AER ARANN

'Aer Arann' is a regional airline based in Dublin, Ireland. It operates scheduled and charter services to eight destinations in Ireland, two in France and ten in the United Kingdom, as well as Jersey. Its main base is Dublin Airport, with hubs at Cork Airport, Galway Airport and Cardiff International Airport.^[1]

Contents

History

Destinations

Fleet

Previously operated

See also

External links

References

History

Aer Arann was established in 1970 to provide an island hopping air service between Galway and the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland. It started operations in August 1970. In 1994 Pádraig Ó Céidigh purchased the airline and began to expand its routes and fleet, launching scheduled services in 1998. Services to the United Kingdom and Jersey were introduced in 2002 and to Lorient and Nantes in Brittany in 2004. Today Aer Arann is one of the fastest growing regional airlines in Europe with a turnover of €94 million and passenger numbers in excess of 1 million. The airline operates 600 flights per week with a fleet of fourteen ATR aircraft, across Ireland, the UK, France and employs over 400 staff. In April 2007, Aer Arann announced sponsorship of Sunderland AFC’s pre season tour of Ireland, the first major soccer sponsorship deal for Aer Arann in the UK.
Aer Arann has recently announced flights from Galway to Newcastle starting on the 25th June 2007.

Aer Arann ATR 72 in the current colour scheme

Destinations

Aer Arann serves the following destinations:

★ Ireland

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★ Cork (Cork Airport)

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★ Donegal (Donegal Airport)

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★ Dublin (Dublin Airport)

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★ Galway (Galway Airport)

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★ Kerry (Kerry Airport)

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★ Knock (Ireland West Airport Knock)

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★ Sligo (Sligo Airport)

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★ Waterford (Waterford Airport)

★ France

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★ Lorient (Lorient South Brittany Airport)

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★ Nantes (Nantes Atlantique Airport)

Aer Arann ATR 72 in an old colour scheme

★ United Kingdom

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★ England

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★ Birmingham (Birmingham International Airport)

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★ Bristol (Bristol International Airport)

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★ Leeds (Leeds Bradford Airport)

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★ London (London Luton Airport)

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★ Manchester (Manchester Airport)

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★ Newcastle (Newcastle International Airport)

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★ Southampton (Southampton Airport)

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★ Scotland

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★ Edinburgh (Edinburgh Airport)

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★ Glasgow (Glasgow Prestwick Airport)

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★ Inverness (Inverness Airport)

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★ Wales

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★ Cardiff (Cardiff International Airport)

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★ Northern Ireland

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★ Belfast (George Best Belfast City Airport)

★ British Crown dependencies

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★ Isle of Man (Isle of Man Airport)

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★ Jersey (Jersey Airport)
Aer Arann Islands provides the following services (as of July 2006):

★ 'Connemara Regional Airport':

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★ Inis Mór

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★ Inis Meáin

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★ Inis Óirr

Fleet

The Aer Arann fleet consists of the following aircraft (at March 2007) :

Type	Number	Seats	Notes
ATR42-300	5		Photograph of EI-BYO [1]
ATR 72-200	8		Photograph of EI-REF [2]
ATR 72-500	1 (10 on order)		Photograph of the first new ATR. [3]

In March 2006, the average age of the Aer Arann fleet was 14.7 years^[2].
In May 2006, Aer Arann placed an order for 10 new ATR 72-500 aircraft, two to be delivered in 2007, five in 2008 and three in 2009. The airline plans to be operating 20 ATR aircraft by 2009.^[3] In mid-2007 the first ATR 72-500 has been delivered (EI-REL) and painted in a special livery inspired by Celtic rings or triskels.^[4]
The Aer Arann Islands fleet consists of the following aircraft (at March 2007) :

Britten-Norman BN2A Islander	2		Photograph of EI-AYN [4]
Britten-Norman BN2B-26 Islander	1		Photograph of EI-CUW [5]

Previously operated

★ Shorts 360 1998-2001

See also

★ Transportation in Ireland

★ List of Irish companies

External links

★ Aer Arann

★ Aer Arann Islands

★ AerArann web page at Flightattitude.com

★ Fleet and Orders

★ European Regions Airline Association

★ Photos of Aer Arann aircraft

References

1. Directory: World Airlines
2. Fleet Age
3. ATR 72 order
4. Aer Arann's first ATR 72