eventually Ryanair will control AerLingus...

[whatkindoffreshhell]

Currently Ryanair owns 25.1% of AerLingus, the second-largest shareholder behind the Irish government (25.4%).

AerLingus shares a JFK hub with jetblue and intends to expand that relationship. Also AerLingus wants a second Euro hub outside of Ireland.

Ryanair has already made one takeover attempt of AerLingus.
They are determined and clever.

Did you know that Ireland is the only European country where a USA-bound passenger can clear US Customs before boarding the plane?

(I did not. Thanks WSJ)

When will it all happen?

And how will the USA-based airlines respond?

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

I understand the marketing buzzsaws over at the crippled USAir will utilize the twin weapons of a new theme song and paint job.

So the high-profit international traveller will indeed have a clear choice:

1. Sappy music, dull paint & attitude, goofy-high fares

OR

2. New international destinations, new equipment/entertainment options along with a reasonable fare.

Is it any wonder why the USA-based airlines are in a death spiral? No innovation.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

2. New international destinations, new equipment/entertainment options along with a reasonable fare.

Is it any wonder why the USA-based airlines are in a death spiral? No innovation.

For trans-Atlantic flights I would rather suffer on a USA-based no-innovation airline(s) than fly Ryanair (disgruntled crews, randomly cancelled flights, plastic bus seats, seat pitch where you have to assume fetal position, tacky advertising, charging for checked luggage, bus-station style tertiary airports, and more importantly finding out that your ticket to, for example "Milan" was really to "Bergano").

I know that Aer Lingus is not Ryanair, but eventually when/if Ryanair gets full control (or majority control) they will eventually turn Aer Lingus into long-haul Ryanair. And stepping off a JetBlue flight onto a Aer Lingus/Ryanair trans-Atlantic will certainly be a HUGE step down in class & service.

 

[X-U]

Aren't some Ryanir folks involved with Columbus start-up Skybus?

 

[IORFA]

It really is no bog deal that you clear immigration in Ireland. You STILL have to go to through customs. All you get is a free pass through the immigration lines. You still need to wait for your bags, which at that point, you might not have saved any time. You also will still need to recheck any checked baggage and you will still have to reclear security. To me, it is a waste of time. They should also have customs in Ireland and then you have something, the ability to go directly to domestic gate for easy connections. Just my 2 cents.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

I understand the marketing buzzsaws over at the crippled USAir will utilize the twin weapons of a new theme song and paint job.

So the high-profit international traveller will indeed have a clear choice:

1. Sappy music, dull paint & attitude, goofy-high fares

OR

2. New international destinations, new equipment/entertainment options along with a reasonable fare.

Is it any wonder why the USA-based airlines are in a death spiral? No innovation.

..........................................................

W-K-O-F-H,

"When will Ryanair come"
"US carriers is a DEATH spiral"

I can only speak to your questions/opinions from an AA perspective.

AA has weathered EVERY Major challenge EVER thrown at it, such as de-regulation,911,Flt.587,WN etc, etc.

Allow me to "offer" two potential WEAPONS that are at AA/AMR's disposal, to counter the WN's/B6's/ and Ryanairs of the world, if and when "push comes to shove"

1. American Eagle !!

(Yes I'm fully aware that the main line AA pilots-APA-would have to be on board to any significant changes to AE)

AE,(and a small mix of AA) "could be" transfered into a "Killing Machine"(brand new fleet of Embraer 195's,) virtually overnight, if need be, to counter ANYTHING B6 could do.

2. Should Ryanair get to be a REALLY big trans Atlantic threat, ...well you may want to consider how LEATHAL a merged AA and BA would be !

I'm not suggesting that a further growing B6 and Ryanair would not cause mega-problems within the industry, I'm just suggesting that AMR, is sleeping well at night, within the "DEATH SPIRAL World" that you speak of !!

NH/BB's