Aer Lingus prices.
- Thread starter IsleOfMan
- Start date
Raskolnikov
Registered User
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- 351
I have found the same.
The transatlantic flight that cost me €310 last year return is now €420 this year at lowest fares.
So much for privatisation.
The transatlantic flight that cost me €310 last year return is now €420 this year at lowest fares.
So much for privatisation.
Ahh... the halcyon days of a semi-state Aer Lingus. 20 years ago - it could have cost you 300 euro to fly to the UK - about 1000 euro at a guess if you adjust for inflation. No cheap flights no matter when you booked. You wanted a one-way ticket - then costed you more than the return. Your stay didn't include a Saturday - then that was extra as well.
They really put the interests of the average Irish citizen first as a semi-state then didn't they.
Having travelled with Ryanair a number of times this year I have to say I couldn't tell the difference between it's service and that of Aer Lingus. Give me 1c flights every time rather than inflated prices for a service from Aer Lingus that no longer exists.
Seconded !
RyanAir has you under no illusions as to what you get...a seat on a plane to an airport.
Aer Lingus still touts itself as the 'Flag Carrier' (or Shamrock carrier
) when in reality they're every bit as bad as those whom they despise.Ryanair takeover of Aer Lingus ? They're too late, it's happened already from within.
Aer Lingus could do with emulating British Midland/BMIBaby. Top quality service on medium/long haul flights and cheap(ish) short-haul flights with a modicum of service.
I think it's a shame that such a visible representation of Ireland abroad is Aer Lingus, but maybe it's a true one. A case of 'screw you and your requests, just give us your money and take what we give you'.
Ho hum.
AerLingus do a number of things better, for my needs.
- shorter walk to/from gates at Dublin airport (I'm a fast walker, and it's still not pleasant to dive off the Ryanair pier.).
- tend to fly to main airports rather than peripheral ones
- assigned seating and online seat selection
- online checkin, even if you are checking baggage
- some interline agreements for checked baggage
- shorter walk to/from gates at Dublin airport (I'm a fast walker, and it's still not pleasant to dive off the Ryanair pier.).
- tend to fly to main airports rather than peripheral ones
- assigned seating and online seat selection
- online checkin, even if you are checking baggage
- some interline agreements for checked baggage
I have been doing a lot of flying to various part of the UK over the last 6 to 8 months usually at least 1 every 2 weeks. Over that time I have close to equal amounts on aer-lingus & ryanair.
I now will try and choose aer-lingus wherever possible for two reasons
1) Aer-Lingus have nicer seats - reclining with decent head rest (very important when trying to sleep).
2) I have had some extremely bumpy landing on Ryanair flights - as in bang you head off the seat in front type landings. Its got to the stage where I now hold onto the seat in front and brace my self on landing.... which always amuses the people beside me when nothing happens
I now will try and choose aer-lingus wherever possible for two reasons
1) Aer-Lingus have nicer seats - reclining with decent head rest (very important when trying to sleep).
2) I have had some extremely bumpy landing on Ryanair flights - as in bang you head off the seat in front type landings. Its got to the stage where I now hold onto the seat in front and brace my self on landing.... which always amuses the people beside me when nothing happens
Z
z108
Guest
At the end of the day, 2 few hours spent on a plane does not a holiday or a trip make and cost versus convenience is all that matters .
It always pays to shop around. Aer Lingus dont watch every penny in their dealings with the customer quite as much as Ryanair so you're bound to have a more pleasurable experience on their flights.
However since Aer Lingus stopped serving complimentary food on board I see very little difference between the two apart from location of airports.
Funnily enough while Ryanair have a reputation for the cheapest price , I ve often found that Aer Lingus was cheaper for where I wanted to go. This has happened on quite a few occasions.
In fact I've often got strange quotes (running into 2 hundreds) for a flight to Europe (at short notice) from Ryanair and instead taken one from Aer Lingus for 100.
When I've bought an expensive flight, (my definition of which is paying 170 euro when I could have gotten one for 80 with a little more advance planning), I've often had a row of seats to myself on the plane.
As a consequence, I've often thought there must be quite a few empty seats going to waste whenever I've turned down a quote for being too expensive.
