# Aerlingus Sale



## Robbie_C (11 Mar 2009)

I am due to book flights this summer for a weekend in Amsterdam in July and a week in Naples in August.  Aerlingus are currently having a sale at the moment which is a decent discount of 30% but do people feel flights will go down more and there will be better sales on closer to the summer, they seem to be having constant sales these days.  Just looking for peoples opinions.

Thanks

Rob.


----------



## Sue Ellen (11 Mar 2009)

Just reading an article at the moment about the folly of the Departure Tax, the continuing fall in February of passenger numbers on Aer Lingus and that the tax would accentuate falling numbers of airport users.

At the end of the day its really crystal ball stuff and you would need to weigh up your options about the prices going up nearer to the date of travel and the many offers out there at the moment.

Have a look at the number of seats available on the flights of your choice also.


----------



## dereko1969 (11 Mar 2009)

Do you really think a tenner is going to put people off a weekend away? The reduction in numbers flying has reduced already before the introduction of the tax.
Anyway that's all OT it is very difficult to predict whether prices will come down further, I would think that the time you are flying would mitigate against very large reductions given that it is peak travel time, you have to weigh up the certainty of booking now and possibly paying a premium versus the possibility of a cheaper flight booked closer to the date allied to the uncertainty of that and the implication of possibly having to fly to another airport if your chosen destination is sold out or the price has increased.
If it were me I'd book naples now and hang on for amsterdam.


----------



## meatmonger (11 Mar 2009)

i think aer lingus said today in results that they expect 10% fall in fares this year.

given that summer is peak, i would take the 30% off now.  if it was any time up to may or after august I would say better deal down line.


----------



## lou2 (11 Mar 2009)

I would definitely take the 30% off now. Aer Lingus prices tend to increase the nearer to departure date rather than decrease unlike the charter flights. I have booked a return flight to Lanzarote for Saturday week. Booked it about 8 weeks ago and it cost me 200 euro. Looked at it yesterday and the exatc same return flight was costing bout 550. Even if they do have another sale on it's unlikely enough to be giving more than 30% off.


----------



## galwegian44 (11 Mar 2009)

dereko1969 said:


> Do you really think a tenner is going to put people off a weekend away?


 
I do Derek. In my case I would be bringing my wife and three kids, factor in a return journey and suddenly your fare has increased by €100, definitely a factor.


----------



## dereko1969 (11 Mar 2009)

It's a departure tax so it's only on your flight out not on the return so in your case it would be €50, less if any of the children are under 2.
Details on revenue site here
[broken link removed]


----------



## Robbie_C (11 Mar 2009)

Thanks for the responses, but Sue Ellen you mentioned to have a look and see how many seats are still available, how can I do this?


----------



## SlurrySlump (11 Mar 2009)

You have to remember that the 30% sale is off the cost of the flight and not off the cost of the taxes and charges so the 30% saving is tiny.
For some reason Aer Lingus flights for the destinations that I want to go to always seem the same price whether they have a 25% sale a 30% sale a free flight or whatever, as they juggle around the taxes and charges.
Regarding the sale price to Amsterdam. If you look at the flight prices to Amsterdam for next October the flight price is "nil" and the taxes and charges are €29.99 from Dublin.
If you look at the flight prices to Amsterdam for September the taxes and charges are €33.71 from Dublin.
Why is there a difference in the taxes and charges for September and October?


----------



## Ceist Beag (11 Mar 2009)

SlurrySlump said:


> You have to remember that the 30% sale is off the cost of the flight and not off the cost of the taxes and charges so the 30% saving is tiny. For some reason Aer Lingus flights for the destinations that I want to go to always seem the same price whether they have a 25% sale a 30% sale a free flight or whatever, as they juggle around the taxes and charges.



Agree SlurrySlump, I booked flights back in Jan and just compared the prices now (with 30% off) and it works out at almost the same total. For our flights the total was €455 and of this €265 was taxes and fees ... mad eh!


----------



## BertieBowel (11 Mar 2009)

Booked 4 flights to Malaga in Jan, travelling July 09. Cost €245 per head

Checked same flights today. Cost €140 per head . Thems the breaks !!

If I were you I'd book now. I cant see them dropping much further and will likely rise closer to the summer.


----------



## galwegian44 (11 Mar 2009)

dereko1969 said:


> It's a departure tax so it's only on your flight out not on the return so in your case it would be €50, less if any of the children are under 2.
> Details on revenue site here
> [broken link removed]


 
Good point Derek, unfortunately the kids are above 2 so €50 would still have an impact on my thinking process. Just spent 4 days in Portugal without the kids, they did not appreciate it when I told them they were not travelling because of the cutbacks!!!!


