Aer Lingus or Ryanair?

WexCan

I'm very bored on standby so thought I would ask the question.

Aer Lingus

or

Ryanair



Don't forget to say why.

purple'n'gold

Aer lingus for that little bit of curtsey and professionalism that you get. Also I detest M ‘O Leary and his odious underlings.

Ruu_Old

Ryanair

Pretty much the same as above. Ryanair can get me there but I'd rather pay the extra to get me closer and a bit of extra comfort.

robinph

Neither, ta.

As Ryanair fly to more of the places that I actually reguarly want to be getting to then they have to get my vote. For for the places I'd be going there is generally only the one airport anyway so if it's a long way out of town then that is the fault of some city planner many years ago rather than O'Leary. Admitedly AerLingus did used to fly on some of the routes as well but Ryanair managed to make it not worth the bother for them so it's now Ryanair or nothing.

Davidth88

AerLingus all the way.

Yes they are now modelling themselves on FR , but some of the residual customer care still exists.

You can choose your own seat, it's not a mob running across the tarmac.

David

Corega

Ryanair

Aer Lingus, for many reasons but mainly because they use Airbus. Given the choice between flying in something made by an American or a European I know which one I'd feel safer in.

Biro

Aer Lingus while Willie Walsh was in charge, but not any more really.

IRLConor

Ryanair

Aer Lingus all the way.

Benefits:

• Direct flights to major hubs (most importantly LHR for me) are a big win for long-haul.
• Ability to check bags through to my destination rather than having to go point-to-point.
• Actually flying to the city I'm going to.
• No scrum to get a decent seat on the plane.
• Lounge access in many airports. (The lounge in DUB isn't amazing, but it sure beats the rest of the airport when it's busy.)
• In the event of a missed flight they make an effort to accommodate you on a later flight rather than just saying "Tough, buy a ticket for the next flight".
• EI make some effort at customer service in-flight.
• Not giving money to that smug *******.

As far as I'm concerned it's the difference between getting the Aircoach or the 16A to the airport. The extra cash is totally worth it.

OPENROAD

Ryanair

Of the two Aer Lingus, but personally fly with bmi.

Better loyalty scheme/on board service/lounge/price similar to Aer Lingus.

SRFC90

Neither, ta.

ryanair simply because ive flown on them about 60 or 70 times and only aer lingus about 3 times!!!

yes EI get ya there in a much classier and more comfortable way, but FR get ya there cheaper (and usually quicker!!) and there flights usually aint too long so for €5.99, i can put up with some uncomfort for an hour or 2 !!:D

daveirl

Neither, ta.

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OPENROAD

Ryanair

daveirl wrote: »

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Yes or Business class ticket which is not available on short haul flights.

IRLConor

Ryanair

daveirl wrote: »

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Yes, but if you're flying regularly (like I did for work) it's not that difficult to get Gold Circle membership. It's probably harder now since they left OneWorld but it's still pretty easy (certainly compared to the amount of flying some of my colleagues had to do to get BA lounge access).

You can also get GC lounge access if you get some credit card, can't remember which one. I think it's an AIB or Bank of Ireland gold card. Don't think it works in partner lounges though.

daveirl

Neither, ta.

This post has been deleted.

OPENROAD

Ryanair

IRLConor wrote: »

Yes, but if you're flying regularly (like I did for work) it's not that difficult to get Gold Circle membership. It's probably harder now since they left OneWorld but it's still pretty easy (certainly compared to the amount of flying some of my colleagues had to do to get BA lounge access).

You can also get GC lounge access if you get some credit card, can't remember which one. I think it's an AIB or Bank of Ireland gold card. Don't think it works in partner lounges though.

Yup BA, you certainly have to do some miles, which is why bmi is so good, 16,000 for silver which gives you lounge.

Think it is BOI, but is a Business credit card only.

OPENROAD

Ryanair

daveirl wrote: »

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Advertised in most airline inflight magazines, not 100% sure which lounges it will get you into though,at a guess I would say in Dub it will get you into anna livia lounge which is not the best imo.

WexCan

Ryanair

Think you're thinking of Priority Pass, where you purchase a membership and get lounge access in most airports. http://www.prioritypass.com/ (The Dublin lounge is indeed the shocking Anna Livia)

The credit card that gives access to EI lounges and priority checkin is the BOI Gold Visa Business card. €120 annual fee per card and business account needed.

