Aer Lingus new bag policy.

irelandjnr · 01-10-2023 7:43pm #1

Aer Lingus now charge for the overhead baggage storage, so I agreed instead to check in my bag prior to the flight at the Aer Lingus desk.

Just a few questions about it:

Can I still bring onto the plane a small backpack bag to put under the seat in front of me, in addition to my DSLR camera bag?
Can I or should I still check myself in online prior to coming to the airport, even if I intended checking in a bag at the desk?
What if I found a way to pack so light that a small light backpack was all I needed to bring with me. In that case can I bring that on board and put it under the seat in front of me in addition to my DSLR camera bag around my neck?

chrisire · 01-10-2023 7:48pm

I Flew with them last week and had a backpack on my back and i small shoulder bag and it wasn't a problem,check in online as you can go to one of the many self service machines to print your luggage tags for your 10kg bag and then just drop them off.

Tenger · 04-10-2023 3:16pm

How do they charge for the overhead lockers?

They encourage you to place small personal items under the seat in front. That's been the way for years.

Allinall · 04-10-2023 3:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121193875#Comment_121193875

They've gone the same way as Ryanair.

If you want to bring your 10kg wheely case on the plane, then you pay extra for it.

I think it speeds up the turn around process, so they might squeeze an extra flight out of the plane.

Tenger · 04-10-2023 3:21pm

So they aren't actually "charging for the overhead lockers".

The OP made it sound like Spirit, where only bags tagged for the lockers are allowed in the lockers.

They are charging to bring an additional bag onboard.

They also offer a free 10kg checkin option.

Calahonda52 · 04-10-2023 3:23pm

Not just new carryon bags bags, but all carryon bags

all here

https://www.aerlingus.com/prepare/bags/carry-on-baggage/index.html

goingnowhere · 04-10-2023 3:51pm

Its easily avoided as there is a mountain of exceptions

Connecting flights
Tickets sold by other airlines
Any level of Aer Club status
Adult accompanying an infant
Plus, Advantage, AerSpace fares
Aer Credit Card holders

Locker10a · 04-10-2023 5:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121194028#Comment_121194028

Yea, and this is why certain flights (LHR) still have delays closing the aircraft doors on time due to to many cases being brought onboard.

It’s back to the bad old days of boarding chaos and tagging bags at the gate on lots of LHR flights

kevinandrew · 04-10-2023 5:13pm

While it is a yet another additional charge/fee, Aer Lingus have differentiated themselves by offering the free check in option. On Ryanair there’s no way around it, if you want to bring anything more than a backpack, you’re going to pay for it one way or the other so I personally I think it’s one of the few improvements Aer Lingus have actually made in recent years. Probably not an intentional one though!

It’s much nicer dropping your bag at the desk instead of dragging it through security, duty free, to the gate and on board. You can still bring a backpack as well so you’re getting a decent bag allowance even on the lowest of fares.

Obvious downside is waiting for it at the baggage belts on arrival but it’s never been more than a few minutes for me so definitely worth the hassle free airport experience.

Marcusm · 04-10-2023 10:14pm

Neither airline is covering themselves in glory as they rarely enforce it. I’ve been asked on Ryanair to move my overhead bay despite paying to get on early and place it overhead. Last week on Aer Lingus, row 1 passengers (ie AerSpace) were told to put their bags under their seats in contravention of airline rules as they had not kept the dedicated overhead lockers free. In both cases it led to delays in departing. Not significant delays but ones which a decent boarding process would have eliminated. The number of people boarding with 3 bags was hilarious (not airport shopping). I’m down to flying maybe 25-30 sectors a year (much less than previously) but it’s definitely getting more lax. Fine when it works, a nightmare when it doesn’t.

Noxegon · 05-10-2023 8:44am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121194345#Comment_121194345

Not sure I agree with that. Last time I used Aer Lingus there was a lengthy bag drop queue at Dublin stretching most of the way across terminal two, and then I got to wait a further 45 minutes on arrival for my bag to turn up.

To each their own.

