Tag: Lingus

New British Airways Service From Belfast to Exeter, Leeds/Bradford, Newquay and Glasgow

June 21, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

British Airways is launching four new domestic routes from Belfast this summer, supporting important business and tourism links between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

Over the next few months, the airline will start to operate 18 flights a week between George Best Belfast City Airport and Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford and Newquay airports. The new routes will run alongside existing British Airways services between Belfast and London City and London Heathrow airports.

Customers can book via ba.com from today, with return fares from Belfast to these new destinations starting from £48 each way.

Customers booking with British Airways can do so with absolute confidence, thanks to the airline’s flexible booking policy. Customers are able to exchange their booking for a voucher or move their dates without incurring a change fee if their plans change. British Airways Holidays’ customers also have access to a range of additional flexible booking options, as part of the company’s Customer Promise.

Full schedule:

Route	Flight number	Schedule/departure time
Belfast City (BHD)/ Exeter (EXT) From 16 June 2021	BA7319	Monday – 12.55Friday – 16.35Saturday – 10.15Sunday – 11.40
Belfast City (BHD)/ Leeds Bradford (LBA) From 16 June 2021	BA7313	Monday – 8.40Tuesday – 8.40Wednesday – 8.40Thursday – 8.40Friday – 10.55Sunday – 8.40
Belfast City (BHD)/ Cornwall Newquay (NQY) From 3 July 2021	BA7331	Wednesday – 16.35 Saturday – 6.35
Belfast City (BHD)/ Glasgow (GLA) From 2 August 2021	BA7327	Monday – 19.00Tuesday – 19.00Wednesday – 19.00Thursday – 19.00Friday – 19.00Sunday – 19.00

The additional services will be operated using BA CityFlyer’s existing fleet of Embraer 190 aircraft.
For more information about the NI Domestic Aviation Kickstart Scheme visit www.economy-ni.gov.uk
Aer Lingus is operating services between Belfast and Edinburgh, Manchester, and Birmingham. Please check www.aerlingus.com for the latest schedules.
British Airways has introduced a number of measures at the airport and on board to look after the safety and wellbeing of its customers and crew. These include social distancing measures, the wearing of face masks and hand sanitiser stations. Prior to travel customers will also receive details of how they can prepare for their next flight.
The airline is cleaning all key surfaces including seats, screens, seat buckles and tray tables after every flight and each aircraft is completely cleaned from nose to tail every day. The air on all British Airways flights is fully recycled once every two to three minutes through HEPA filters, which remove microscopic bacteria and virus clusters with over 99.9% efficiency, equivalent to hospital operating theatre standards.

Date Announced for the 2022 Aer Lingus College Football Classic

May 27, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

A joint announcement in the US and Ireland has today revealed that Northwestern University (Wildcats) will take on the University of Nebraska (Cornhuskers) in the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, 27 August 2022. The Aer Lingus College Football five-game series was due to start in 2020 but was disrupted due the pandemic so this announcement is a significant milestone in getting the series back on track.

This is the first time that either team has ever travelled to play in Ireland and so, were thrilled to accept the invitation to take to the field and open the 2022 College Football Season at the world-famous Aviva Stadium. Nebraska was set to travel to Dublin later this summer for their game against Illinois, however, it was postponed because of Covid-19.

As Nebraska is one of the most successful American College Football teams in history, and with such strong Irish ties to the city of Chicago where the Wildcats are based, the game is sure to be a huge draw to sports fans here in Ireland as well as across the US and Europe. It is expected that it will also generate a massive €63million for the Irish Economy next year, providing a much-needed boost for the country’s Tourism and Hospitality sectors.

The wholly anticipated fixture is scheduled for week zero, and as both teams are a part of the famed Big Ten Conference, over 18,000 US fans and 5,000 European fans are expected to travel for the game that will be a major international, post-covid event for Ireland. The Series principal stakeholders are Aer Lingus, Failte Ireland, Tourism Ireland and Dublin City Council.

Ticketing / Hospitality & Travel Packages

Hospitality packages for the 2022 game are on sale now through the official corporate hospitality game partner Corporate.ie. Travel packages are on sale through the official travel partner On Location in partnership with Abbey Group Ireland. Corporate group ticketing opportunities will also be launched towards the end of the year. General ticketing information to be released in due course, with a pre-sale sign-up option available on the official game website.

Aer Lingus Launches Summer 2021 Schedule with Flexible Options

October 6, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

– You and your family can travel safely and with flexibility with Aer Lingus

– Free Unlimited changes on all routes and all fare types

– Guaranteed Voucher and Cash Refund option on certain fare types

Aer Lingus today launched its summer 2021 schedule offering a range of fare options so customers can book that long-anticipated summer holiday with confidence. Aer Lingus is ensuring families can look forward to traveling safely and with flexibility in summer 2021, and today it introduced new ways to keep bookings flexible should travel plans change with its ‘Book with Confidence’ proposition. With direct flights to Europe starting at €25.99 and US and Canada at €159, now is the time to start planning summer 2021.

