Aer Lingus is worst airline

Dartz

I had a great transatlantic flight with Aer Lingus not too long ago.

Was a trip to DC in the States.

I had no problems with checkin - then again I arrived quite early at the airport and it was a morning flight.

I am not a small man, but the plane was reasonably comfortable to sit in for 5-7 hours. A bit tight on the way over, but a little better on the way back. Baggage made it all the way to and from Dulles without a hitch and the service onboard was great. And the Skydine meal was worth the extra few quid just for the sheer novelty and theatre of having actual cutlery and delph to eat off of. And it was quite nice.

Then again, I don't really fly that often so I don't have much to benchmark it against.

But it wasn't an utter horrorshow.

The connecting flights with Jetblue and UA were prompt and comfortable - and both airlines were very helpful.

All in all, it was a surprisingly enjoyable experience and not a living hell. Would do it again.

fits

Aer Lingus are pretty meh to be honest. It is nice to fly on an Irish airline sometimes but the lack of integration with other airlines is really annoying. I have to take 3 flights tomorrow. Two with finnair and one with Aer lingus. It was all done on one booking through finnair but because EI are on a different system I will probably have to go out through security in Manchester to get my boarding card. I think my bag will be checked through but I might have to do that as well.

And no air miles! It would really suit me if they were in One World.

Plus I wish they would differentiate their product from Ryanair a bit more.

fits

fits wrote: »

Aer Lingus are pretty meh to be honest. It is nice to fly on an Irish airline sometimes but the lack of integration with other airlines is really annoying. I have to take 3 flights tomorrow. Two with finnair and one with Aer lingus. Because they are on a different system I will probably have to go out through security in Manchester to get my boarding card. I think my bag will be checked through but I might have to do that as well.

Hmmm, I thought the reason you have to leave and enter again is because of your final destination rather than the airline. I had to do the same in Manchester this year. I could have gotten that wrong though.

fits

^ Maybe it is partly. But if they were on same system at least I wouldn't have to queue for boarding card. Will see what happens tomorrow and report back.

ebbsy

Deleted User wrote: »

I have been flying around Europe every couple of weeks for some months now. I hate terminal 2 in Dublin Airport so will always opt to fly with an Airline going from T1.
I had the misfortune this week to fly Aer Lingus to Barcelona. It was truely awful. Long queues at check in as there was only 3 desks open and 1 luggage drop off desk for the likes of me who always uses mobile app check in. Staff were "Polite" but unfriendly. Couldn't bring hand luggage as well as a laptop bag so had to check in my cabin bag.
Seats are dire on planes, leg room is puny compared to every other airline I have flown.
What really amazes me is their prices are at best equal to the non low cost airlines and in many cases only 20 Euro cheaper.
Check in desk in Barcelona opened just 2hrs before the flight, have never seen that with another airline before.
When I fly to London I only will go on the British Airways flights as you at least get a cup of coffee, a snack and can take a cabin bag as well as the laptop bag and the staff are very friendly.
Am all for buying Irish but not when you get cr@p service.

You haven't tried Aeroflot yet then.

Dartz

Deleted User wrote: »

Hmmm, I thought the reason you have to leave and enter again is because of your final destination rather than the airline. I had to do the same in Manchester this year. I could have gotten that wrong though.

If you have to switch terminals, sometimes.

It's annoying.

But both Dulles and JFK have trains or this weird shuttle-container bus thing to carry people between terminals and boarding gates.

fits

fits wrote: »

^ Maybe it is partly. But if they were on same system at least I wouldn't have to queue for boarding card. Will see what happens tomorrow and report back.

I definitely didn't have to get a new boarding card. I got two at check in.

fits

^ This happened me before. Coming through Dusseldorf. The Aer Lingus and Finnair systems don't talk to each other. Finnair is a nice airline.

wretcheddomain

branie wrote: »

I flew with Aer Lingus to Portugal on a holiday in 2012 and on the flight home, one of the friendly stewardesses asked me if I had a nice holiday.

Who's to say she meant it? She's paid to say it after all. She's so sick of tourists coming in and out of those planes she can't wait to see the back of ye.

Teyla Emmagan

Very poor aer lingus flight there a couple of weeks ago. Not sure how much of it was their fault but there were big pain in the ass changes of gates at both departure and arrival so delays getting on and off the damn thing. And my blue leather seat nearly broke my back. The staff were great though, really really great. Polite, friendly and competant. It's that which makes them stand out for me, particularly over their less than half as professional nearest rivals.

yermandan

can't help but read the thread title in a Polish or Russian accent

kjl

OP is full of sh1t, if he really flys as much as he says then he would have a gold circle card and skips all the ques and picks his seat.

