N778UA diverts to Shannon

Today's United Airlines flight UAL 967 from Rome Fiumicino to Washington Dulles diverted into Shannon. The flight, operated by B777-200 N778UA was approximately one hour west of Shannon when the crew elected to turn around and divert to Shannon due to a technical problem. The aircraft landed at 14:40 utc. After 3 1/2 hours on the ground the flight departed for London Heathrow at 18:11.

N644UA - United 937 in medical diversion

Today's United Airlines flight UAL 937 (Zurich to Washington) operated by B767-322ER N644UA diverted into Shannon at lunchtime on a medical emergency. The flight arrived on R06 at 13:50. The aircraft departed again at approximately 15:30. Pictured above N644UA taxis up D2 on arrival.

United pilots request legal review

Pilots at United Airlines have asked their legal advisers to review the agreement announced last week by Aer Lingus and United Airlines for a new joint venture serving the city pair of Madrid and Washington.

The move comes after Aer Lingus confirmed today that it was setting up a base in Washington to recruit pilots and cabin crew for the new service which is due to commence in March 2010.

United, Aer Lingus pilots sign agreeement.

Unions representing pilots in both United Airlines (ALPA - Airline Pilot's Association) and Aer Lingus (IALPA - Irish Airline Pilots Association) yesterday signed a 'protocol agreement' which brings the two groups together to protect the interest of pilots in both airlines in light of the recently announced joint venture by United and Aer Lingus to commence a Madrid - Washington service next year.

"It is imperative that we work together on both sides of the Atlantic to prevent the anti-labour aspects of this agreement from impacting pilots from our two airlines," said Captain Steve Wallach, chairman of the United MEC (Master Executive Council). "This partnership between United and Aer Lingus will set a dangerous precedent regarding international air travel where pilots on both sides of the Atlantic will pay a steep price. We will explore every regulatory, legislative and legal avenue to protect the rights and careers of our members."

"We are very pleased to have entered into this protocol agreement with the United pilots and we will be working with them to confront the challenges this partnership poses to both our pilot groups," said Captain Evan Cullen, president of IALPA. "We look forward to working with our United colleagues to explore every option to end our respective company's blatant disregard and lack of loyalty to their pilots, as well as to their corporate identities."

United pilots unhappy with JV

CNBC's Jane Wells reports that pilots in United Airlines are unhappy about the Aer Lingus / United joint venture announced last week. The pilots have described the arrangment as 'outsourcing'. In a letter sent last week, Captain Steve Wallach who represents pilots at the Air Line Pilots Association said that 

"The day after reporting one of it's worst quarterly financial results in history and furloughing an additional 254 piltos (bringing the total to 606 pilots), United Airlines announced today that it has entered into what it calls an 'innovative' partnership with Aer Lingus. Aer Lingus has advised the Irish press that this joint venture will operate an Aer Lingus aircraft with neither United nor Aer Lingus employees..."

It should be noted that the Aer Lingus press release does not imply that the aircraft will be crewed by other than Aer Lingus nor has any mention been made in any of the Irish press to this effect. 

Aer Lingus / United cooperation deepens

In a deepening of cooperation between the two airlines, Aer Lingus and United today announced a new initiative to commence next year. From March 2010, a new joint venture route will begin serving the city pair of Madrid and Washington Dulles. 

Aer Lingus will provide the operational part of the agreement by supplying the aircraft and aircrew while United will manage the revenue side by providing the marketing and sales on the new daily service, one of the first to launch as part of the 2007 EU-US open skies policy.

Aer Lingus and United Airlines commenced a code share arrangement in October 2008 on services between Ireland and the US. Further expansion and development of the partnership's activities will be jointly assessed and agreed by the Partners and may develop into a broader and deeper joint venture, according to Aer Lingus.

Repsonding to the announcement, Ryanair congratulated Aer Lingus on finding a partner which is weaker and in even worse shape than itself.

Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair said "Aer Lingus and United Airways share many similar traits. They both used to be big in the 1950's and 1960's, but sadly today they are just shadows of their former glory. Both have recently announced losses, job cuts and pay cuts. After months of trawling around looking for partners, it is a sad reflection on Aer Lingus that the best they could come up with is one of the weakest and biggest loss makers in the U.S. airline industry. Given the scale of United's losses there is no guarantee that they will even be around in March 2010 to operate this "partnership".

"It is hard to think of any transatlantic airline losing any sleep at the thought of being faced with the combined weakness of Aer Lingus and United Airlines on the Madrid-Washington route. Today's announcement shows just how desperate Aer Lingus is to find a partner, any partner it can, even if the flights don't start until March 2010. This so called "partnership" with another "loser" like United shows that Aer Lingus has no independent strategy, and no prospect of remaining independent.

United 952 diverts to Shannon

Today's United Airlines flight 952 operated by B767-322ER N646UA from Washington Dulles to Frankfurt diverted to Shannon with a mechanical problem. Airport emergency services were attendance when the aircraft landed just after 6.15am.

A relief aircraft, B767-322ER, N653UA operated the delayed UAL 952 which departed Shannon for Frankfurt at 13.30Z.

N653UA is no stranger to Shannon. It diverted into Shannon on August 27 2006 on flight UAL 951. It is pictured below on finals to Runway 24 at lunchtime today, arriving on a positioning flight from Heathrow as UAL 9963.