More and more people have the opportunity to travel around the world. Traveling in train carriages or on board a ship takes a long time, so travelers choose air transport. Let's find out how the Irish airline Aer Lingus works.
Company details
Aer Lingus was established in 1936 with a registered capital of £ 100,000.
The company is currently part of the IAG aviation holding, which is the parent company of British Airways, Iberia, LEVEL and Vueling.
IAG is headquartered in London, while the holding is registered in Madrid, Spain. The holding was created in 2021 as a result of the merger of the national carriers of Great Britain and Spain - British Airways and Iberia.
Currently, 30% of Aer Lingus is owned by the renowned low-cost airline Ryanair. Another 25% of the company is owned by the Irish government.
The company carries passengers between five airports in Ireland and also flies to North America, Africa and Europe. The total number of destinations is 92.
Aer Lingus withdrew from the Oneworld airline alliance in 2007, but retained partnerships with the remaining airlines. This relationship helps to plan connecting flights, which greatly increases the comfort of passengers.
Aer Lingus carries over 9 million passengers annually.
In 2021, the airline launched the Aer Lingus Future civil aviation pilot training project. It is interesting that not only Irish participants are invited to the project, but also residents of other countries.
True, on certain conditions: you must live in Europe legally, pass a medical examination and present a good certificate of education. The program has been extended for 2021. You can learn more about it by following the link. ...
Aer Lingus is headquartered in Dublin and the airport of this city is the base for the company's aircraft.
The company did not create an official website in Russian, however, as well as in others. The language of the official website is English.
Aer Lingus international flights
In addition to five Irish cities, Aer Lingus serves 26 countries with its airlines. These include: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Hungary, UK, Greece, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Canada, Malaysia, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, USA, Turkey, France , Croatia, Czech Republic, Switzerland.
Many of these countries have flights to multiple airports.
Aviation fleet of the company
Aer Lingus has 44 airliners manufactured by the European Airbus Corporation, in particular:
| Airplane model | Number in Aer Lingus fleet |
|---|---|
| A319-100 | 2 |
| A320-200 | 32 |
| A321-200 | 3 |
| A330-200 | 3 |
| A330-300 | 4 |
The company plans to purchase A350-900 airliners, which will replace the outdated models.
Services on company flights
Aer Lingus is not formally included in the number of low-cost airlines, but its tight connection with Ryanair is given by relatively low prices for flights and a limited level of service on most routes.
Most of Aer Lingus flights provide for only economy class on board. Only flights to the United States, Australia, Asia and some European cities are eligible.
Service classes
The airline offers 3 classes of service:
- economic;
- improved economic;
- Business Class.
The classes differ in the distance between the rows of seats, the size and comfort of the seats themselves, and the range of food.
In addition, the classes differ in the amount of baggage included in the ticket price, as well as in the passenger service at the airports.
Entertainment on board
Multimedia screens are inserted into the seat backs, which allow passengers to choose their own entertainment: listen to music, watch films and programs.
Meals on board
On transatlantic flights, the ticket price includes two meals a day, the level of which depends on the class of service. On short flights, the cost of economy class tickets does not include meals, but passengers can purchase sandwiches, snacks and drinks on board.
Passengers have the option to pre-order special meals according to religion or diet, as well as baby food.
How to buy tickets on the company's website
Algorithm of actions how to buy a ticket for an Aer Lingus flight:
- Go to the company's website. A window will open in front of you where you need to select the points of departure and destination:
- Select items from the dropdown list. If the country has multiple destinations, select an airport as well:
- Decide if you need a return ticket. Fill in the departure and return dates and the number of passengers. After that, activate the green button in the lower right corner and go to the flight selection:
- You will see a list with all flights for the selected date. In our case, there is only one flight. Select a flight by activating the green button with the cost of the flight:
- After activating this button, you will see the fares and prices at which you can buy a ticket. The price window shows the volume of services that you will receive within the tariff. Select and activate a tariff.
- You will see information about the selected flight. Check it, if the information is correct, proceed to booking a ticket.
Booking and check-in for Aer Lingus flights is also possible through mobile apps that can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
How to check in for an Aer Lingus flight online
You can check-in online for the airline's flights from 30 days to 30 hours before the plane's departure. For this:
- Go to the company's website and activate the Check-in button.
- Enter the number you received when buying a ticket, last name and activate the Check-in button.
- Print your boarding pass. If you registered from a mobile device, you can save the ticket in it.
Check-in is available at special self-service kiosks at the airport. Check-in times in this way differ for different flights, so it is important to clarify them when purchasing tickets.
Fares with Aer Lingus
When choosing a specific flight, you will be offered several fares and given a list of services that each of them provides.
So, on the Dublin ‒ Berlin flight, the following fares are offered:
- Saver;
- Plus;
- Advantage.
On this flight, the list of available tariff services is:
- Saver:
- only carry-on baggage weighing up to 10 kg;
- the opportunity to receive points for the loyalty program.
- Plus:
- carry-on baggage weighing up to 10 kg;
- checked baggage weighing up to 20 kg;
- participation in the loyalty program;
- preselection of a seat;
- boarding the flight out of turn;
- Information support.
