The History of Aer Lingus
The Beginnings…
Founded by the Irish Government in 1936, Aer Lingus provided air services between Ireland and the U.K. The airline's name is derived from the Irish 'long' meaning 'ship' and is translated as 'Air Fleet.' (Photo Credit: Roger Schultz)
The Lolar
The first Aer Lingus aircraft was the DH84 Dragon EI-ABI named “Lolar” (Gaelic for “eagle”) that on May 27, 1936 made the first Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Bristol. When the second aircraft went into operation the same year, the Lolar switched to the Dublin-Liverpool route. (Photo Credit: Aer Lingus)
Cabin Crew
Aer Lingus’ cabin crew uniforms in 1945 were a military-style rich brown suit with a calf-length skirt, long blazer and a hat designed by Sybil Connolloy of Pimms. (Photo Credit: Are Lingus)
First Continental Flight
Aer Lingus added Paris to its network in 1946, making it the carrier’s first Continental European city. (Photo Credit: RuthAS)
Expansion After The War
Aer Lingus expanded its business portfolio after World War II to MRO facilities, charter businesses and hotels. Pictured here is an Aer Lingus passenger plane at Dublin Airport at Collinstown near Dublin in 1950. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)
Viscount 700s
The first Viscount 700s were delivered to Aer Lingus in 1954, making it the third airline to introduce the world’s first turboprop airliner. Pictured is a Viscount EI-AKO with a British United Viscount in the background in 1963. (Photo Credit: Ian Gratton)
New Routes
In 1957 Aer Lingus underwent major route expansion into Continental Europe using new rights via Manchester. (Photo Credit: Mark Harkin)
Boeing 720s
Aer Lingus further expanded it fleet with Boeing 720s covering routes from Dublin, Shannon, New York and Boston in 1960. The airline also added Montreal and Chicago to its transatlantic network in 1966. (Photo Credit: RuthAS)
Boeing 737-200
In 1969, Aer Lingus added the Boeing 737-200, which became the airline’s mainstay for short-haul flights for many years. (Photo Credit: Aero Icarus)
Boeing 747
Aer Lingus received its first Boeing 747 in 1971. Three years later, Aer Lingus revamped its aircraft livery with two shades of green and a new white shamrock on the fin. (Photo Credit: Ardfern)
Boeing 737-400s
In 1989, Aer Lingus added the first of five Boeing 737-400s into service. The aircraft was the largest 737 to date with a capacity of 156 passengers. (Photo Credit: Michael Kelly)
Airbus A330
In 1994, Aer Lingus added the A330 into service on transatlantic routes. (Photo Credit: Aero Icarus)
Airbus A330-200
In 1999, Aer Lingus launched services to Los Angeles using newly delivered long-range Airbus A330-200s. One year later, the company introduced its first Airbus A320 into service. (Photo Credit: Florian Geldermann)
Low Fare Model
Due to the decline in airplane tickets after 9/11, Aer Lingus implemented a new fare structure strategy to compete with low cost carriers in 2001. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Goodbye Boeing
The last Boeing 737-500s left the Aer Lingus fleet, making it an all-Airbus airline, in 2005. (Photo Credit: Aer Lingus)
75 Years of Flying
In 2011, Aer Lingus celebrated its 75th Anniversary! (Photo Credit: Aer Lingus)
Today
Today, Aer Lingus carries more than 10 million passengers a year to almost 70 destinations across Europe and the U.S.. (Photo Credit: Ed Webster)
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we want to celebrate the history of Ireland’s national flag carrier airline, Aer Lingus.
First Published March 12, 2015