A new low cost Aer Lingus short haul service to England will use a 30 seater propeller operated plane.
At Dublin Airport, Aer Lingus take delivery of the Shorts 330, a turbo-prop aircraft that goes by the name St Ultan. Aer Lingus chief executive David Kennedy disagrees the propeller plane is a step backwards for the airline. In recent years other operators have pulled out of routes to Ireland as,
The economics of very short haul low density routes have become very marginal.
Offering this commuter service with St Ultan is a means of continuing routes to Liverpool and Leeds Bradford in England on a more economic basis than can be done with larger aircraft. The new service is aimed at the business person who wishes to fly to Liverpool in the morning and return to Dublin in the evening.
Along with a suitable plane, a simplified low cost operating system is also required for the new service to succeed. Aer Lingus pilots, cabin crew and ground staff have cooperated to change all their work practices. As far as this operation is concerned work practices are completely flexible,
Everybody has just said let's see what has to be done to get a low cost effective operation and that’s what we’re doing.
The introduction of the new commuter service to Liverpool and Leeds Bradford with the Shorts 300 will begin officially on 1 May 1983. Due to the amount of goodwill towards the plane in Aer Lingus, the operation could be the most profitable of all.
An RtÉ News report broadcast on 11 April 1983. The reporter is Feargus Ó Raghallaigh.
