Cleveland will soon be reconnected to Europe.
Aer Lingus, the Irish flag carrier, will launch service next May between its hub at Dublin Airport (DUB) and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE). The service, which started May 21, will operate four times a week using the airline’s Airbus A321LR, a longer range variant of the A321neo.
While an official announcement is expected on Wednesday, the airline has loaded the new flights into its booking system, allowing TPG to confirm the news. Aer Lingus did not respond to TPG’s request for comment on the new service prior to the announcement. Cleveland Delta Dealers first reported that the service is expected to be announced.
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To attract Aer Lingus to Cleveland, local governments and business groups have come together to provide the airline with an incentive package estimated at $2 million to $2.5 million, Plain Dealer reported. Such packages are common – especially for long-haul air service to smaller markets. For example, a coalition of local civic and business leaders came together in St. Louis to attract German flag carrier Lufthansa, which began operations in June. That deal up to $5 million, payable over three years.
Aer Lingus flights will operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flight EI86 departed Cleveland at 8:20 p.m. and arrived in Dublin at 8:50 a.m. the next morning, all local time. Round trip flight, EI87, departs Dublin at 3:30pm and arrives in Cleveland at 6:50pm
For round trips departing from Dublin, economy class fares are as low as 648 euros ($624). For the same journey, a business class fare is 2,333 euros ($2,248). Fares are slightly higher for round trips departing from Cleveland.
The Aer Lingus ‘A321LR has 16 passengers in flat business class and 168 passengers in economy class. When TPG’s Nicky Kelvin flew this business class product, he called the experience “wonderful” and the onboard experience “refreshing and comfortable.”
Review: Aer Lingus Business Class on A321neo, Dublin to Philadelphia
At launch, the Aer Lingus flight will be the city’s first to Europe since summer 2018, when both Icelandair and now-defunct Wow Air served Cleveland from Keflavik Airport (KEF). , according to Cirium’s schedule data. The last full scheduled transatlantic crossing was in 2009, when Continental Airlines ended service between Cleveland and London Heathrow Airport (LHR). Soon after, Continental merged with United Airlines, and United subsequently closed the Cleveland hub.
Aer Lingus itself is no stranger to serving secondary markets in the US: it served Bradley International Airport (BDL) near Hartford, Connecticut from 2016 to 2019.
