Etihad Airways introduces Boeing 787 Dreamliner service to Dublin

                                               

Etihad Airways Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner 

Etihad Airways has introduced the Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the Dublin route ahead of schedule utilizing both variants of the type -9 and -10 in lieu of its daily EY41/42 Boeing 777-300ER service.  The 787 Dreamliner is fast becoming the backbone of the Abu Dhabi-based carrier's long-haul fleet.

For the summer peak season Etihad will operate four additional Boeing 787-9 services between 27 June to 15 September featuring 28 Business Class flat-bed seats and 271 Economy Class seats.

Originally Dublin was to be one of the first Etihad 787 routes when announced in 2012 Dublin along with Frankfurt, Istanbul, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing and Nagoya – when deliveries of the aircraft begin in the last quarter of 2014. However Etihad's equity partnership with Air Berlin saw the carrier focus 787 capacity into the German market serving Air Berlin's primary hub in Dusseldorf.

In a statement issued in 2017 the carrier said "With a further 61 Dreamliners due to be delivered over the next few years, the 787s will become Etihad Airways’ flagship long-haul aircraft".

The airline has taken delivery of 28 of 71 Boeing 787 aircraft on order. The airline will continue to take delivery of aircraft until they reach their agreed revised figure.

The airline is the midst of a fleet re-structuring programme with the carrier gradually phasing out its Airbus A330-200 and Airbus A330-300 aircraft . On the 10 January the carrier cancelled an order for 10 Airbus A320neo aircraft planned for Air Serbia.

On 14 February the carrier significant reduced orders worth $21.4 billion at list prices prices for future Airbus and Boeing orders.  The carrier cut its order for Boeing 777-9 aircraft to 6 jets from 25, while cancelling delivery of 42 Airbus A350 , leaving it with 20.

Etihad said in a statement "This will enable the airline to further progress its transformation and adjust to its new operating model. The airline can now concentrate on the phased introduction of new aircraft types, enabling an efficient rationalization of its fleet, and building a network that connects Abu Dhabi to the world".

Aer Lingus has a code-share partnership on routes to Abu Dhabi and beyond and from Dublin on domestic, European and US routes.

Irish Aviation Research Institute © 19 April 2019 All Rights Reserved 

Minimal disruption on Emirates Airlines route to Dublin as DXB runway work commences

                                                 

Boeing 777-300ER image courtesy of Emirates Airlines 

Dubai Airports has confirmed a 45-day closure of the southern runway at Dubai International Airport
(DXB) from 16 April to 30 May for an extensive upgrade to boost capacity, infrastructure and safety levels of the runway.

In January, Emirates Airlines said a significant number of its flights will be impacted by this closure. They have grounded 48 aircraft and reduced 25% of the flights operated by the airline during this 45-day period.

The Dublin route will have minimal disruption in this period as service is reduced slightly from 14 to 11 times weekly with EK161/162 closed for bookings three days weekly on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Emirates carried more than 442,000 passengers on its twice daily Boeing 777-300ER Dublin to Dubai route last year, an increase of 2% and transported close to 10,000 tonnes of Irish exports during 2018. Emirates Holidays launched in Ireland last May in direct response to increasing demand for holiday options in Dubai and the growth in the number of people from Ireland choosing Dubai and other United Arab Emirates destinations.

Irish Aviation Research Institute © 19 April 2019 All Rights Reserved 

ASL Airlines Boeing 737-300 commences Aer Lingus summer lease

                                                 

EI-STA Boeing 737-31S Credit Sean Flynn

Aer Lingus commenced it's wet-lease of EI-STA Boeing 737-31S MSN 24097  from ASL Airlines (Ireland) (Air Contractors) from Belfast City. The aircraft positioned from Dublin to Belfast City as EIN990P at 1630 hours local on Sunday 14 April two weeks ahead of last year's start on 1 May.

The aircraft is tasked with two daily rotations to Faro (EIN72/3) and Malaga (EIN948/9) enabling Aer Lingus to redeploy the based Airbus A320 to Dublin enabling the carrier operate increased frequency on existing routes.

ASL Airlines has partnered with Aer Lingus since 2014 operating four Boeing 757-200s on wet-lease with two based in Dublin operating selective services on Hartford, Philadelphia and Washington Dulles routes and two in Shannon operating Boston and New York routes. 

This summer the 757 deployed on Hartford will be redeployed to new route Minneapolis-St. Paul upon the entry to service of first Aer Lingus Airbus A321LR.

Irish Aviation Research Institute © 19 April 2019 All Rights Reserved