Aircoach


Aircoach is an Ireland-based subsidiary company of FirstGroup. It provides airport express coach services from Cork, Belfast, Greystones, Bray, Southside Dublin and Dublin to Dublin Airport. It also operates contracted bus services for airport car parks and other private hire contracts in the Dublin area.

History

Aircoach was formed in 1999 by John O'Sullivan, a former Bus Éireann employee. O'Sullivan sold 90% of the company to FirstGroup in 2003 for €15 million before selling the remaining 10% for €1.5 million to FirstGroup in 2005.
Aircoach was awarded the Overall Logistics and Transport Excellence Award at the 2011 Irish Logistics and Transport Awards. The company was also named as the Irish Inter-City coach operator of the year at the 2014 and 2018 Fleet Bus and Coach awards.
In addition to its 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.

Past Services

The first Aircoach route, Ballsbridge to Dublin Airport, was suspended after 14 years of operation in April 2013. Many of the stops on this service continue to be served by the Leopardstown route, with the stops unique to this service being amalgamated into the Greystones route.
A service from Ballinteer to Dublin Airport ran from April 2011 until December 2012, whilst the company also previously ran stopping commuter services to Belfast, Cork and Portlaoise to/from Dublin City and Dublin Airport.
The Phoenix Park shuttle ran from May 2008 until January 2010 using East Lancs Myllennium buses which were powered by LPG.

Fleet

The company operates a fleet of 53 coaches to operate its scheduled services and 16 buses, including a number of articulated vehicles to operate the car park and staff shuttle services at Dublin Airport.
The company operates a fleet of 49 Plaxton Panther bodied Volvo B11R coaches built between 2014 and 2020. The coaches are a mixture of 49 seaters with toilets or 53 seaters without toilets.
Aircoach also operates a fleet of 4 Jonckheere SHV bodied Volvo B12B tri-axles built in 2008/9.
The Dublin Airport car park shuttle uses 12 articulated Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses, with two 2006 Wright Eclipses bodied Volvo B7LEs, a 2013 Wright StreetLite and a 2002 Mercedes-Benz Citaro rigid used on staff shuttle duty.