Aer Lingus is preparing to launch three new transatlantic routes this year – from Dublin to Los Angeles, to Newark in New Jersey and to Hartford in Connecticut – but there appears to be a fourth that it should also consider.
That is according to industry newsletter Anna Aero which has designated Dublin-Miami as the "unserved route of the week". The online publication bestows that title on any service that does not exist but for which a large number of people have searched the internet.
Price comparison site Skyscanner provides the data. It found that 60,000 users searched for Dublin-Miami last year, more than 6,500 of them in December when those waves of pre-Christmas storms presumably had people dreaming of sunshine.
Of those that did book something, 55 per cent went on to book flights to Heathrow and 16 per cent opted for New York, places from which there are direct services to Miami ( pictured).
Given those figures, Anna Aero believes the service would attract business with no initial marketing push. So, assuming the Irish carrier were to put its weight behind such a route, it should do well.
Aer Lingus never rules new routes in or out, and says it will weigh up any new transatlantic opportunities as appropriate. Its view of Dublin-Miami is no different. A spokesman said: “We’re always looking at future transatlantic expansion options but our current focus is on delivering three new routes from Dublin this year to Los Angeles, Newark and Hartford.”
The airline announced those three last autumn, within months of its new parent, International Consolidate Airlines Group (IAG), taking over.
IAG bought Aer Lingus to help expand its overall presence in the transatlantic market so it is probably worth speculating that an Ireland-Miami service could yet become a reality. But it does not look like it’s going to happen in 2016.