Aer Lingus Regional

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Aer Lingus Regional
Aer Lingus Regional logo 2019.svg
IATA ICAO Callsign
EI TBC TBC
Founded26 January 2010
Commenced operations28 March 2010
Frequent-flyer programAerClub/Avios[1]
Parent companyAer Lingus
HeadquartersDublin Airport, Ireland
Websiteaerlingus.com

Aer Lingus Regional is an Aer Lingus brand which has been used for commuter and regional flights. Aer Lingus Regional scheduled passenger services operate primarily from Ireland to the United Kingdom, France, and the Channel Islands, and also from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Services were operated by Stobart Air until the company informed Aer Lingus in June 2021 that it would no longer be in a position to operate the franchise.[2] The contract for the franchise has been awarded to Emerald Airlines and services are due to resume in October 2021.[3]

History[]

Foundation[]

The possibility of the brand, and associated operating arrangement were first announced on 6 January 2010, when Aer Lingus hinted to the media that it was interested in expanding its UK services with the help of what was then Aer Arann. It was also mentioned as solely a Cork expansion with no mention of Dublin, with Aer Lingus saying bulk seats would be bought on Aer Arann planes without an actual financial take-over.[4]

On 26 January 2010, it was confirmed that Aer Lingus and Aer Arann would launch a new franchise agreement. On that same date, new routes from Dublin to Doncaster-Sheffield and Durham Tees Valley were announced by Aer Lingus Regional, in addition to a new route from Cork to Glasgow.[5] It was also decided that previous Aer Arann routes to Cork would all be transferred to Aer Lingus Regional. Aer Arann services to Blackpool and Cardiff from Dublin would be transferred to Aer Lingus Regional also.

Operational approach[]

Though Aer Arann and Aer Lingus founded Aer Lingus Regional together, Aer Arann operated all flights and managed those flights with Aer Arann flight crew on board. All aircraft were painted in Aer Lingus Regional livery, and both airlines anticipated new routes being announced as the new venture between the two airlines grew.[6]

Growth[]

On 14 March 2012, Aer Arann confirmed that it would streamline all of its own branded services into Aer Lingus Regional, from 25 March 2012. Routes that transferred to Aer Lingus Regional following this included ones from Dublin to the Isle of Man and Kerry, Waterford to London-Luton, London-Southend and Manchester.[7] The airline later suspended all services from Waterford.[8] On 11 July 2012, Aer Arann announced that it intended to purchase 8 ATR 72-600 aircraft to help replace and expand its operations. The first of these aircraft were delivered in late April 2013.

Stobart Air[]

On 20 March 2014, Aer Arann announced its intention to re-brand and form Stobart Air to allow the company to seek further franchise agreements. There was no change to the operation of Aer Lingus Regional services.[9] On 27 November 2014, Stobart Air was awarded PSO contracts between Dublin-Donegal from 1 February 2015. The existing Dublin-Kerry route was also extended to 2017. On the same date, all services to/from Shannon were confirmed to be axed from 5 January 2015, and the base there closed on the same date.[10][11] The airline later resumed services to/from Shannon.[12]

In January 2018, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross, announced that Stobart Air would continue its two PSO routes, Dublin to Donegal and Kerry, until January 2022.[13] That year saw the airline adding an additional 70,000 seats during its winter season, with 580 flights a week.[14]

COVID-19[]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all international flights were first reduced to a limited schedule and then temporarily suspended from the 28th of March until further notice. The two domestic PSO flights would continue, to maintain "vital links".[15] Due to the lack of flights, Stobart Air which employs 400, people had to temporally lay-off most of its employees. Only 16% of Stobart Air's workforce would be retained, primarily to operate the domestic Irish routes.[16]

Changes[]

When he was announcing the end of first quarter results for IAG, Chief Executive Willie Walsh revealed that a different provider might operate the routes once the Stobart Air contract expired at the end of 2022.[17] Aer Lingus Group, together with Stobart Air, announced on 23 July 2020 that it was to establish a base at Belfast–City Airport with 6 new routes to Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Exeter, Leeds/Bradford and Manchester with 5 based ATR72-600 aircraft and over 200 weekly flights planned to operate.[18] The news was welcomed by airport and government officials in what was described as "an extremely challenging environment" during the coronavirus pandemic.[19]

Following a competitive tender process, it was announced that Stobart Air had not been successful in retaining the Aer Lingus Regional Franchise. From January 2023 a new operator would take over, with Emerald Airlines as the preferred option.[20]

On 11 June 2021, Stobart Air informed Aer Lingus that it was terminating its franchise agreement, as the company was to be placed into liquidation, resulting in the cancellation of all Aer Lingus Regional flights, affecting 12 routes. Aer Lingus subsequently announced that it would operate five of these routes for the time being, and that BA CityFlyer would operate two for at least a week.[21] The former fleet of ATR planes was placed on the market by Stobart's principal shareholder.[22]