Chief Commercial Officer, Dave Shepherd said: “We are offering customers a range of choices. There are free unlimited changes on all routes and all fare types*. There is the option of a full cash refund** on our Advantage/Flex fares. And from today, our Smart / Plus fares includes a new feature so that customers can avail of a voucher up to 14 days before travel to any destination or within 14 days if a country’s travel guidance changes*** from just €25.99. Aer Lingus is giving our customers the confidence to dream, so you can start to plan next summer’s adventure today with confidence.

“With flights up to August 2021 available for sale, you can start planning a reunion with friends in the Algarve, a sunny beach break with family in Malaga, or a romantic adventure in a European city and have something great to look forward to next year with Aer Lingus. For those looking to travel across the Atlantic in 2021, we have 12 direct North American routes to choose from including New York, Florida, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, and Toronto, ”

With Aer Lingus, customers can book with the confidence that the airline prioritises the safety and wellbeing of our customers and our people at all times. Earlier this year Aer Lingus introduced a range of safety measures in line with the guidance provided by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control). These measures include the mandatory wearing of face masks at all times by all customers and crew. Social distancing is practiced at check in, boarding gate, boarding and disembarking the aircraft. These measures, along with an enhanced cleaning system and our state-of-the-art air filtration technology as standard on our Airbus aircraft, ensure customers have a safe and comfortable flight.

For more information on the Aer Lingus summer 2021 sale, please visit www.aerlingus.com.

Notes to Editor:

*A fare difference may apply. Unlimited changes can be made on all bookings until 31st May

** Requests for vouchers and refunds can be made up until 14 days pre-departure

***Should a country move to red on the imminent EU Travel Framework

Terms & Conditions

Vouchers are valid for 5 years and can be used on the entire Aer Lingus network.
Change Fee Rules apply and fare difference may apply.
Change or Voucher requests must be made in advance of travel or these options will not apply.

Short Haul Fare Types
	Saver	Plus	Advantage
Free Unlimited Changes*	✅	✅	✅
Guaranteed Voucher**		✅	✅
Cash Refund			✅

North Atlantic Fare Types
	Saver	Smart	Flex	Business	Business Flex
Free Unlimited Changes*	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅
Guaranteed Voucher**		✅	✅	✅	✅
Cash Refund			✅		✅

Aer Lingus to Review Social Distancing Following Packed Flight

May 5, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

LONDON (Reuters) – Irish airline Aer Lingus said it was reviewing its social distancing procedures after a flight on Monday was packed with passengers.

European flights have all but come to a standstill during the coronavirus pandemic with only a few services operating for essential travel such as people going to work or being repatriated, or for cargo.

While there is no visibility on when travel restrictions will ease, airlines are considering how to safely restart services and give passengers confidence to fly.

Aer Lingus, owned by IAG <IAG.L>, said it would consider how it operates after its Belfast to London Heathrow flight on Monday had “unexpectedly high loads” and that due to the level of the demand for the route, it could need to make changes.

“Aer Lingus is reviewing its processes and procedures applicable to the operation of this service,” an Aer Lingus spokeswoman said, adding that safety was its top priority.

Some airlines have discussed leaving middle seats empty on flights to enable social distancing, while other airlines such as Germany’s Lufthansa <LHA.DE> and Hungary’s low cost airline Wizz Air <WIZZ.L> have made it compulsory for passengers to wear face masks on flights.

(Reporting by Sarah Young and Ian Graham; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

FILE PHOTO: The Aer Lingus EI-DER Airbus A320 makes its final approach for landing at Toulouse-Blagnac airport

Air Lease Announces First of Eight New Airbus A321-200neo LR to Aer Lingus

July 29, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

LOS ANGELES, July 26, 2019 – Today Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL) announced the delivery of one new Airbus A321-200neo LR aircraft on long-term lease to Aer Lingus (Dublin, Ireland). This Airbus aircraft, featuring CFM International LEAP-1A33 engines, is the first of eight A321-200neo LRs scheduled to deliver to the airline through 2020 from ALC’s order book with Airbus.

“ALC is pleased to announce this first of eight A321-200neo LR aircraft delivery today to our long-time customer, Aer Lingus, and introduce the A321neo to the airline,” said Steven F. Udvar-Házy, Executive Chairman of Air Lease Corporation. “The new ALC A321neo LR will enable Aer Lingus to substantially increase the number of flights, frequencies and new destinations between Ireland and the USA and Canada. We are honored to be a part of Aer Lingus’ ongoing fleet transition to the A321neo LR to enhance the airline’s expanding route network with the most modern, fuel-efficient aircraft.”

