes week after engagement
The picture is where the accident happened!!!
No IT’S not,why make up such a lie
have your say