Steyr

Ryanair

Shamrock all the way. Better Customer Service and i feel proud as punch to fly with them!

IRLConor

Ryanair

WexCan wrote: »

The Dublin lounge is indeed the shocking Anna Livia

:eek: oh noes!

(Is it really as bad as I've heard? I've never been inside. Surely it's better than the zoo that is airside on a busy day?)

WexCan wrote: »

The credit card that gives access to EI lounges and priority checkin is the BOI Gold Visa Business card. €120 annual fee per card and business account needed.

Ouch, that's pricey.

OPENROAD

Ryanair

IRLConor wrote: »

:eek: oh noes!

(Is it really as bad as I've heard? I've never been inside. Surely it's better than the zoo that is airside on a busy day?)


It depends I suppose, you are right, it is better than the crowds on a busy day, have only looked inside myself,as have the bmi lounge opposite.

If you are doing just a few flights a year and are going to be waiting for your flight then its ok.

dfx-

Ryanair

Ruu wrote: »

Pretty much the same as above. Ryanair can get me there but I'd rather pay the extra to get me closer and a bit of extra comfort.

If I may Brother Ruu, support plus a haon.

Does anyone fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town from Stansted?

WexCan

Ryanair

dfx- wrote: »

If I may Brother Ruu, support plus a haon.

Does anyone fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town from Stansted?

Nope, options are:

Virgin, BA or SAA from Heathrow (For both)
Nationwide (v dodgy) from Gatwick to Jo'burg

dfx-

Ryanair

Oops, sorry WexCan, I was just reinforcing Ruu's post/my opinion on my preference.

I fly to Heathrow and then get SAA. But with Aer Lingus, Frankfurt is another option, then LH or SAA. Ryanair provide nothing.

Didn't know that Nationwide fly to J'burg? That'd be scary

WexCan

Ryanair

Haha sorry had been wondering, just thought I'd answer anways

highlydebased

Neither, ta.

Ryanair........seeing as I can fly anywhere I would want to from Shannon with them (cept America )

prendy

Ryanair

AIRLINGUS for me jus coz i hate the way ryanair treats you.

Lennoxschips

Ryanair

Aer Lingus, because of Ryanair's underhanded business practices, mistreatment of unions and disabled passengers, general evilness, etc., etc.

dfx-

Ryanair

Lennoxschips wrote: »

general evilness

:D

WexCan

Ryanair

Lennoxschips wrote: »

mistreatment of unions

So very true.

What really bothers me about Ryanair is the way they treat their cabin crew.

There are some people out there who are desperate to fly. People who may not have any *real* customer service experience, who are immature or simply dream of the "glamour" of the airline industry.

What do Ryanair do? They use seperate agencies to recruit and train their crew, and then crew are on agency contracts for 6-12 months until the get taken on by Ryanair permanently. The interview lasts 5 minutes, and I've heard of people literally walking in, being asked their nationality, and being given the job automatically if they say "I'm Irish/English". Everyone else will most likely get through as long as they can speak a reasonable level of English.

Then Ryanair (or rather, the training company) charge new crew for their training. They are the only airline in UK/Ireland to do this, and it costs roughly €2300.

Then you're worked to the bone, seen by O'Leary as just another orange to be squeezed until there's nothing left and replaced by an eager new recruit willing to pay silly money to do their "dream job".

I'm glad I never went near Ryanair. I wanted to be crew for many different reasons, and I chose to relocate to work for a large UK low cost that actually treats its staff like humans. All training (and accomodation during training) provided, salary paid during training, decent money for the work we do etc.

I just hope other airlines don't follow Ryanair's lead - if they do, it'll be the end of crew morale as it is now and everyone will be miserable.

BendiBus

I'm 50:50 on this at the moment.

My "usual" flight is a day return DUB-LGW-DUB. My next one is outbound with EI and back with FR and is entirely to do with timings. Aer Lingus @ 10:55 suits me better than the 11:50 Ryanair departure. But FR has the last flight back and it's always half empty so no scrums!

Mint Sauce

Ryanair

aer lingus all the way, ok, may cost a little more, and may have to travel a little further to get to the airport on this side, but the fact that i fly to london at least 2 to 3 times a year, i'm straight in to a central hub, little traveling time once i arrive or conveinent for a lift,

but the winning influences are more departures, and a way higher level of customer service, and that you are treeted as a customer