“This significant delivery to our good friends at Aer Lingus strengthens our close relationship and we are confident that the A321-200neo LR will advance the airline’s fleet operations and overall growth goals,” added Grant Levy, Executive Vice President of Air Lease Corporation.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including expected delivery dates. Such statements are based on current expectations and projections about our future results, prospects and opportunities and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements will not be updated unless required by law. Actual results and performance may differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including those discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

About Air Lease Corporation

ALC is a leading aircraft leasing company based in Los Angeles, California that has airline customers throughout the world. ALC and its team of dedicated and experienced professionals are principally engaged in purchasing commercial aircraft and leasing them to its airline customers worldwide through customized aircraft leasing and financing solutions. For more information, visit ALC’s website at www.airleasecorp.com.

About Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus, part of International Airlines Group, operates as a leading Irish airline primarily providing passenger and cargo transportation services from Ireland to the United Kingdom and Europe and also to the United States and Canada.

BA Owner IAG Expects No Earnings Growth in 2019

February 28, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

LONDON, Feb 28 (Reuters) – British Airways owner IAG said it expected earnings in 2019 to be flat after it weathered the impact of rising fuel costs and air traffic control disruption to meet expectations for its 2018 results on Thursday.

IAG reported a 9.5 percent rise in operating profit before exceptional items for the year to December 31 to 3.23 billion euros, but said there would be no growth in 2019 as earnings would be in line with the previous year’s results.

“This was a very good performance despite three significant challenges: fuel prices increasing 30 percent, considerable Air Traffic Control disruption and an adverse foreign exchange impact of 129 million euros,” Chief Executive Willie Walsh said.

IAG said that passenger revenue rose 6.2 percent across the group, with passenger unit revenue up 2.4 percent.

In a separate statement, IAG said it would order 18 Boeing 777-9s and options for 24 more for British Airways to replace 14 747-400s and four 777-200s between 2022 and 2025.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout, editing by James Davey)

International Consolidated Airlines Group, S.A., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of passenger and cargo transportation services in the United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland, the United States, and rest of the world. The company operates under the British Airways, Iberia, Vueling, LEVEL, IAG Cargo, Avios, and Aer Lingus brands.

IAG Rules Out New Bid for Norwegian Air

January 24, 2019 / WIL BALDWIN

LONDON/OSLO (Reuters) – British Airways owner IAG (ICAG.L) said on Thursday it would not make a new bid for Norwegian Air (NWC.OL) and would sell its remaining stake in the budget airline, sending Norwegian’s shares sharply lower.

Shares in Norwegian, which has been under pressure over the past 18 months to control costs and shore up its balance sheet, dropped as much as 26 percent after IAG’s statement to hit their lowest since November 2012.

“International Airlines Group (IAG) confirms that it does not intend to make an offer for Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA and that, in due course, it will be selling its 3.93 percent shareholding in Norwegian,” IAG said in a statement.

IAG’s shares turned positive after its statement, and were up 1.5 percent at 1305 GMT.

Norwegian, which has shaken up long-haul rivals by offering cut-price transatlantic fares, said in May it had received two conditional proposals for a full takeover from IAG, but had rejected them because they undervalued the company.

IAG CEO Willie Walsh last year ruled out launching a hostile takeover approach for Norwegian, and also said he wouldn’t get drawn into a bidding war. In addition to British Airways, IAG also owns Iberia, Vueling and Aer Lingus.

A spokeswoman for IAG declined to give further details on the decision not to pursue Norwegian further, but said “we wish Norwegian every success in the future”.

NO MARGIN OF ERROR

“Norwegian’s plans and strategy remain unchanged. The company’s goal is to continue building a sustainable business to the benefit of its customers, employees and shareholders,” Chairman Bjoern Kise said in a statement.

Norwegian has quickly built its long-haul route network, and in October overtook IAG’s British Airways as the biggest non-U.S. airline on transatlantic routes to and from the New York area.

But the Nordic carrier has had to take action to improve its financial position in recent months. In December, it announced a $230 million cost savings programme and refinanced one Boeing (BA.N) 787 Dreamliner as part of a series of steps it said would generate more than $30 million in liquidity.

“Norwegian’s finances are already under pressure, and a share sale (by IAG) will put pressure on the stock, making it hard for them to raise money,” analyst Per Hansen of brokerage Nordnet said in a note to clients.

“They no longer have any margin of error. If they were to need cash, and no alternative buyers emerge, the stock price could end up looking like a jetliner running out of fuel.”

(Reporting by Alistair Smout in London and Terje Solsvik in Oslo, additional reporting by Helen Reid in London and Stine Jacobsen in Copenhagen, Editing by Paul Sandle and Mark Potter)