Aerlingus AerClub/Avios

Board Walker

Wel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118828225#Comment_118828225

Well if you leave her outside she cant come in to prove you left her! :D

artanevilla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118828225#Comment_118828225

If it's open!

Was on an EI flight last week and T2 was deserted, all shops closed, fast track closed (I was only one going through security anyway) and lounge closed. Although in fairness it was the last flight out of T2 by about 2 hours and there were 50 odd on the flight. Still be nice to get the benefits though.

On another note did anyone get their 2022 card/tags yet? Mines out since December, still on the same tier but no new tags.

goingnowhere

Lounge hours should be same as normal, 0415-2100

It certainly opens at 0415 as normal last few times I've been in at 5am, plenty got in ahead of me.

DAA are behind the curve on staffing and fast track in T2 is only open from 5am until 2pm (except Fri Sun when its 10am, logic 🤷)

We are in/about to hit a close contact nightmare so staffing will be a challenge as it will be hard to find anyone who isn't a close contact of a confirmed case as numbers take off again.

Rowley Birkin QC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118829812#Comment_118829812

As far as I know they've done away with the tags.

I went through T2 lately too and it was totally deserted, fastpass closed. This was a midday flight too. Lounge was open and well stocked albeit with a very limited selection of food and some very meh looking soup.

SeeMoreBut

Is the lounge open in t2. Flying to Heathrow and with all this security madness I might use it as god knows how much time I’ll have after security even with fast track

Pete123456

It is but I was in there last week on Monday morning and it was poor - not many pastries, tables weren’t cleared, toilet overflowing - I def wouldn’t pay for it! Flight took off from the 300 gates also so T1 lounge would have been handier

SeeMoreBut

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118848937#Comment_118848937

Thanks. Have access due to status

BigMoose

The T2 Fast Track times are really annoying as I've done a few DUB-BOS trips leaving Sunday afternoon. On the lounge front, the only one I've found closed was in AMS returning on the evening flight. I know that's not an EI run lounge, but was still pretty annoyed to find it closed.

luckycat007

With the announcement recently that FastTrack tickets are no longer being sold, is Fast Track available at all for AerClub members (closed for everyone)?

Either way - does anyone know if Silver membership allows +1 through Fast Track (companion)?

goingnowhere

Opens 5am on T2 closes 10am somedays. Should be business as usual only change is you cannot go online and purchase access anymore via DAA.

Curious thing is the distance from centre of T2 retail to gate 304/5 is exactly the same as the walk to 426, so is actually shorter from the lounge to get to 304/5 than 426.

DAA lounge in T2 is still closed

T1 security consistently takes longer than T2 so what you gain you lose somewhere else. And you need some insider knowledge to know the gate in advance.

I get the joy of 335 tomorrow 😫 but neither EI or DAA will tell you that today so you can't plan ahead. Hope it will change, as anything is better than 335.

samo

I went through Fast track with platinum status + companion at 5.15am on Thursday 31st. No issue - to be fair through in 15 mins and would have been quicker except for the 2 guys in front that felt the need to wear 3 jackets (seriously!!), belts and every gadget known to exist, plus the hen party with an entire Boots worth of liquids. So 15 mins was very quick.. massive queues for butler’s and all the coffee shops inside T2.

SB Morer

I see SuperValu and Aer Club are parting ways. That’s a right pain in the posterior. I’ve earned a lot of Avios via SV over the years.

Van.Bosch

Hopefully SV are being replaced by someone else in the retail world!

franklyon

Would be nice but dont see that happening. That was the only reason I did any shopping at all in Super Valu

podgeandrodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118864424#Comment_118864424

Was wondering that too. Bizarre that T2 Fast Track closes at 10am at the weekend, when they have afternoon flights to the US!!

goingnowhere

To staff fast track requires 1 person at the boarding card + fast track ticket/status check as if there is no fast track passenger those in the regular queue are sent that way.

You don't need security clearance to do that job

Noxegon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118892403#Comment_118892403

Parents flew to the US last week on an afternoon flight and were ejected from 51st and Green at 2:45pm sharp - almost an hour before boarding started.

thebiglad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118902425#Comment_118902425

Yes, must be an Aer Lingus ticket although I have managed to get into the Dublin lounge flying on a BA booking where the plane was EI.

BigMoose

I have also used EI lounges flying on BA tickets - they seem OK with an EI boarding card and Aerclub virtual card as long as the plane you're about to use is an EI one.

Rowley Birkin QC

Anyone know if Platinum gives access to fast track at Nice airport for me +1?

I'm flying Aer Lingus.

Cheers

goingnowhere

nope

goingnowhere

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118909826#Comment_118909826

Flying on EI metal, no matter who sold the ticket if you have the card you are in (except SFO where you must be platinum). I've got in a UA and KL tickets

Flying on DUB/ORK/SNN-LHR/LGW on a BA125 ticket + BA status -> access in DUB/ORK/SNN/LHR not LGW

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118825818#Comment_118825818

I've brought people through with me in Silver, Platinum & Concierge.... was never an issue.

crisco10

Remind me, almost back to Silver status post covid. What happens at the end of the membership year, do I drop back to Green and have to start again?

AndyBoBandy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118910049#Comment_118910049

I'd imagine so....

I've taken 1 AL flight in the last 3-4 years or so and am somehow still a Silver member!!!

crisco10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118910077#Comment_118910077

Yeah from memory it takes a while to slide down the tiers. I was platinum back in 2017/2018, but then started routing through BA flights where possible because it was better to chase status on BA due to change in my travel destinations (I was also getting frustrated at how useless AerClub was). I think I only lost status entirely back in November, but I'm not sure, I stopped checking for obvious reasons.

ButtersSuki

I went from platinum in March 2020 (when I last flew with Aer Lingus) to out completely last month. Couldn’t care anymore tbh. The service was appalling, and the amount of time I spent chasing points with the customer service team or online just wasn’t worth it in the end. Flying with them later this year to the states on holiday but can’t see myself going out of my way to stay loyal to them in future haven’t got burned with their last 2 loyalty programmes

BigMoose

I've been debating switching loyalty to BA as my current job lets me fly BA premium economy but since I mostly do DUB-BOS the extra time and hassle of LHR just isn't worth it. Really wish AerClub would be a proper part of Oneworld then it wouldn't matter which I used. Is the BA program much better? I'm about 30 points off silver with BA, but more likely to make platinum AerClub than keeping going with BA to gold.

cson

OneWorld Sapphire is pretty sweet.

You'll get to pick seats they usually charge for, which on AA includes Main Cabin Extra which comes with comp beer/wine/liquor, you get your baggage allowance of 2 x 50lbs (which can defeat basic economy restrictions on some carriers like AA, however BA's hand baggage only fare rules prevail for them) and imo the best benefit is AA Flagship lounges, having LHR's BA lounges is handy too (although they are an absolute f**king zoo based on my last couple of visits).

BigMoose

True re seat selection, EI are tight for charging status holders for seats. I agree re the BA lounges in LHR being like zoos, I've been in both the business and first recently with colleagues and both were crazy busy. The BA lounge in BOS is quite nice, much nicer than the one EI use at any rate. But still not worth the hassle of going via LHR. I can drink enough wine to stagger onto the plane and attempt to fall asleep in either :)