The Irish government sought an airline to operate the two PSO routes on a temporary basis before a new tender for a long-term contract.[23] Emerald Airlines remained the preferred option and, as of July 2021, was expected to launch its services by October 2021.[24]

Destinations[]

Further information: Aer Lingus destinations

As of June 2021, flights under the Aer Lingus Regional brand have been terminated following the collapse of Stobart Air.[5]

Country City Airport Notes Refs
 England Blackpool Blackpool Airport Terminated
Birmingham Birmingham Airport Terminated
Bournemouth Bournemouth Airport Terminated
Bristol Bristol Airport Terminated
Doncaster Doncaster Sheffield Airport Terminated
Durham Tees Valley Durham Tees Valley Airport Terminated
East Midlands East Midlands Airport Terminated
Exeter Exeter Airport Terminated
Leeds/Bradford Leeds Bradford Airport Terminated
London Luton Airport Terminated
London Southend Airport Terminated
Manchester Manchester Airport Terminated
Newcastle Upon Tyne Newcastle International Airport Terminated
Newquay Newquay Airport Terminated
Southampton Southampton Airport Terminated
 France La Rochelle La Rochelle Airport Terminated
Rennes Rennes–Saint-Jacques Airport Terminated
 Ireland Cork Cork Airport Terminated
Donegal Donegal Airport Terminated
Dublin Dublin Airport Terminated
Kerry Kerry Airport Terminated
Shannon Shannon Airport Terminated
Waterford Waterford Airport Terminated
 Isle of Man Isle of Man Isle of Man Airport Terminated
 Jersey Jersey Jersey Airport Terminated
 Northern Ireland Belfast George Best Belfast City Airport Terminated
 Scotland Aberdeen Aberdeen Airport Terminated
Edinburgh Edinburgh Airport Terminated
Glasgow Glasgow Airport Terminated
 Wales Cardiff Cardiff Airport Terminated

Fleet[]

Aer Lingus Regional ATR 72 operated by Stobart Air
See also: Stobart Air Fleet

As of June 2021, the Aer Lingus Regional fleet, which had been operated by Stobart Air, included the following aircraft:[25][26]

Aer Lingus Regional Fleet
Aircraft In service orders Passengers Notes
ATR 42-600 1 — 48
ATR 72-600 12 — 72
Total 13 —

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "AerClub - Aer Lingus". aerlingus.com.
  2. ^ "Some Aer Lingus Regional flights to resume tomorrow". rte.ie.
  3. ^ https://www.independent.ie/business/aer-lingus-regional-service-set-for-relaunch-by-october-40612869.html
  4. ^ "Aer Lingus ready to do Cork deal". Breaking News. 1 June 2010.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "AerArann.com - Home - AerArann.com". Archived from the original on 10 December 2005.
  6. ^ "News Channel - Homepage - flightglobal.com". Flightglobal.com.
  7. ^ "AerArann.com - Home - AerArann.com". Archived from the original on 5 May 2012.
  8. ^ Super User. "Aer Arann, operating as Aer Lingus Regional, to suspend services from Waterford Airport - News - AerArann.com". Archived from the original on 20 January 2013.
  9. ^ "Aer Arann set to rebrand as Stobart Air". RTE.ie. 20 March 2014.
  10. ^ Stobart wins PSO contracts Archived December 2, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  11. ^ "Stobart Air to cease operations at Shannon Airport in new year". The Irish Times. 28 November 2014.
  12. ^ "AerLingus Adds Shannon – Birmingham Operation from June 2015". Routes Online. 9 April 2018.
  13. ^ "PSO Routes Awarded to Stobart Air". FlyingInIreland.com. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  14. ^ "Aer Lingus Regional to increase capacity for winter 2018". Stobart Air. 19 June 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  15. ^ "Aer Lingus Regional operator reduces schedule". rte.ie. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  16. ^ "Union criticises Stobart Air over staff layoffs". www.aerotime.aero. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  17. ^ "Other carriers approach Aer Lingus in bid to operate its regional service". independent. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  18. ^ "6 new routes from Belfast City Airport". Aer Lingus Group DAC. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  19. ^ "BELFAST CITY AIRPORT SECURES SIX ROUTES TO THE UK". Belfast City Airport. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  20. ^ "McCarthy clinches contract for Aer Lingus Regional". Irish Independent. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  21. ^ "Aer Lingus regional flights operated by Stobart Air cancelled". RTÉ News. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  22. ^ Kaminski-Morrow, David (14 June 2021). "Parent of collapsed Stobart Air trying to place ATR fleet with other operators". Flight Global. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  23. ^ Dunn, Graham (15 June 2021). "Ireland takes steps to reinstate former Stobart domestic flights". Flight Global.
  24. ^ Davies, Phil (5 July 2021). "New Aer Lingus Regional operator tipped for autumn take-off". Travel Weekly.
  25. ^ "Our Airline Partners - Aer Lingus".
  26. ^ "Stobart Air fleet".

External links[]

Media related to Aer Lingus Regional at Wikimedia Commons

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