Aer Lingus Regional is expected to make a comeback to the skies in the autumn.Emerald Airlines, a start-up, is preparing to launch services in October.Conor McCarthy and other private investors have financially supported Emerald Airlines. They were named the preferred bidder by Aer Lingus last November to operate Aer Lingus Regional Services.According to the Irish Independent, final contracts will be signed within the next few days.Aer Lingus Regional was operated by Stobart Air, a Dublin-based company that had a franchise agreement due to expire in 2022.However, Stobart Air, owned by Esken of Southend airport, was forced to close its doors last month.Stobart Air, where McCarthy was not the executive chairman from 2018 to 2019, also had contracts to operate two taxpayer funded public service obligation (PSO), Irish domestic routes from Dublin to Donegal.The Irish government is moving quickly to get a tender for an interim operator for these routes for seven months. The government hopes to announce the operator in the next few weeks. Later in the year, a competition will be held for long-term contracts for the PSO routes.Emerald Airlines was unable to compete for the seven-month contract because it doesn't yet possess its Air Operators Certificate.McCarthy reported that Emerald wants to meet all conditions in order to obtain its AOC and Irish operating license by September. This will allow it to bid to operate the PSOs once the four-year contract is available.Two turboprop aircraft from Emerald are being built for service by Exeter Aerospace, which is part of McCarthys Dublin Aerospace.The airline is currently undergoing operational conversion training in Toulouse and has already hired 12 pilots.McCarthy stated that Emerald should have 14 aircraft and 400 employees by the end next year.Emerald Airlines is currently in negotiations for four additional aircraft. 34 additional aircraft have been offered to Emerald Airlines to complete its fleet of eight.