Aer Lingus are a fine airline and a lot better than British airways

clairefontaine

I love Aer Lingus.

Cienciano

Air Lingus is ok. It's grand, nothing special. Average.
Like this post

solerina

I currently hate Aer Lingus too...recently got a gift voucher (from well meaning, but ultimately stupid friends)....its for 500 euro and is in my name. However I rarely (if ever) fly aerlingus...as they don't tend to fly where I want to go, or if they do they are way more expensive than the alternatives. So now I am stuck trying to figure out how to use this voucher which expires in 10 months (oh yes, 1 year validity...another reason to hate them)..and your name must be on the ticket, my sister did spend enough on flights last week and we tried to use the voucher but as my name wasn't on the booking....no joy !!! Disaster..their voucher system needs to be more user friendly

fits

^Easy peasy! Go to New York.

griffdaddy

For Forks Sake wrote: »

You know you can walk from T2 to T1 once you're through security and back again if you really want to get a smoke in before your flight.

Also the length of the walk will negate the negative effects of your smoke, so it's win-win really

This is the best kept secret in Dublin airport for some reason. Even some of the bar workers in T2 don't seem to know. Also, I had an Irish breakfast on an aer lingus flight today, and it was surprisingly high quality.

BlaasForRafa

The OP is clearly either full of crap or working for Ryanair (or both). I've never had a problem with Aer Lingus, always had pleasant flights, nice staff and none of the passive aggressive hatred that you get from Ryanair staff.

Also T2 is light-years better than the absolute sh**hole that is T1.

branie

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

The OP is clearly either full of crap or working for Ryanair (or both). I've never had a problem with Aer Lingus, always had pleasant flights, nice staff and none of the passive aggressive hatred that you get from Ryanair staff.

Also T2 is light-years better than the absolute sh**hole that is T1.

Michael O'Leary has promised that staff will be nicer from now on.

Wanderer2010

I haven't really had a problem with them until recently where I was delayed on a flight to New York for THREE AND A HALF HOURS, something to do with it being too windy to board passengers, this despite passengers going to Boston and Chicago being boarded a half an hour previous! People were getting very cranky and it was quite annoying having to wait so long. Despite that, I always find their international service better than average- you get a free soft drink, your 3 course dinner, water, a light snack before landing and plenty of new movies and tv shows to keep you occupied. The staff can be a mixed bunch though- I haven't come across many rude ones but some of them openly bitch about fellow staff and passengers. I had some young woman chatting to her male co worker about a passenger who had asked her what "the menu" was for later. I quote "the menu?? What was she like, its only 2 options and she looked horrified, she isnt in a 5 star hotel", all within complete earshot of me as she was pouring me a drink....bit unprofessional!

FizzleSticks

This post has been deleted.

billie1b

BlaasForRafa wrote: »

The OP is clearly either full of crap or working for Ryanair (or both). I've never had a problem with Aer Lingus, always had pleasant flights, nice staff and none of the passive aggressive hatred that you get from Ryanair staff.

Also T2 is light-years better than the absolute sh**hole that is T1.

Why does he have to be full of crap? I've been on Aer Lingus fligus and Ryanair, they are both the same, on some Aer Lingus flights the staff were rude, arrogant and grunting at people and other flights were fine, same with Ryanair, most flights ok, some of them not. We all have our bad days

Wompa1

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

The staff can be a mixed bunch though- I haven't come across many rude ones but some of them openly bitch about fellow staff and passengers. I had some young woman chatting to her male co worker about a passenger who had asked her what "the menu" was for later. I quote "the menu?? What was she like, its only 2 options and she looked horrified, she isnt in a 5 star hotel", all within complete earshot of me as she was pouring me a drink....bit unprofessional!

Etihad do have a menu :-) But then as an airline they are the equivelant of a 5 Star Hotel...Aer Lingus would be a Travellodge

Wompa1

griffdaddy wrote: »

This is the best kept secret in Dublin airport for some reason. Even some of the bar workers in T2 don't seem to know. Also, I had an Irish breakfast on an aer lingus flight today, and it was surprisingly high quality.

I found that out the first time I went to Terminal 2. It had Terminal 2 on my booking, waited about 30 minutes in line for the bag drop. (the check-in line was shorter!!) then proceeded to walk for about 20-25 minutes to get to my gate which was in Terminal 1. Thought they had some balls to send ya all around the airport for the sake of the bag drop...but may have been due to it being so new.

