Aer Lingus was founded in Dublin by the Irish government in 1936. The company offers direct regional service to both Scotland and England, as well as flights to several locations throughout the United States and Canada through major airport hubs like New York, Boston and Chicago. Aer Lingus also provides limited cargo and mail service throughout Ireland and the United Kingdom. The airline's short-distance fleet consists of six Airbus A321s and 27 Airbus A320s, each configured with economy class seating. The long-term fleet is comprised of eight Airbus A330 aircraft.
Aer Arann was founded in 1970 to serve the residents of Inis Mór, or Aran Islands, on the country's western coast. At 2010, the airline transports over a million passengers annually across 40 routes and is Ireland's largest regional airline. The company's fleet of ATR 72-500 airlines is one of the world's more fuel efficient passenger airplanes, touting the company's stance on environmental responsibility, according to the company's website. Aer Arann offers daily service between major Irish cities like Dublin, Galway and Donegal, as well as cities in England such as Manchester, Blackpool and Birmingham.
Ryan Air began in 1985, with service between the Irish city of Waterford and London-Gatwick airport. In 2010, the airline operates over 1,400 flights per day from 160 destinations across 27 countries. With a staff of over 8,000 employees, the Ryan operates a fleet of 250 new Boeing 737 and 800 aircraft. The airline transports passengers to over 150 European destinations outside of Ireland, including Paris, Milan, Alicante, Brussels, Barcelona and London. Over 70 million people fly Ryan Air each year.