----------



## kadumph (11 Mar 2009)

Naples in august is normally expensive to fly to /from at weekends but cheaper if you are flexible( mon -thurs) of course, don't count on cheap last minute flights, a lot of irish weddings on the amalfi coast that time of year.


----------



## thedaras (11 Mar 2009)

The 30% off would give me a great saving( five of us) but still didnt book.(yet)
The baggage fees were 30e per person and thats 150e before we even leave.
Have gone abroad every year for many many years,and did the fly drive ,but I looked at budget travel and for a family of five it would cost about 3200 ,for flights accomodation,transfers and entertainment and within a few minutes walk to the town.
Up till now, I have done the villa in France,but am getting fed up with the price of flights,paying for baggage,hiring a car,and no entertainment for the kids and one of us not being able to drink as someone would have to drive to the nearest town for a meal out etc.SO am thinking of a package deal,where everything is laid on.
I was tempted by the 30% off deal,but glad I didnt book as now I still have the choice.
Due to my kids ages ,according to the aerlingus site,we have only one child.
ie;one who is 10 the rest are over 11.


----------



## Misjudged (11 Mar 2009)

The current sale is good but you have to be quick - I saw flights go up before my eyes. Also if you are booking eg for four people look at the price for 1,2,3 - I got 3 for 101 when they quoted 121 when I put in 4 people. Had to pay 121 for teh fourth though. 

Off to Portugal in July!


----------



## Misjudged (11 Mar 2009)

thedaras

Check out direct rental of accommodation. Rents are well donw this year so there are lots of bargains.


----------



## Robbie_C (12 Mar 2009)

Thanks for everybodys responses, I did book both Amsterdam and Naples this week.  Got Amsterdam for €120 return without a bag and naples for €170 return with a bag so im happy enough.  Could of got Naples for €20 cheaper but I procrastinated and i wasnt gonna let them go up anymore so bit the bullet.


----------



## Sue Ellen (13 Mar 2009)

Robbie_C said:


> Sue Ellen you mentioned to have a look and see how many seats are still available, how can I do this?



Hi Robbie,

You will need to progress your booking to the 'Price' page and when you do so you will see the heading 'Seat Map' and click on the 'View Map' option and this gives the seats still available.  As you have made your bookings now you probably already know about this option.


----------



## SlurrySlump (14 Mar 2009)

Sue Ellen said:


> Hi Robbie,
> 
> You will need to progress your booking to the 'Price' page and when you do so you will see the heading 'Seat Map' and click on the 'View Map' option and this gives the seats still available. As you have made your bookings now you probably already know about this option.


 
Can you view the seat availability *before* you make a booking?  It seems to me that you have to purchase your flights first, get a reference code, before you are allowed to see availability?


----------



## oldnick (14 Mar 2009)

No airline I know of knows the number of seats on a particular flight.
However, the price is a fair indication of seat availability.
Looking at the number of low fares this year it seems that many many flights are still empty.
No wonder so many airlines are forecast to go bust.
An that could include Aer Linbgus. There is no law of nature that says Aer Lingus will always exist. And there IS a law of EU that says governments can no longer prop up failing airlines.


----------



## Sue Ellen (15 Mar 2009)

SlurrySlump said:


> Can you view the seat availability *before* you make a booking?  It seems to me that you have to purchase your flights first, get a reference code, before you are allowed to see availability?



AFAIK yes it is possible to view the seat availability before you make the booking using the  option above.  I certainly did a booking quite some time ago and was able to see the availability beforehand.

I regularly look at options and view the seating available.  I rarely travel because I'm a bad traveller and I'm also too lazy.    When 'beam me up Scottie becomes available I'll go then


----------



## Auntie (15 Mar 2009)

Sue Ellen said:


> Hi Robbie,
> 
> You will need to progress your booking to the 'Price' page and when you do so you will see the heading 'Seat Map' and click on the 'View Map' option and this gives the seats still available. As you have made your bookings now you probably already know about this option.


 
This only shows you the seats that people have paid to reserve, not how many people have booked. 
Passengers have to pay now to reserve these seats in advance so most (I assume) will wait and pick a seat at check in. 
So this map will give no indication of how many seats have actually been booked on the flight so far 
(except on transatlantic where you can reserve your seat for free)


----------



## IsleOfMan (28 Apr 2009)

I see the Aer Lingus Autumn sale announced today of up to 50% off is still making the cost of flying with them very expensive. No matter what type of sale they announce the end price always seem to remain the same. I have been tracking a few destinations and I know that the Free, 10%, 20% 30% 50% sale prices is just a gimmick because they fiddle around with the unit price and the taxes and charges. You never really get a "WoW" sale with them.


----------

