Shannon year-round flights to US resume

Aer Lingus has resumed year-round services from Shannon to the US for the first time since 2009 after replacing Airbus A330 jets with the smaller, more economical Boeing 757 aircraft.

The airline has leased three 757s from Dublin-based ASL Aviation Group while the flights to Boston and New York will be operated by Air Contractors Ltd, part of the ASL.

It is also the first time since 1995 that Aer Lingus has used Boeing aircraft on scheduled transatlantic services from Shannon. The routes were previously served for 25 years by Boeing 747 jumbo jets before the introduction of the Airbus A330 in 1994.

Aer Lingus chief executive Christoph Müller said: “We were very unhappy when we had to discontinue the Airbus A330 service because I believe Shannon deserves a daily service to the east coast of the US. This move with the 757 has done two things. Not only can we now fly daily but we can fly daily to two destinations. This is only possible with the 757 due to the capacity and we are quite optimistic that we have got it right.

“Crucially, this expansion will directly support more than 200 jobs in Ireland within Aer Lingus and our partner airline ASL Aviation Group.”

Shannon Airport chairman Rose Hynes said: “This is the first time since 2009 that Aer Lingus will have operated year-round daily services from Shannon, which is a further reflection of the growth path that the airport is now on.”

Irish Hotels Federation president Michael Vaughan said: “We have been arguing and fighting since 2009 about using 757s on these routes from Shannon. The airline industry and consultants have been telling us that Shannon is ‘757 heaven’ and this is proven today.

“US tourists have always been the highest spending visitor and they stay in the region. We haven’t see this level of service in Shannon since 2009 so it’s a real endorsement of the new board at Shannon and the pragmatism of Aer Lingus.”