Miss Lockhart

I've never had a bad experience with Aer Lingus and never had a good one with Ryanair.

I have found some AL Regional staff less professional however and I think it's something AL should address if they're going to keep increasing the amount of business they use them for.

hatchets mcgovern

Are lingus to New York was very pleasant. Great airline!

Sunnyisland

Frequent flyer here, Going to Faro last year and on two occasions I went by Aer lingus both times delayed by nearly an hour while at the same time(5 mins diff) Ryanair took of as scheduled to the very same Faro ?.

I do find Aerlingus has a better atmosphere ? But I don't have any problems with Ryanair at all.

smurfjed

Qantas never crashed.

Oh yes they have, google Qantas Bangkok and see if it shows up. They also had a very close call with an inflight explosion involving oxygen bottles.

Flew in here a couple of days ago on Turkish Airlines, wow, they were amazing, I'm actually looking forward to flying back with them on Saturday. New B737-800 with mood lighting, good legroom, excellent entertainment system, 2 meals services on a 4.5 hour flight, free drinks and a 30 KG baggage allowance with no limit on the number of bags. The flight was much better than my last trip on an Emirates B777 with 10 across seating.

Aer Lingus could learn a lot from Turkish.

Patrickheg

smurfjed wrote: »

Oh yes they have, google Qantas Bangkok and see if it shows up. They also had a very close call with an inflight explosion involving oxygen bottles.

Flew in here a couple of days ago on Turkish Airlines, wow, they were amazing, I'm actually looking forward to flying back with them on Saturday. New B737-800 with mood lighting, good legroom, excellent entertainment system, 2 meals services on a 4.5 hour flight, free drinks and a 30 KG baggage allowance with no limit on the number of bags. The flight was much better than my last trip on an Emirates B777 with 10 across seating.

Aer Lingus could learn a lot from Turkish.

Hear that a lot about Turkish. They aren't the most obvious airline when you think of connections to Australia Africa etc

Shenshen

All I can say is the OP apparently never flew with Lufthansa - leg room is however far you can press your knees into the seat in front, seats are about 5cm narrower than on Aer Lingus flights, personel are just about not outright rude when they throw you that half a breadroll that they call the "in flight meal", and they charge you upward of €200 for a half-hour in country flight in Germany.

Yes, Aer Lingus is no-frills. But they have the grace to make their prices no-frills as well, and I love them for that.

I see Aer Lingus are cancelling flights to Dublin this morning because of the weather. Ryanair seem to think it's fine and are landing flights in Dub.

Shenshen

Shenshen wrote: »

All I can say is the OP apparently never flew with Lufthansa - leg room is however far you can press your knees into the seat in front, seats are about 5cm narrower than on Aer Lingus flights, personel are just about not outright rude when they throw you that half a breadroll that they call the "in flight meal", and they charge you upward of €200 for a half-hour in country flight in Germany.

Yes, Aer Lingus is no-frills. But they have the grace to make their prices no-frills as well, and I love them for that.

Flown 12 flight segments with Lufthansa since July. Width of seat not an issue for me but leg room is and Lufthansa leg room is fine.
In my experience the staff have always been pleasant and I can have a couple of cups of coffee and or a glass of wine without forking out any extra cash.
Never flown in country with Lufthansa, all my flights were inter country, mostly Dublin to Sofia.

Shenshen

Deleted User wrote: »

Flown 12 flight segments with Lufthansa since July. Width of seat not an issue for me but leg room is and Lufthansa leg room is fine.
In my experience the staff have always been pleasant and I can have a couple of cups of coffee and or a glass of wine without forking out any extra cash.

Nope, sure that's easily covered by the €100+ you're paying extra for the flight compared to Aer Lingus.

I'm a reasonably short person (163cm) and I find Lufthansa's legroom to be laughable. And that's when the seat width becomes an issue for me, if I can't turn myself to sit at a 45 degree angle to fit my legs.

Miss Lockhart

Deleted User wrote: »

I see Aer Lingus are cancelling flights to Dublin this morning because of the weather. Ryanair seem to think it's fine and are landing flights in Dub.

Perhaps it's the ATR prop planes AL use on many UK flights.

GTE

Deleted User wrote: »

I see Aer Lingus are cancelling flights to Dublin this morning because of the weather. Ryanair seem to think it's fine and are landing flights in Dub.

Rather than the airline "seeming to think" it is okay or not to land, it is down to the published limits of the airplane which is dictated by the manufacturer being enforced.