If theres one difference betwen Aer Lingus and Ryanair its in the way they treat customers. I've turned up in Heathrow 2 hours earlier for my flight home to Dublin than planned and Aer Lingus Staff put me on an earlier flight when I asked them with no extra charges or hassle. This saved me having to hang around the airport.
They have also put me on the next flight when one was missed and I cant remember if they charged me at all for this at the time. If they charged me it was very small.
Contrast this with Ryanair Staff. In Frankfurt-Hahn after a shopping spree I had to pay for extra baggage with Ryanair. My credit card was refused. I assumed I had perhaps maxed it out or there was some other logical reason so I paid in cash. When I got home I rang the credit card company and they told me everything was fine and the staff must have made typos with my card number in their system. It had been the responsibility of Ryanair to call the credit card company and verify the status of the card. Instead I had gotten shrugs and dont knows from them at the time.
It always pays to shop around. Aer Lingus dont watch every penny in their dealings with the customer quite as much as Ryanair so you're bound to have a more pleasurable experience on their flights.
However since Aer Lingus stopped serving complimentary food on board I see very little difference between the two apart from location of airports.
Funnily enough while Ryanair have a reputation for the cheapest price , I ve often found that Aer Lingus was cheaper for where I wanted to go. This has happened on quite a few occasions.
In fact I've often got strange quotes (running into 2 hundreds) for a flight to Europe (at short notice) from Ryanair and instead taken one from Aer Lingus for 100.
When I've bought an expensive flight, (my definition of which is paying 170 euro when I could have gotten one for 80 with a little more advance planning), I've often had a row of seats to myself on the plane.
As a consequence, I've often thought there must be quite a few empty seats going to waste whenever I've turned down a quote for being too expensive.
If theres one difference betwen Aer Lingus and Ryanair its in the way they treat customers. I've turned up in Heathrow 2 hours earlier for my flight home to Dublin than planned and Aer Lingus Staff put me on an earlier flight when I asked them with no extra charges or hassle. This saved me having to hang around the airport.
They have also put me on the next flight when one was missed and I cant remember if they charged me at all for this at the time. If they charged me it was very small.
Contrast this with Ryanair Staff. In Frankfurt-Hahn after a shopping spree I had to pay for extra baggage with Ryanair. My credit card was refused. I assumed I had perhaps maxed it out or there was some other logical reason so I paid in cash. When I got home I rang the credit card company and they told me everything was fine and the staff must have made typos with my card number in their system. It had been the responsibility of Ryanair to call the credit card company and verify the status of the card. Instead I had gotten shrugs and dont knows from them at the time.
I had the misfortune to fly Aer Lingus to Chicago and onward to SF with American Airlines last year. The AL leg was terrible for lots of reasons. Certainly a lot worse than our normal itinerary of BA from London to SF. The latter is much more preferable - apart from a single long flight the service on BA (even with their own cost cutting) puts AL in the shade and always has in my experience. I'm looking forward to the direct Dublin-SF route later in the year with mixed feelings and hoping that the reduction in travelling/transfer/waiting around time will compensate for what I expect to be the hassles that go with AL on long haul routes compared to others.
Reclining seats are an absolute nuisance. I have been on the receiving end of the selfish person in front of me where their seat was stuck in my face for the duration of the flight. Absolutely no consideration for the person sitting behind. Except for long long haul these reclining seats should be banned altogether.
Yes, it drives me mad when people recline their seats right into your face, on planes with very short seat pitch. Especially when people just bang their seat back, instead of lowering it gently - you could end up with your tea/wine all over you.
Last weekend, the person in front did just this, and there was so little room, I couldnt even open my book. So I explained to the person behind me and apologised and lowered my seat back a few inches. They then did the same - so there was a ripple affect of everyone putting their seat back.
Prince Philip (commenting during the Jubilee tour, 2002):
"If you travel as much as we do you appreciate how much more comfortable aircraft have become. Unless you travel in something called economy class, which sounds ghastly."
Economy = Steerage
Absolutely spot on. Should be decommissioned for anything other than long hauls. Some airlines have policies whereby you can't recline whilst food is being served but this is not policed enough.
Any Airlines reading this take note please.
I can see Willie Walshe and Mick O'Leary thinking - hmmm, right to recline = €10 charge for the punter!