Aer Lingus Gold Circle Club - Aer Lingus starts flights from SEN (Southend, near London, UK)

Aer Lingus Regional will start three return flights a day between DUB and SEN on 10th May. The flights will be operated by Aer Arann using ATR 42 and 72 planes.

The last I checked connecting flights to other EI destinations were not yet possible from SEN on the EI website, however. This is unfortunate, as the press coverage I have seen specifically references connecting opportunities to the US.

Lunacy. Let the clock start now...

Should have added that I can't see this being at all successful. Traffic originating in Dublin will fly to LHR or LGW unless their final destination is in South Essex (unlikely). Traffic originating in South Essex is unlikely to be hurrying to Dublin, especially with the horrendously small hand baggage limits. And said traffic originating in South Essex and wanting a TATL will likely just drive to LHR/LGW.

I tend to say most of those things about all the Aer Lingus Regional routes, mind. Are any of them actually any good?

Are you aware that Easyjet is launching 9 routes (including Belfast ) from SEN, all to commence before this EI-Regional service?

The Stobart group has invested a lot in this venture, including the provision of a brand new railway station (less than an hour to Liverpool Street, with frequent service), and it looks like you can breeze through even faster than at LCY. I don't see why SEN wouldn't be at least as good an option as LTN, STN - or any of the other London airports - for a large number of O&D passengers travelling between London and Dublin.

SEN being a direct 50 min rail journey from Liverpool Street and 40 min from Stratford definitely caught my attention. All else being equal I would likely prefer LGW, STN, LHR or even LTN. However, after flying to/from SOU last summer I am a fan of the smaller, less-congested UK regional airports; I calculate that the home-to-plane time on a Sunday from my flat in central London to SOU was approximately the same as it would have been to LGW, and once I had caught the train at Waterloo it was far more relaxing than the trip to LGW. If SEN can offer a similar experience--particularly for those working in the City or CW--it will find a market.

They've also increased their flight numbers to Glasgow, Edinburgh, and other cities by quite a bit. Where are they getting all the planes for this? Surely Aer Arann has not become THAT efficient in their scheduling? haha. We're talking quite a lot of new flights in the next month or two.

Flights to TATL destinations from SEN are now available on aerlingus.com it seems.

They've also increased their flight numbers to Glasgow, Edinburgh, and other cities by quite a bit. Where are they getting all the planes for this? Surely Aer Arann has not become THAT efficient in their scheduling? haha. We're talking quite a lot of new flights in the next month or two.

Interesting question. Could RE have cut some of its own flights to run more EI Regional?

You're not going to catch me on an ATR-42 anytime soon!

SEN being a direct 50 min rail journey from Liverpool Street and 40 min from Stratford definitely caught my attention. All else being equal I would likely prefer LGW, STN, LHR or even LTN. However, after flying to/from SOU last summer I am a fan of the smaller, less-congested UK regional airports; I calculate that the home-to-plane time on a Sunday from my flat in central London to SOU was approximately the same as it would have been to LGW, and once I had caught the train at Waterloo it was far more relaxing than the trip to LGW. If SEN can offer a similar experience--particularly for those working in the City or CW--it will find a market.

Unless they are going to invest in new and radically different rolling stock I'm afraid you will find the train journey to SEN to be considerably less relaxing than the journey to SOU. Trains to SEN are slow, uncomfortable commuter trains with five-abreast seating.

I am surprised they are starting with three RT flights a day. I would have thought getting the toes wet with one RT per day would have been a better strategy.

They've also increased their flight numbers to Glasgow, Edinburgh, and other cities by quite a bit. Where are they getting all the planes for this? Surely Aer Arann has not become THAT efficient in their scheduling? haha. We're talking quite a lot of new flights in the next month or two.

As had been predicted last month in The Irish Times, and as per Wednesday's e-mail, Aer Arann now exists solely as Aer Lingus Regional.

I am surprised they are starting with three RT flights a day. I would have thought getting the toes wet with one RT per day would have been a better strategy.

One flight a day is fine on holiday routes, but if you want to attract business travellers on short-haul routes you need one flight in the morning and one flight in the evening... so that would explain two of the three.

One flight a day is fine on holiday routes, but if you want to attract business travellers on short-haul routes you need one flight in the morning and one flight in the evening... so that would explain two of the three.

Good point. Southend also I assume competes with Stanstead their arch-rival Ryanair base.