Aircoach
Encyclopedia
Aircoach is a Republic of Ireland
based subsidiary company
of the United Kingdom based FirstGroup. It provides airport bus
express coach
services from Cork
, Greystones
, Bray
, South Dublin and Dublin City Centre to Dublin Airport
. It also operates contracted bus service for airport car parks. and other private hire contracts in the Dublin area.
In the financial year ended March 2010, Last Passive Ltd, the holding company of Aircoach, made €16.9m of Sales compared to €18.6m in 2009 and €16.48m in 2008. Meanwhile profit after tax, was €210,899 in 2010, €1.36m in 2009 and €2.04m in 2008.
employee. O'Sullivan sold 90% of the company to UK transport company FirstGroup in 2003 for €15m before selling the remaining 10% for €1.5m in 2005. As a result Aircoach is now 100% owned by FirstGroup.
The company was awarded the Overall Logistics and Transport Excellence Award and the Safety Award at the 2011 Irish Logistics and Transport Awards. In addition, the company was handed the Care for the Environment award at the 2012 Fleet Bus & Coach Awards.
In addition to their scheduled services, Aircoach also operates shuttle bus services at Dublin Airport along with contract services and is the Official Coach Supplier to the Leinster Rugby
Team.
The company also ran a service between Portlaoise and Dublin Airport via Kildare, Newbridge, Naas and Monasterevin from July 2004 until September 2005 when the service was withdrawn.
The Phoenix Park shuttle was run by Aircoach from May 2008 using East Lancs Myllennium buses which were powered by LPG. This service was withdrawn in January 2010 due to poor loadings.
415HD coaches and 19 Jonckheere SHV Volvo B12B tri-axle coaches.
The Setra 415HD coaches were acquired in 2004 and feature reclining leather seats with seatbelts and extended legroom in a full climate-controlled environment. A foot-rest, folding tray and reading light is also provided at each seat along with complimentary Wi-fi internet access. These vehicles operate all departures on the Ballinteer and Dalkey routes, whilst a number also operate on the Cork, Lepoardstown and Donnybrook routes.
The Volvo B12B Jonckheere SHV coaches entered service towards the end of 2008 and early 2009 and operate all departures on the Greystones route and the majority of services on the Lepoardstown and Donnybrook routes. These vehicles feature wheelchair access, leather seats, seat belts, CCTV, complimentary Wi-fi internet access along with an LCD location based information system. These are the first vehicles operating on scheduled services to feature First branding whilst retaining the usual Aircoach colour scheme.
In addition on the Cork to Dublin Airport via Dublin City route Aircoach uses 3 2004 Scania
Irizar Century coaches (23016-18) which were transferred from the Manchester division of FirstGroup in the UK in 2007, a 2005 Setra 315GT-HD and a 2006 Scania Irizar PB.
The Dublin Airport car park shuttles use articulated Mercedes Benz Citaro buses. with a Wright bodied Volvo B7RLE used on staff shuttle duty.
and Leeds Bradford Airport was introduced by First York
using the Aircoach brand. This service no longer operates.
In August 2008 First Essex
launched Stansted Aircoach X30, a service between Southend, Chelmsford
and Stansted Airport.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
based subsidiary company
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of the United Kingdom based FirstGroup. It provides airport bus
Airport bus
An airport bus, or airport shuttle bus or airport shuttle is a bus or coach used to transport people to/from, or within airports. These vehicles will usually be equipped with larger luggage space, and incorporate special branding....
express coach
Coach (vehicle)
A coach is a large motor vehicle, a type of bus, used for conveying passengers on excursions and on longer distance express coach scheduled transport between cities - or even between countries...
services from Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, Greystones
Greystones
Greystones is a coastal town and small seaside resort in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is located on Ireland’s east coast, south of Bray and south of Dublin , with a population in the region of 15,000....
, Bray
Bray
Bray is a town in north County Wicklow, Ireland. It is a busy urban centre and seaside resort, with a population of 31,901 making it the fourth largest in Ireland as of the 2006 census...
, South Dublin and Dublin City Centre to Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport, , is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority. Located in Collinstown, in the Fingal part of County Dublin, 18.4 million passengers passed through the airport in 2010, making it the busiest airport in the Republic of Ireland, followed by Cork and Shannon...
. It also operates contracted bus service for airport car parks. and other private hire contracts in the Dublin area.
In the financial year ended March 2010, Last Passive Ltd, the holding company of Aircoach, made €16.9m of Sales compared to €18.6m in 2009 and €16.48m in 2008. Meanwhile profit after tax, was €210,899 in 2010, €1.36m in 2009 and €2.04m in 2008.