- the possibility of an earlier departure.
- Advantage:
- carry-on baggage weighing up to 10 kg;
- checked baggage weighing up to 20 kg;
- participation in the loyalty program;
- preselection of a seat;
- boarding the flight out of turn;
- Information support;
- the possibility of an earlier departure;
- free changes to the ticket and free return;
- access to a comfortable waiting room;
- expedited check-in and baggage drop-off.
The cost of tickets on this flight is:
- Saver - 258 euros;
- Plus - 314 euros;
- Advantage - 346 euros.
The number of fares available on different flights may vary. The cost of tickets for fares for a specific flight should be viewed on the company's website.
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Airline loyalty program
Aer Lingus offers customers a loyalty bonus program called AerClub.
Flights with the company's aircraft allow customers to accumulate bonus points, which can then be used to pay for:
- new flights;
- access to luxury lounges;
- extra baggage;
- upgrading the class of service.
In addition to airline flights, bonus points can be earned by paying for goods and services of companies that are partners of Aer Lingus. You can find out more detailed information about the loyalty program by clicking on this link (information in English).
Carriage of baggage
Passenger baggage is divided into:
- Carry-on baggage. On long-haul flights, it is allowed to take hand luggage into the cabin, the dimensions of which do not exceed 40x55x24 cm. The weight of this bag must not exceed 10 kg.
Additionally, you can bring a personal item into the salon, such as a purse or laptop. Dimensions should not exceed 25x33x20 cm.
On regional flights, you can carry one piece of hand luggage up to 48x33x20 cm and weighing up to 7 kg into the cabin.
- Checked baggage. Depending on the ticket purchased, it can be paid or free. In the standard case, free checked baggage can weigh up to 20 kg.
The company offers to carry 15 kg of checked baggage for a lower ticket price and 25 kg for a larger one.
In addition, there is the possibility of carrying extra baggage for a fee. Please note that pre-paying for extra baggage online is cheaper than paying extra for it at the airport after weigh-in.
The maximum luggage size is 158 cm in total over three dimensions. The maximum weight of one piece of checked baggage is 32 kg. This is a demand of the loaders' trade union and it will not be possible to circumvent it.
If you intend to transport oversized sports equipment, you must inform in advance via the Internet or phone and book a seat. The following rules apply to this inventory:
- for one passenger no more than one set;
- maximum inventory weight - 23 kg;
- on flights to North America, the cost of transporting sports equipment is 75 euros. On other flights - 40 euros if paid in advance via the Internet, 50 euros - if paid at the airport;
- business class passengers carry sports equipment free of charge;
- a group of athletes must first agree on a flight with the company, otherwise there may not be enough space for all equipment;
- sports equipment must be packed so that it will not be damaged in transit.
You can take musical instruments up to 48x33x20 cm in hand luggage on regional flights and up to 55x40x24 cm on the rest.
If you want to take a musical instrument that exceeds these dimensions, such as a guitar, into the aircraft cabin, you must purchase an additional seat in advance. At the same time, you will not receive the right to carry additional baggage with this ticket.
The weight of musical instruments checked in as baggage cannot exceed 75 kg, and their size must not exceed 94x58x41cm.
It is forbidden to transport:
- flammable liquids and gases;
- liquids in cylinders (varnishes, paint deodorants, and the like);
- explosives;
- corrosive chemicals;
- backup batteries, as they may be flammable. Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphones are not allowed in the USA and Canada for the same reason;
- miniature vehicles - segways equipped with lithium batteries;
- weapon;
- sharp objects (knives, forks, etc.).
Frequently asked questions and answers to them
Where can I see the flight schedule?
The most convenient way to view the flight schedule is on the company's website, where you can order tickets. On the Internet you will find many offers to check the flight schedules of Aer Lingus flights, but they all link to the official website.
Are pets allowed on the plane?
On flights within Europe, you can carry pets, dogs, cats and rabbits. The carriage of the animal must be agreed with the company in advance. Animals registered at the airport are not allowed to fly.
All animals must be in special cages or other devices for their transportation. The cost of transporting an animal in Europe is 40 euros. The airline has the right to refuse to carry it.
On flights to North America, only cats and dogs are allowed and only in special containers in additional paid baggage. The cost of transportation is 160 euros. Animals are not transported on flights to / from Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles.
Guide dogs are allowed on the aircraft if their breed is approved for carriage.
You should be aware that it is forbidden to transport fighting dogs, as well as dogs and cats that do not tolerate flying. It is better to find out in advance if your animal will be allowed for transportation.
Can I take a wheelchair with me?
If you need to transport a wheelchair, you must inform the airline in advance and agree on the transportation. Different airports have different rules. Sometimes the stroller needs to be disassembled and checked in. They will collect it at the airport of arrival. All questions should be agreed upon when purchasing a ticket.
Conclusion
While Aer Lingus is not officially a low-cost airline that offers low prices and limited service, most of its flights can be attributed to this segment. The increased comfort is offered mainly on transatlantic flights, as well as on flights to some European cities.
You can buy tickets and check in for flights online. The transportation rules generally correspond to the generally accepted ones.
