# Aer Lingus introducing new charge on pre-booked seats



## sherib (3 Apr 2007)

Heard on late news tonight: Aer Lingus is introducing a new charge on pre-booked short haul flights from 23rd May. The first five rows will cost €10.00, exit row seats will cost €15.00 and all others will cost €3.00. It wasn't said if this cost was for single or return flights. Customers will continue to be able to select their seat when checking in at no extra charge.

Michael O'Leary _please_ do not imitate.


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## pansyflower (3 Apr 2007)

" Customers will continue to be able to select their seat when checking in at no extra charge." 

But for how long?


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## Luternau (3 Apr 2007)

These extra charges for air travel is all getting a bit tiresome. As a relative frequent traveller I have not seen either AL or RA lower their prices to compensate for these extra charges-notably baggage, . Funnily enough it was stated that introducing the baggage charges would enable them to offer even lower fares....looks more like same fares, more charges = higher yeild per passenger! soon the ticket price will only cover the transport, seating will be an extra charge...even though its a mandatory element
It wont be long now before RA bring in the bargain basement fares for specially developed harness that enable you to stand at all times during the flight ;-) The flying double decker bus is only a CAA amendment away!! 
Cant do proper smileys for some reason so   ;-) ;-) ;-)


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## bond-007 (3 Apr 2007)

sherib said:


> Heard on late news tonight: Aer Lingus is introducing a new charge on pre-booked short haul flights from 23rd May. The first five rows will cost €10.00, exit row seats will cost €15.00 and all others will cost €3.00. It wasn't said if this cost was for single or return flights. Customers will continue to be able to select their seat when checking in at no extra charge.
> 
> Michael O'Leary _please_ do not imitate.


Excellent I will be able to displace the grannies from the exit rows at last, no more snooty AL employees keeping exit row seats for their friends. 
Well worth the €15 imho. Well done Dermot.


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## Sherman (3 Apr 2007)

bond-007 said:


> Excellent I will be able to displace the grannies from the exit rows at last, no more snooty AL employees keeping exit row seats for their friends.
> Well worth the €15 imho. Well done Dermot.


 
Exactly. IMHO this is exactly what airlines need - this is simply a more efficient way of allocating seats based on needs/wants - e.g. I like the aisle seat, and always ask for it. However, in no way would I pay €15 for it - however, someone like bond-007 might pay. Therefore, the seat is allocated more efficiently than if I had just got lucky or flashed my winning smile at the check-in desk  .


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## soy (3 Apr 2007)

full details here
http://www.aerlingus.com/cgi-bin/ob...g.0&P_OID=-8049&Category=0&NEWS_OID=536886373

By the sounds of this they are going to set the insurance purchase option as the default also - ala Ryanair.

At this stage I think Aer Lingus can no longer claim to offer a higher service level than Ryanair on short-haul routes.


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## emul (3 Apr 2007)

Anybody know if i book a codeshare BA flight will I get charged for seat choice, or can you even allocate / choose seat via BA?


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## Olympian (3 Apr 2007)

I don't think they code share any more. If you go to the BA web site they no longer offer DUB - LHR for example.

EI dropped out of OneWorld last weekend.


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## emul (3 Apr 2007)

Knew they were out of One World. Both BA and EI website state they codeshare ... but your right you can't book BA codeshare flight, I tried LHR to Cork

Eoin


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## ClubMan (3 Apr 2007)

soy said:


> At this stage I think Aer Lingus can no longer claim to offer a higher service level than Ryanair on short-haul routes.


Or the higher service of airlines such as _BA _on long haul routes in my experience.


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## Pique318 (3 Apr 2007)

soy said:


> At this stage I think Aer Lingus can no longer claim to offer a higher service level than Ryanair on short-haul routes.


 
At 'this' stage ???

Aer Lingus are a carbon copy of RyanAir dressed up as a flag carrier. 
I honestly don't understand how anyone can say that Aer Lingus are good and in the same breath slate RyanAir off.

At least you know what to expect from RA, whereas AL have this funny idea that _because _they're Aer Lingus they get to charge you more and treat you exactly the same way!!! The mind boggles at the number of people who swallow this too !

