UPDATED on August 4 at 12.50:
Aer Lingus has confirmed that Emerald Airlines will become its new regional subsidiary. Flights will operate with ATR turbo-props and are to carry Aer Lingus branding. The launch date will now be, as originally stated, January 2023.
It had been thought that Aer Lingus’ new subsidiary Emerald Airlines would launch in 2023.
But today’s Irish Times suggests the launch will now be brought forward one year to this coming January.
Emerald Airlines will become the new franchise operator of the Aer Lingus Regional brand.
Previously that role had been played by Stobart Air until the carrier ceased trading in June.
In a statement to The Irish Times, Aer Lingus said, “Aer Lingus and Emerald Airlines are at the final stages of agreement, and Aer Lingus is hopeful that an announcement will be made in the coming days.”
After the collapse of Stobart Air the schedule gaps have been filled both by Aer Lingus itself and BA Cityflyer.
Stobart Air used to operate as many as 30 regional routes between Ireland and the UK.
Passenger numbers had declined significantly during the pandemic. This applies both to point-to-point traffic along with those who would have been making connections in Dublin for onward transatlantic flights.
The Irish Times says that Emerald Airlines is understood to be in the final stages of securing its air operators’ certificate from the Irish Aviation Authority.
