# Aer Lingus Online Check In



## divadsnilloc (8 Oct 2008)

Is the Aer Lingus on line check in similar to Ryanair? Can you print off your own boarding pass and how long before the flight can you check in?


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## Olympian (9 Oct 2008)

Yes, it's a very similiar deal.

I think it 30 hours or 24 for the US of A.


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## Celtwytch (9 Oct 2008)

But watch out for additional charges!  If you decide to choose your own seat, you will pay extra for it - and the price will depend on what seat you choose.  Best to just take the seat they assign you, unless you have a reason for wanting to sit in a specific seat.


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## EvilDoctorK (9 Oct 2008)

Celtwytch said:


> But watch out for additional charges!  If you decide to choose your own seat, you will pay extra for it - and the price will depend on what seat you choose.  Best to just take the seat they assign you, unless you have a reason for wanting to sit in a specific seat.



I think this is only at booking time as Aer Lingus allow you to assign seats at booking ?  

At checkin time you can choose any non - assigned seat (though if the flight isn't that full I think they block the seats that you would have had to pay extra to assign yourself into at booking time)

I can certainly recall checking in online for an Aer Lingus flight in the past and being able to assign myself a "premium" seat that they'd have wanted extra € at booking time for no extra charge ... maybe this has changed recently ?


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## Celtwytch (9 Oct 2008)

Actually, you might be right about that - I think it was while I was booking the flight that I noticed the extra charges for certain seats.  

Apologies for the misinformation.


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## moondance (9 Oct 2008)

I'm flying to France tomorrow so just wondering can I check in online today if I have baggage to check in as well or how does it work?


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## EvilDoctorK (9 Oct 2008)

moondance said:


> I'm flying to France tomorrow so just wondering can I check in online today if I have baggage to check in as well or how does it work?



Yes you can  ... then you just need to drop your bag off at the check in desk and get it tagged tomorrow .. you still have to queue up to "check-in" but you can assign your seat in advance


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## Lollix (9 Oct 2008)

Pick your own seat for free on the green machines in the departures area. Better than checking in on line, never any queues. If you only have hand baggage you can be on your way in a minute.


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## Petal (10 Oct 2008)

You can check in on-line, bags or no bags. You can select a seat during the online check-in process free of charge (the system automatically selects a seat but you can change that by pressing the "change seat" button), but these are limited to seats after row 6 and excluding emergency seats. If you want these you have to go into "manage my booking" and you can buy them (10 Euro for rows 1-6 and 15 Euro for emergency seats). (You used to be able to buy your seats at time of booking but they have changed the system, you can only do it afterwards now).You can then choose to print your boarding pass (pdf file) or you can choose to pick it up at the self-service kiosk (I usually do this because I prefer to have the boarding card rather than 2 A4 print-outs). If you have baggage to check in you have to go to the "Tag And Drop" counters next to the check-in counters for your flight and drop them off there.
Needless to say, I fly too much!


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## divadsnilloc (11 Oct 2008)

Thanks for all this info. Another question, are Aer Lingus strict on hand luggage size and weight particularly if you are checking in on line and not going near the check in desk?


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## Olympian (11 Oct 2008)

Flying out of Dublin I've never had a problem. Hand luggage hasn't been weighed but I wouldn't try a huge case or anything like that.

Coming back it may depend on the airport. Some European destination don't allow online checkin with EI so you may have to check in at the airport. If this is the case they might well weight your luggage. EI's weight restriction is just 6KG so you could easily go over this in which case you'll have to put it in the hold and pay for the privilege. Happened to me recently returning from Paris.

From AerLingus web site.

_Web check-in is available for: _

_All flights to and from Ireland and the United Kingdom._
_All flights from Ireland to Continental Europe._
_All flights to and from Ireland and the USA with the exception of Orlando._
_All flights from Alicante, Brussels, Bucharest, Copenhagen, Düsseldorf, Faro Algarve, Geneva, Hamburg, Helsinki, Lanzarote, Lisbon, Madrid, Munich, Prague, Riga, Vienna, Vilnius and Zurich. _
_ Web Check-in for other flights departing from Continental Europe will be progressively introduced in 2008.          _


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## Petal (12 Oct 2008)

I never had a problem with online check-in, but I wouldn't push it too much, they can still take the bag off you at the Gate. I think if you use a small bag ad it's a bit heavier than it should be you're likely to get away with it. Desk-check in they have become more strict and more often than not they weigh the bags now and they're merciless then!


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## divadsnilloc (27 Oct 2008)

Make sure your printer is working when you try to print off your boarding pass!! The document is in PDF format and you don't have the option to reprint once you have finished checking in. This happened to me recently and I couldn't reprint at a different PC and had to join the masses at check in at Madrid Airport.


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## Lollix (28 Oct 2008)

Petal said:


> I never had a problem with online check-in, but I wouldn't push it too much, they can still take the bag off you at the Gate. I think if you use a small bag ad it's a bit heavier than it should be you're likely to get away with it. Desk-check in they have become more strict and more often than not they weigh the bags now and they're merciless then!


AFAIK the check-in staff are on a commission for excess baggage charges, so you'll pay for every kilo usually. I was at the desk in Budapest lately and they made me pay to check the bag in, even though it wasn't much over and was small. If you're checking in at the machine you'll usually get away with a few kilos over, but remember that you'll have a problem on the way back from airports that don't have aer lingus machines.


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## csirl (28 Oct 2008)

> Thanks for all this info. Another question, are Aer Lingus strict on hand luggage size and weight particularly if you are checking in on line and not going near the check in desk?


 
Based on what I saw when I flew Aer Lingus yesterday, the answer is no. Some people were bringing 2-3 bags on as hand luggage and getting away with it. And some of these bags werent exactly small - struggled to get them into overhead lockers. I went to airport expecting to have to check in one of the 2 bags I was carrying, but after seeing what everyone else was carrying, I didnt bother and just carried both bags on board. On the plane, there wasnt enough room in the overheads, so the hostesses let people keep extra bags under their seats.


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