I flew with AL to Italy last September to get married. The flight left Dublin at 6:30 or so. at the time of checkin, there were at least 10-15 AL flights open for checkin, some transatlantic and other longer haul than ours. There was one desk open...ONE !
there were over a thousand passengers (no exaggeration) queued up to use the kiosks and then queue again for the one desk to check in baggage. The lucky few with only carry-on were an insignificant number. Eventually extra staff arrived to man the desks, about an hour later. The plane then sat on the tarmac for an hour with us on board while they refueled (which I thought was illegal)!!!

AL have sold out a long time ag to the likes of RyanAir....I honestly don't see why they were so worried about Michael O'Leary buying shares in them. They're obviously playing the same game, just one is up front and honest about it !

No affiliation with either (thankfully), just a normal cat in cattle class !

PK


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## SlurrySlump (3 Apr 2007)

Refulling while passengers are on board sounds dangerous to me! What about fumes on the plane etc.
I have booked several flights with Ryanair for this year and only one with Aer Lingus. I think that Ryanair are way ahead of Aer Lingus in all areas now. Aer Lingus are charging a premium on their tickets....for what?


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## Martinslan (3 Apr 2007)

How about charging passengers a toll to get off the plane once it arrives at destination airport. Passengers could not complain as they would be charged with air rage....

It's a bit sick to hear AL spout on that they only introduced this due to Customer Demand...would that customer please stand up...oh sorry the fasten your seat belt sign is on...please remain in your seat...

Very nasty of AL to add to the 25% increase in bag charge of last week.
Another sad day for all customers...

I used to think they had got cheap and nasty...now the cheap is gone...so that leaves .....


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## KalEl (3 Apr 2007)

As a tall guy I'm looking forward to being able to pre-book the exit seats...the rest I think is nonsense. But I don't understand how they can do this. Being able bodied and able to open the emergency doors and help others was always a prerequisite for sitting in these seats...how will this be enforced now?


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## diarmuidc (3 Apr 2007)

soy said:


> At this stage I think Aer Lingus can no longer claim to offer a higher service level than Ryanair on short-haul routes.



As a frequent traveller with Aer Lingus, I agree. Given a choice now, I will avoid Aer Lingus like I avoid Ryanair. Unfortunatley on the route I travel the most I have no option.


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## mell61 (3 Apr 2007)

going back to someone elses flippant comment about seating being options.... article in paper at weekend (no 1st april edition ;-), said that some asian carrier was looking at standing flights for some short haul flights....
Add in the extra charges with the hassle of security and suddenly P&O are looking better and better...


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## ClubMan (3 Apr 2007)

mell61 said:


> going back to someone elses flippant comment about seating being options.... article in paper at weekend (no 1st april edition ;-), said that some asian carrier was looking at standing flights for some short haul flights....


Are you *sure *that this was not an _April Fool _joke!


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## KalEl (3 Apr 2007)

mell61 said:


> )said that some asian carrier was looking at standing flights for some short haul flights....


 
Surely safety regulations wouldn't allow this? As I said earlier I don't see how allowing those who can't handle the emergency doors in the exit seats doesn't compromise safety...


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## ClubMan (3 Apr 2007)

Hmmm ... ....!?


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## KalEl (3 Apr 2007)

ClubMan said:


> Hmmm ... ....!?


 
Sir, can I interest you in duty free?
[broken link removed]


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## ClubMan (3 Apr 2007)

Muzzle: €10.


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## Guest127 (3 Apr 2007)

sherib said:


> Michael O'Leary _please_ do not imitate.


 
Disagree totally. Ryanair please do copy.  no more requirement for P/B.  no  more scrums. unfortunately families with children will be penalised.


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## Sunny (3 Apr 2007)

cuchulainn said:


> Disagree totally. Ryanair please do copy. no more requirement for P/B. no more scrums. unfortunately families with children will be penalised.


 

Slightly off topic but why do Michael O Leary and his low cost airline scream blue murder on behalf of the consumer every time the mention of an increase in airport taxes is made but don't seem to have any problem increasing baggage charges by 20-25% or whatever it was. Besides, considering he keeps the airport taxes for people who don't turn up, I thought he would be delighted with an increase!


