Aer Lingus and Emerald Airlines have announced details of the commencement of Aer Lingus Regional flights, with tickets now on sale.
Aer Lingus CEO Lynne Embleton with Emerald Airlines CEO Conor McCarthy, and an Emerald Airline ATR72-600 – Image, Aer Lingus
Emerald Airlines will operate flights under a franchise agreement. Flights will commence 17th March 2022, with Emerald Airlines operating as Aer Lingus Regional.
Emerald Airlines will fly over 340 flights per week across 11 routes with fares starting at €29.99/£35.99, with further route announcements to be made in the coming weeks.
So what are they planning to operate?
Here’s the list, with all 11 routes listed.
| Airport | Route | Start Date | Frequency | Lead in Price ROI | Lead in Price UK |
| Glasgow | Dubin – Glasgow | 17-Mar-22 | up to 4x daily | €29.99 | £35.99 |
| Isle of Man | Dubin – Isle of Man | 17-Mar- 22 | 6x weekly | €37.99 | £39.99 |
| Birmingham | Dublin – Birmingham | 27-Mar-22 | up to 3x daily | €25.99 | £25.99 |
| Bristol | Dubin – Bristol | 27-Mar-22 | up to 3x daily | €29.99 | £37.99 |
| Edinburgh | Dubin – Edinburgh | 27-Mar-22 | up to 4x daily | €29.99 | £37.99 |
| Manchester | Dubin – Manchester | 27-Mar-22 | up to 3x daily | €25.99 | £25.99 |
| Leeds | Dubin – Leeds | 15-Apr-22 | up to 2x daily | €29.99 | £36.99 |
| Newcastle | Dubin – Newcastle | 15-Apr-22 | 5x weekly | €29.99 | £34.99 |
| Exeter | Dubin – Exeter | 29-Apr-22 | 5x weekly | €29.99 | £34.99 |
| Cornwall Newquay | Dubin – Newquay | 29-Apr-22 | 4x weekly | €37.99 | £38.99 |
| Jersey | Dubin – Jersy | 28-May-22 | 1x weekly | €42.99 | £38.99 |
The flights in most cases will allow connections to Aer Lingus’s long-haul network based out of Dublin Airport, allowing connections to New York, Los Angeles, Boston and Seattle. In some cases, Emerald Airlines are making new connections and in some cases the only airline offering a service to Ireland.
Emerald Airlines will continue to utilise ATR Aircraft in its planned operation – centring on the ATR72-600 turboprop.
The planned commencement of the Aer Lingus Regional routes operated by Emerald Airlines will increase connectivity between the UK, Ireland and the US, and will accelerate Aer Lingus’s strategy to expand Dublin Airport as a hub airport.
Lynne Embleton, CEO of Aer Lingus said:
“Today is about opportunities. Opportunities for our UK customers to connect with ease to Aer Lingus flights to North America and to take advantage of the US preclearance facility. Opportunities for customers across UK and Ireland as we develop the Aer Lingus regional network. And opportunities for the Irish economy and Irish aviation as we expand our hub at Dublin.
“It has been a pleasure to work with the team at Emerald Airlines to accelerate this partnership and start operations 10 months ahead of the original schedule. We are all looking forward to welcoming our customers on-board Aer Lingus Regional services, operated by Emerald Airlines.”
Conor McCarthy, CEO of Emerald Airlines said:
“We’re delighted to be able to commence operations under our franchise agreement with Aer Lingus well ahead of plan in line with the recovering customer demand. The time is right for Emerald Airlines to begin operations under the Aer Lingus Regional brand and we truly look forward to welcoming our customers onboard our flights as soon as February next.
“Our customer-focused schedules will offer choice, convenience and great value for both regional and transatlantic air travel. This announcement is a great boost for connectivity from Ireland to the U.K, including cities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Isle of Man, Newcastle, Bristol, and Leeds. Emerald Airlines will be offering a high-frequency schedule with convenient flight timings to facilitate both business and leisure passengers.
“Emerald has also established an airline company in Northern Ireland (Emerald Airlines UK Ltd) and has applied to the UK CAA for a UK AOC and Operating Licence. We are very confident that this will result in long-term connectivity being maintained across the Irish Sea and will boost business and leisure travel between Northern Ireland and Britain. We have already reached a long-term commercial agreement with George Best Belfast City Airport and look forward to connecting Belfast to many cities in the UK as soon as possible in 2022. Further details, routes and launch dates in relation to the Belfast operation will be announced in the New Year.”
Re-establishing routes
As demand returns, airlines are rebalancing their networks – Aer Lingus included who have scrambled with IAG partners to fill in connectivity after the collapse of Stobart Air.
With Emerald Airlines, there will hopefully be a period of stability, where a proven regional network can settle in and deliver passengers – both to Ireland and beyond.
It’s going to be interesting seeing what capacity is swapped around and what routes Aer Lingus mainline wants to operate still as the airlines adjust to new life.
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