Aer Lingus has been forced to suspend operations on its Shannon to Boston route for a week next month because of issues with aircraft availability.
The EI-135 Shannon to Boston flight and the EI-134 return leg will not operate between December 11th and 17th. The Shannon to New York service is not expected to be affected.
Aer Lingus has said it had to make a number of cancellations to its US operations between 11th and 17th December, due to aircraft availability in this period. The carrier said that any impacted customers have been re-accommodated on alternative flights.
Anyone attempting to book a flight from Shannon to Boston during this period can do so but will have to make a stopover in New York. Passengers will then travel between New York and Boston with JetBlue.
In addition to the Shannon- Boston flights cancelled between 11th and 17th December, two flights from Shannon – London Heathrow have been cancelled. Impacted passengers have been reaccommodated. Aer Lingus will operate 18 other flights from Shannon to London Heathrow that week and the rest of its Christmas schedule as planned.
“All Impacted customers however have been rebooked on the same day on alternative flights from Shannon,” Aer Lingus has said.
It’s known that one of the airline’s Airbus A321neo aircraft has been grounded in the US since August 30th last. The aircraft, which was operating the EI-117 service from Dublin to Washington on the day, suffered a tail-strike on landing. The flight also aborted its initial landing before touching down safely on the second attempt.
The aircraft was grounded following the incident and remained in Washington until September 30th when it was flown to Cincinnatti where it’s understood to be undergoing repairs.
It was later confirmed that the Air Accident Investigation Unit of the Department of Transport here had commenced an investigation in to the ‘tail strike during balked landing manoeuvre” incident.
A Foreign State has an International obligation to inform the AAIU of any aircraft accident or serious incident subject to an investigation in that State that concerns Ireland, as a specified State, and to invite its participation in that investigation.