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## z105 (3 Apr 2007)

> Are you *sure *that this was not an _April Fool _joke!


 
Certainly was - "QuickAir’s _*Abril Tontos"    Classic*_

*HOLD TIGHT FOR TAKE-OFF*
And as Wales gets flyforbeans, Indonesia gets QuickAir, a no-frills carrier with which you won’t even get a seat. Offering flights from £3 each way to six destinations across the archipelago for the first time, QuickAir will be run as a “commuter service”, with the middle and aisle seats removed to provide standing room. “We offer seats for children, the elderly or the infirm,” said QuickAir’s Abril Tontos, “but standing for a 40-minute flight is perfectly safe — probably safer than taking the ferry.” 

Sunday Times last


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## Skyscout (18 Apr 2007)

I think it's a bit mean as you were easily able to select your seats and print out boarding passes for free online before the charges came in. More legroom in Emer exit rows but the seats don't recline! 

Interesting about what happens if you are not able-bodied and sitting in an emergency exit row - pay your €15 or whatever but you won't be permitted to sit there.


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## frankmac (18 Apr 2007)

Let me tell you about my experience with prebooked seats with AL.

We arrived at Lanzarote airport 2hours & 15 minutes before flight time, and joined (the wrong) queue. It was being operated by a trainee and was held up for 40 minutes whilst she dealt with 2 standby families. When we finally got to checkin there was just one other couple behind us. Our prebooked seats were npt available. Neither was there any adjoining seats available. We took what was on offer.

The couple behind us got seats together although they did not have them booked.

You can only contact AL customer services by fax. No phone. One month later and I have no response to my complaint.

Incidentally the flight was in March and seats were booked in July!


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## ClubMan (18 Apr 2007)

You paid a prebooking charge but the seats were not available? Did you get the charge back?


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## frankmac (18 Apr 2007)

ClubMan said:


> You paid a prebooking charge but the seats were not available? Did you get the charge back?


 
No Clubman. Sorry if I misled you. I did not pay a fee as the booking was made in July last i.e. before the charge came in.

However the booking was made back then to ensure seats together, as my wife is a very nervous flyer.

What really amazes me is the fact that I can only contact them by fax.


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## Guest127 (18 Apr 2007)

if the seats were  prebooked the clerk doing the boarding passes should not have been able to allocate your seats to anyone else. they should  not have been available for him/her to access. so it wasn't entirely his/her fault and whether you were first or last in the queue shouldnt have mattered. obviously if they were available for alloction in lanzarotte then there was a mistake somewhere back along the line.


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## MugsGame (18 Apr 2007)

Final seat allocation takes place at check-in, even if you reserved a particular seat, as in the case above. Someone with frequent flyer status might be able to "bump" you from your seat. I guess this will have to change when people have paid to get a particular seat.


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## frankmac (19 Apr 2007)

MugsGame said:


> Final seat allocation takes place at check-in, even if you reserved a particular seat, as in the case above. *Someone with frequent flyer status might be able to "bump" you from your seat.* I guess this will have to change when people have paid to get a particular seat.


 
That is very interesting.

I think the most annoying thing though was the fact that the couple behind us did get seats together.


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## bond-007 (19 Apr 2007)

They were probably gold circle members.


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## frankmac (19 Apr 2007)

bond-007 said:


> They were probably gold circle members.


 
No. They were acquaintances of ours.


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## bond-007 (19 Apr 2007)

Strange indeed so. They are well known for bumping people in favour of gold circle members, transatlantic flights are where this goes on most.


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## MugsGame (19 Apr 2007)

It can also happen where flights are overbooked, so people will lose their "reserved" seat if they checkin last, though that doesn't sound like the case here. It could just be a systems issue where the seating reservations aren't synced with the checkin system, so if you don't checkin early enough your reservation may be lost if the system decides to assign the "unoccupied" seat. They may have to limit the number of pre-booked seats on a fight, to prevent the "bumping" problem.


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## frankmac (19 Apr 2007)

They may indeed. But they dont have to tell lies


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## frankmac (21 May 2007)

Glad to say that following a letter to Dermot Mannion, a voucher for 450 arrived in the post today


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