History
Aircoach was formed in 1999 by John O'Sullivan a former Bus EireannBus Éireann
Bus Éireann provides bus services in Ireland with the exception of those operated entirely within the Dublin Region, which are provided by Dublin Bus. Bus Éireann, established as a separate company in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann. The logo of Bus Éireann incorporates a red Irish...
employee. O'Sullivan sold 90% of the company to UK transport company FirstGroup in 2003 for €15m before selling the remaining 10% for €1.5m in 2005. As a result Aircoach is now 100% owned by FirstGroup.
The company was awarded the Overall Logistics and Transport Excellence Award and the Safety Award at the 2011 Irish Logistics and Transport Awards. In addition, the company was handed the Care for the Environment award at the 2012 Fleet Bus & Coach Awards.
Current Services
Aircoach currently operates six scheduled coach services in Ireland these are:- Leopardstown - Sandyford - Dublin City Centre - Dublin Airport (Both Terminals)
- Donnybrook - Ballsbridge - Dublin City Centre - Dublin Airport (Both Terminals)
- Greystones - Bray - Shankill - Blackrock - Sandymount - Dublin Port Tunnel - Dublin Airport (Both Terminals)
- Killiney - Dalkey - Glasthule - Dun Laoghaire - Monkstown - Blackrock - Dublin Port Tunnel - Dublin Airport (Both Terminals)
- Ballinteer - Dundrum - Churchtown - Nutgrove - Rathfarnham - Terenure - Templeogue = Spawell - M50 - Dublin Airport (Both Terminals)
- Cork - Fermoy - Mitchelstown - Cashel - Urlingford - Durrow - Abbeyleix - Portlaoise - Kildare - Dublin City Centre - Dublin Airport (Coach Park)
In addition to their scheduled services, Aircoach also operates shuttle bus services at Dublin Airport along with contract services and is the Official Coach Supplier to the Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
Team.
Past Services
Aircoach commenced a cross border service between Belfast and Dublin Airport in July 2004, calling at Drogheda, Dundalk, Newry, Hillsborough and Banbridge, The service was withdrawn in October 2010.The company also ran a service between Portlaoise and Dublin Airport via Kildare, Newbridge, Naas and Monasterevin from July 2004 until September 2005 when the service was withdrawn.
The Phoenix Park shuttle was run by Aircoach from May 2008 using East Lancs Myllennium buses which were powered by LPG. This service was withdrawn in January 2010 due to poor loadings.
Fleet
Most Aircoach scheduled coach services are operated by a fleet of 20 SetraSetra
Setra is a Neu-Ulm, Germany-based manufacturer of commercial buses and touring coaches, and recently a subsidiary of Daimler AG.The name "Setra" comes from "Selbsttragend"...
415HD coaches and 19 Jonckheere SHV Volvo B12B tri-axle coaches.
The Setra 415HD coaches were acquired in 2004 and feature reclining leather seats with seatbelts and extended legroom in a full climate-controlled environment. A foot-rest, folding tray and reading light is also provided at each seat along with complimentary Wi-fi internet access. These vehicles operate all departures on the Ballinteer and Dalkey routes, whilst a number also operate on the Cork, Lepoardstown and Donnybrook routes.
The Volvo B12B Jonckheere SHV coaches entered service towards the end of 2008 and early 2009 and operate all departures on the Greystones route and the majority of services on the Lepoardstown and Donnybrook routes. These vehicles feature wheelchair access, leather seats, seat belts, CCTV, complimentary Wi-fi internet access along with an LCD location based information system. These are the first vehicles operating on scheduled services to feature First branding whilst retaining the usual Aircoach colour scheme.
In addition on the Cork to Dublin Airport via Dublin City route Aircoach uses 3 2004 Scania
Scania
Scania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
Irizar Century coaches (23016-18) which were transferred from the Manchester division of FirstGroup in the UK in 2007, a 2005 Setra 315GT-HD and a 2006 Scania Irizar PB.
The Dublin Airport car park shuttles use articulated Mercedes Benz Citaro buses. with a Wright bodied Volvo B7RLE used on staff shuttle duty.
Aircoach in England
In February 2007, an hourly service between YorkYork
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
and Leeds Bradford Airport was introduced by First York
First York
First York is the largest bus operator in York, England. It is part of First Group, a major bus and train operator with a turnover of nearly £2.5 billion a year and 62,000 employees across the UK and North America...
using the Aircoach brand. This service no longer operates.
In August 2008 First Essex
First Essex
First Essex Buses Limited is owned by First Group. First Essex carries around 29 million passengers each year on a network of routes serving Essex and the surrounding areas. It arose from an amalgamation of Eastern National and Thamesway Buses, whose yellow/maroon livery has only recently disappeared...
launched Stansted Aircoach X30, a service between Southend, Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
and Stansted Airport.