Aer Lingus exit seats, aircraft change

ssmith6287

Firstly this isn't a complaint about Aer Lingus, I couldn't recommend them higher. I'm just wondering if anyone has had the same situation.

I'm just home from a week in Lanzarote, flew Aer Lingus, flight was great, on time, bags got there etc etc. I booked this back in November where the plane in use was an A320, As far as i remember I paid extra to have the seats behind the exit seats (I hate when people lean back). The plane we actually flew on was an A319, so the seating was different. Unfortunately it doesnt say on my boarding pass that the seats were extra or special. But looking at seat guru, row 14 is behind the exit row on A320 but about 4 rows behind on the A319.

Now the guy infront of me didnt lean back and there was plenty of room, but I have a feeling I paid and extra 30 or 40 quid x2 each way.

question 1. How honest would Aer Lingus be if I query this
question 2. Is there any point? I fly enough with them that I don't need my money back but it'd be nice to even get credit to use on my next flight

Joseph

It sounds like you're a frequent flier, making it more likely they'll do something for you just to appease you. Worth a shot I think!

ssmith6287

Im not a frequent flyer, well I am, but Im not like a member or anything like that

Joseph

Well it would be worth signing up to their FF programme then ;-) Although I think it is changing at the moment..

dudara

If you paid extra for "special" seats, it will be listed on your booking email. If you didn't get those seats (due to the plane change) then I'd be in touch to ask for a refund.

Arbie

This happened to me. I paid extra for particular seats and was moved by an attendant just before take off. I emailed them and they refunded promptly.

ssmith6287

I emailed them this evening. Like I cant complain about the service at all so I didnt want to come across as confrontational

My boarding passes are what comes up on the booking itinerary, no invoice price breakdown unfortuneately. I would prefare if I'm wrong being honest but I know I always pay the few extra euro for the bit of comfort, can't see why I didn't here, plus the fact I had 20kg bag allowance, Im near certain I only took bags so I could book the seats

ChampagnePop

Look for your booking reference confirmation email, it will be at the bottom of that

highlydebased

Moot point really but Aer Lingus no longer operate any A319's.

From what you describe it was meant to be an A321 with the further back exit row and you ended up on an A320.

Diemos

Rock and a hard place. Technically you booked a standard seat and got a standard seat.

It has happened to me before, never crossed my mind to complain.

I was on a flight to Toronto from Dublin once where a Canadian lady arrived late for her flight and discovered her seat in first class had been double booked and the other person was already sitting in it, so she was moved to cattle class. She spent the entire flight alternating between giving out to the attendants and complaining to me. Seriously I should have been bloody refunded, miserable flight.

ssmith6287

highlydebased wrote: »

Moot point really but Aer Lingus no longer operate any A319's.

From what you describe it was meant to be an A321 with the further back exit row and you ended up on an A320.

It could be the case, being honest ive never been on this particular type of aer lingus plane before. The stewarts sit facing you in the exit aisle. Could quite possibly mixed up aircraft names. Row 14 is what I booked which is directly behind the exit seats, turned out the exit seats were row 10. I just went off seat guru and tried guessed which palnes were which. A320 being the most common 1 I think that they use, I guessed this wasn't the type I flew on

L1011

ssmith6287 wrote: »

It could be the case, being honest ive never been on this particular type of aer lingus plane before. The stewarts sit facing you in the exit aisle. Could quite possibly mixed up aircraft names. Row 14 is what I booked which is directly behind the exit seats, turned out the exit seats were row 10. I just went off seat guru and tried guessed which palnes were which. A320 being the most common 1 I think that they use, I guessed this wasn't the type I flew on

That's an A321 then, you would have originally been on an A320.

TheDriver

You still booked and paid for specific seats and didn't get them, so ask for refund. Otherwise you would have just changed your arm like rest of us when booking opens

seagull

I know they charge extra for the exit row, but why would they charge extra for the row behind that? It's not like you have any extra leg room in that row.

ssmith6287

Most Airlines do because the person infront cant recline back on you. Like I said I could be wrong, I'm waiting on a reply to an email

rubadub

Diemos wrote: »

Technically you booked a standard seat and got a standard seat.

thats what it sounds like to me.

ssmith6287 wrote: »

I paid extra to have the seats behind the exit seats (I hate when people lean back).

Were they described like that? I am guessing it just had seat numbers.

Still worth a try complaining though.

seagull

ssmith6287 wrote: »

Most Airlines do because the person infront cant recline back on you. Like I said I could be wrong, I'm waiting on a reply to an email

The seats in the exit row can still recline.

L1011

seagull wrote: »

The seats in the exit row can still recline.

Only the second overwing exit row, in the case of an A320 which is what they would have been booking on (the first overwing can't). However, this was behind the second.

I don't want to check in for a flight I have in a few weeks to check but I don't think Aer Lingus charge anything more to select a row behind the last exit row than they do for any other "normal" seat.

ssmith6287

Got an email back from Aer Lingus and mind has been put at ease. I had paid for the luggage and seat selection, but there was no extra charge on the seats I chose. Problem solved, excellent customer service as always from Aer Lingus

P. Breathnach

I'd quibble with the AL response. You paid for seat selection because you wanted a particular type of seat, and you didn't get what you expected. You don't have to pay for seat selection if you are prepared to wait until you are checking in and take whatever is available at the time.

sunny2004

P. Breathnach wrote: »

I'd quibble with the AL response. You paid for seat selection because you wanted a particular type of seat, and you didn't get what you expected. You don't have to pay for seat selection if you are prepared to wait until you are checking in and take whatever is available at the time.

that's not what happened, his selected seat was complimentary .. Part of the price.

Spanish Eyes

Sorry, I have no advice for OP.

But.... am I missing something? If OP doesn't like when people lean back, how would it help to get a seat in the row behind the exit row? Do exit row seats not recline? Doesn't say so on seat guru.

I am sure I have missed something very obvious but I had to ask!

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Aer_Lingus/Aer_Lingus_Airbus_A320.php

ssmith6287

Pretty much any plane ive been on the emergency exit seats are rigid. May not apply to all planes but the ones ive been on it has been the case. Listen case is closed now. Cheers for the interest

loopymum

I was on an Aerlingus flight to Barcelona recently and the exit row seats in the middle definitley reclined, the fecker in front of me reclined his seat on me.

rubadub

seems my dragons den idea is already out.





http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-2736320/Legroom-rage-Why-gadget-stops-plane-seats-tilting-starting-fights-airliners.html

Legroom rage: Why a gadget that stops plane seats tilting back is starting fights on airliners
The £13 gadget is described by its maker as 'devious as it is ingenious'
The Knee Defender was invented by 6'4 inch Ira Goldman in Washington
A United Airlines flight had to divert this week because of a mid-air row
A man and a woman started shouting over the use of the plastic gadget

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

sunny2004

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

can see in the photo, they wedge the seat against the table arm which is separate.. preventing the seat from moving backwards.

ssmith6287

Take my money .... please take it all

L1011

I would see that being removed, rather rapidly, by cabin crew.

BeardySi

L1011 wrote: »

I would see that being removed, rather rapidly, by cabin crew.

I seem to recall they've been the cause of a number of air rage incidents in the States and some airlines have banned their use.

loopymum

oooh, I'd like knee defenders