The Airbus and Boeing planes they use do have slightly different limits in windy conditions however as another user rightly posts, the Aer Lingus regional fleet is made up of much smaller planes which would be the first to be cancelled in windy conditions, regardless of the airline.

Aidric

Nowhere close to being the worst airline. I fly frequently and apart from a couple of short delays never had a bad experience with Aer Lingus. Their staff are amongst the friendliest I have dealt with.

ProfessorPlum

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I see Aer Lingus are cancelling flights to Dublin this morning because of the weather. Ryanair seem to think it's fine and are landing flights in Dub.

And Irish Ferries cancelled their Swift sailings, ESB stopping supplying electricity to thousands of houses and even Irish Rail have cancelled or delayed many if their services. What cheek!
(And it appears the OP may have a lite bee in his bonnet, but that has nothing to do with the weather)

Skylinehead

Neither Ryanair nor Aer Lingus are anywhere near the worst airline.

3pigs

it,s a 100 times better than con air [ ryan air ]

Skylinehead

3pigs wrote: »

it,s a 100 times better than con air [ ryan air ]

Bet it took you all Christmas to come up with that riveting pun.

The_Valeyard

T2 is like the opening scene from 28 Days Later, deserted with one of two zombies around.

Anyhow, Aer Lingus is not that bad, I have had far worse experiences on Ryanair & Easyjet.

3pigs

Skylinehead wrote: »

Bet it took you all Christmas to come up with that riveting pun.

yea forest

solerina

solerina wrote: »

I currently hate Aer Lingus too...recently got a gift voucher (from well meaning, but ultimately stupid friends)....its for 500 euro and is in my name. However I rarely (if ever) fly aerlingus...as they don't tend to fly where I want to go, or if they do they are way more expensive than the alternatives. So now I am stuck trying to figure out how to use this voucher which expires in 10 months (oh yes, 1 year validity...another reason to hate them)..and your name must be on the ticket, my sister did spend enough on flights last week and we tried to use the voucher but as my name wasn't on the booking....no joy !!! Disaster..their voucher system needs to be more user friendly

You got a gift of a flight up to 500 euro and you can't figure how to spend it? And you're calling your friends stupid for getting it for you?

Life really isn't fair.

Ruu

Last time I flew with AL was the strike action and another cabin crew had to be brought in to help us after sitting on the tarmac for about an hour, there is always a threat of strike action so that put me off flying with them. I shouldn't have to worry all the time when booking a trip home. They are not the worst though.

Go with Delta all the time now, prefer the route and can fly to an aiport closer to home other than that the shitehole ORD.

Nonoperational

3pigs wrote: »

it,s a 100 times better than con air [ ryan air ]

You pay your money, get on the plane and arrive at your destination. How is that a con?

billie1b

Nonoperational wrote: »

You pay your money, get on the plane and arrive at your destination. How is that a con?

This is exactly it, any flight i'm on I board, sit down, put on my iPhone (either a film or music), if i'm in the mood i'll get a coffee, sit back and relax, disembark and do what I have to do at my destination, I dont get what people expect on a flight or what they want.

[-0-]

Aer Lingus are actually my favourite airline. I fly with them every time I'm going to America. Loads of room, great service, great food. Most importantly, the planes are really well looked after. You can barely feel the plane take off and land.

fg1406

Other than the awful experiences of passengers stranded in Dub yesterday. I've always had a great time flying Aer Lingus. I'll always choose them when going to America. I've tried some of the other transatlantic operators and I always return to Aer Lingus. I do most of my flying around Europe, and I'll always try Aer Lingus first. I've yet to fly with Michael o'Learys new lovey dovey brand of Ryanair. Maybe they'll surprise me.

[-0-]

[-0-] wrote: »

Aer Lingus are actually my favourite airline. I fly with them every time I'm going to America. Loads of room, great service, great food. Most importantly, the planes are really well looked after. You can barely feel the plane take off and land.

British airways give you a toothbrush though. Hmmm

Nah I quite liked flying with AL to NY

Wompa1

billie1b wrote: »

This is exactly it, any flight i'm on I board, sit down, put on my iPhone (either a film or music), if i'm in the mood i'll get a coffee, sit back and relax, disembark and do what I have to do at my destination, I dont get what people expect on a flight or what they want.

It's still a service. So I would imagine you'd at least expect good customer service. Also, if you use your iPhone for the entire trip, you must not be flying very far. Anybody notice how Aer Lingus now hustle the sh!t out of passengers. There's announcements and offers all throughout the flights, at least on trans Atlantic