LONDON – It remains clear that Aer Lingus finished 2022 on a fantastic high, operating more flights and opening up more opportunities.
Based on data from RadarBox.com, Aer Lingus has exceeded its pre-pandemic numbers in movement statistics based on a seven-day rolling average.
Without further ado, let’s get into the numbers…
The Numbers…
From the image above, you can see that Aer Lingus in 2022 has finished strongly on a high, with numbers not too similar from 2021 and the pre-COVID era of 2019.
Below is the last four weeks’ worth of data provided by the flight tracking company on Aer Lingus’ successes:
| Date | 2019 Numbers | 2021 Numbers | 2022 Numbers | Percentage Difference (2022 vs. 2021) |
| October 29-November 5 | 216 movements | 105 movements | 232 movements | +120.95% |
| November 5-12 | 211 movements | 102 movements | 228 movements | +123.53% |
| November 12-19 | 206 movements | 96 movements | 224 movements | +133.33% |
| November 19-26 | 201 movements | 99 movements | 224 movements | +124.24% |
| November 26-December 3 | 198 movements | 108 movements | 231 movements | +113.89% |
| December 3-10 | 204 movements | 120 movements | 225 movements | +87.50% |
| December 10-17 | 218 movements | 136 movements | 235 movements | +72.79% |
| December 17-24 | 186 movements | 127 movements | 210 movements | +65.35% |
Across five of the last eight weeks, we can see that Aer Lingus has benefitted from triple-digit growth compared to the same period last year.
As we approached the Christmas period, the percentage increases dwindled, but movement numbers still remained better than last year and in 2019 as well.
The more flights that Aer Lingus adds, the more revenue it can generate, which will contribute further to future profitability down the road.
Aer Lingus UK & A321neoLR Utilisation A Major Factor…
For Aer Lingus, the bolstering and opening up of its UK subsidiary has no doubt contributed to the additional movement numbers by the carrier.
This, alongside their clever utilization of the A321neoLR on routes across the Atlantic, has definitely helped the case for the airline, especially if less capacity is needed.
Whilst their fleet of A330s operates the vast majority of services to the U.S., the A321neoLRs has been an incredible contribution to the carrier’s successes this year.
Their UK operation stems mainly from Manchester, where services to the likes of Orlando, Bridgetown, and New York are the main causes of income for the carrier.
This, on top of their daily Dublin-Manchester rotation, provides significant connectivity for those that wish to use Aer Lingus to the States and beyond.
What Will Aer Lingus Look Like in 2023?
Looking ahead, it’s going to be interesting to see where Aer Lingus will choose to take its network next.
With the flexibility of the A330 and the A321neoLR for such long-haul operations, as well as the addition of their A320neos for short-haul operations, all eyes will be on the carrier to see how they utilize this best.
The UK transatlantic network will be expanded for the Summer of 2023, which is indicative of the successes they are having, as well as in Ireland as well.
As for the short-haul perspective, the airline will be adding Kos, Olbia, and Brindisi to the Summer schedule next year as well.
Either way, Aer Lingus is definitely a carrier to keep an eye on, as they will no doubt offer the same successes that they have had off the back of this year.
