EI-CDH, a 737-500, departs Dublin on a historic day. It is the last Boeing aircraft flying for Aer Lingus in Shamrock colours. From this day, October 29th, 2005, Aer Lingus would have an all-Airbus fleet. A sad and historic occasion.
interesting thing, when she enters the runway, instead of just turn to the left for take off, she made a celebrity round to show all her beauty for the last time, farewell
It is used relatively infrequently. Usually when either of two things happen: (1) the main runway 28/10 is closed for maintenance or some other reason or (2) the wind is strong from the south.
@planes142 I think you are referring to the old BAe 146s? Now known as Avro RJ85? Anyhow ity's great to see an Aer Lingus aircraft type other than Airbus!! The ATR looks well in the Shamrock colours!
@mythicalireland The ATR's belong to Aer Arann. Aer Arann operates Aer Lingus flights under the "Aer Lingus Regional" brand. It's a franchise agreement between the two airlines. On the Dublin-Edinburgh route Aer Lingus had one flight per day. There are now three flights per day on this route... one by Aer Lingus with an A320 and the other two by Aer Arann with an ATR for Aer lingus Regional. I don't know what other routes come under Aer lingus Regional.
I think it was a very good decision to operate all airbuses (except the three recently damp leased 757-200s). I find them to be much more comfortable than the usually older 737s and 767s operated by other European airlines.
Because they reached their retirement age (usually nearly 12 years with Aer Lingus, this plane was 11) and they'd long since found Airbus to be a better fit.
I bet Aer Lingus regrets ditching Boeing now. I bet they'd love some of those 787 Dreamliners right about now. But having ditched Boeing and transitioned to all-Airbus, it would make it kinda... awkward to go back. Certainly if they wanted to now buy 787s they'd face great pressure from Airbus not to. This wouldn't be the case if they had remained a Boeing partner.
Makes more sense to operate a fleet with the same aircraft. More commonality between each type. EI have ordered new A350s to replace the older A330s. Talk to an EI pilot and ask them which aircraft they would prefer!!
@mythicalireland Yes! thats it. Thanks. Is it true that the four aer lingus ATR's belonged to Aer Arann and just changed the colour to the Aer Lingus colours?
Also, the Boeing 757-200’s and 757-300 are only wet-leased by Air Contractors to Aer Lingus, they are operated by ASL Ireland pilots and crew of Aer Lingus staff them I believe
I took of on that runway last year on a Aer Lingus A320 bound for tenerife and the Captain said it was rarley used but we landed on it 2 weeks later? Is it rarley used?
@orionm73 thank u, but I think it was done specially, cause the runway she was departing from is 10 and if you look at airport plan ,( and i was departing from it few times) just wrong thing to do, i insist that this was done on purpose, correct me if I'm wrong, very nice talking to You
@mythicalireland yes, i never new that and i was confused when i saw an aer lingus atr at dublin airport 2 weeks ago :S And i also saw another aer lingus aircraft there too. I cant renember the name of it but i know cityjet use them...... (it has the wings on the top of the plane and two engines on both sides..)
Good riddance to it. I've been flying between Dublin and London Heathrow with Aer Lingus every three months for the past ten years. I've always preferred the A320 and A321.
When this video was made, that was the last Boeing, and the Aer Lingus fleet consisted entirely of Airbus aircraft. That has now changed with the introduction of the 757.