Dublinflyer · 05-10-2023 10:28am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121195538#Comment_121195538

I have seen more than a few animanted conversations around the so called Dedicated AerSpace overheads. It's poorly enforced and several times it turned out to be crew bags up there. I don't really see the point myself in the extra cost for AerSpace on short flights but it I did pay several hundred euro and there was not space for my bags overhead I would not be happy.

irelandjnr · 05-10-2023 2:28pm

They are charging to put the bag overhead because the only bags you’re putting up there are ones that are too big to go on under the seat in front of you. The bag under the seat is called “personal items” and is limited to 40x20x30 cm (which is much smaller than it may sound; essentially it’s for a handbag or laptop bag).

irelandjnr · 05-10-2023 2:31pm

You’re not putting a handbag up there. Your putting a small suitcase up there and if you want to you must now starting recently pay for the privilege during your ticket purchase. How they enforce it is another matter.

irelandjnr · 05-10-2023 2:37pm

Yes Aer Lingus specifically has a free 10Kg small suitcase check-in which you can avail of prior to going through security area. In most airports this is on the ground floor. Ryainair have no free option now as far as I can tell, other than your tiny personal items—and even if they did I refuse to travel with this company. Vueling Airlines has a check-in bag option for €63 and overhead luggage bag fee of €48—the robbing bastards.

irelandjnr · 05-10-2023 2:40pm

Thanks for the info. God, I hate airport travel.

Tenger · 05-10-2023 4:23pm

One thing to remember about Aer Lingus, is that while every aircraft has the "Aerspace" lockers, not every route has Aerspace as an option. So crew probably wont keep them free unless they have Aerspace passengers.

I usually see the crew bags around row 4-5.

suvigirl · 05-10-2023 4:32pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121197698#Comment_121197698

It's not that small at all. I can go away for 5 days with a free bag easily. And I'm female.

tinytobe · 05-10-2023 4:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121197786#Comment_121197786

Flying hasn't gotten better, nor cheaper.

Airlines have understood that with baggage they can squeeze the passenger further, same as with seat reservations.

The question is, is British Airways and other carriers going to follow?

And I always thought that the cabin allowance was 50 x 40 x 25 and below 8 kg. It should be universal, for all airlines, but sadly it is not.

German Lufthansa does only require the cabin baggage to go into the cargo hold, if it's a very small airplane.

Strumms · 05-10-2023 4:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121197786#Comment_121197786

It’s just become such a gigantic pain in the hole. Evidently Aer Lingus are trying to outdo a certain other low cost airline now… low cost and max inconvenience….

the enforcement sounds impossible. Cabin crew have enough to be doing, it’s going to create conflict and bad feeling…

irelandjnr · 05-10-2023 6:19pm

In terms of bringing luggage onto the plane:

55x40x20 cm is the size limit on a small suitcase which can weigh up to 10 Kg and goes up over your head in the luggage compartment—which now costs money. The under-seat size limit for what airlines call personal items is a bag size of 40x30x20 cm—a smaller size backpack is this size; a normal size backpack is larger. If the employee deems either bag to be too large they can cause you to incur a hefty fee. I don’t always play by the rules, but I will this time.

irelandjnr · 05-10-2023 6:29pm

I’m bringing my laptop, my DSLR camera with two lenses, my large headphones, a notebook and small pencil case, my few toiletries, and my clothes and passport and chargers and travel adapter.

If we assume the size of the under-seat bag rule is strict then I personally need a larger bag. A small personal bag isn’t enough. Which is why I’m bringing a small suitcase with my stuff in it and a personal bag for my laptop and headphones and notepad. I want to travel with comfort and not have things hanging off me or having to carry them.

This is why I will use my personal backpack bag for my plane stuff and for walking through airports and as a small beach bag, and my small suitcase will carry everything else I don’t need access to on plane or train.

irelandjnr · 05-10-2023 6:35pm

You’re probably right. I personally just didn’t want the hassle though and opted to check-in my small suitcase for free.

donkey balls · 06-10-2023 8:25pm

When we normally fly to the Canaries twice a year on the way out we just check in the cabin bags at T2, As they come off fairly quick at ACE, But on the way back we pay to bring them on board as the check-in desk at the airport doesn't open for ages and the queue does be unreal.

Ro-76 · 08-10-2023 12:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121194028#Comment_121194028

How can you avoid the restrictions with an AerLingus Credit card or Aerclub? thanks

xper · 08-10-2023 12:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121203129#Comment_121203129

This is a problem with the Aer Lingus approach - the free bag drop works fine and takes a no time on the way out as they are all geared up at Dublin with online checkin and the self-service kiosks but it seems to be totally unpredictable how much time and effort it will require on the return trip and whether the airport/handler is actually set up for it properly.

On my last return flight with Aer Lingus from Europe, Iberia were handling the checkin and there was a single line for all non-business class passengers, queue was fifty people long when check in opened. Most ahead seemed to have multiple full size hold luggage to check in so it took over an hour to get to the front. When I did and said I had already checked in online and was just dropping off my 10Kg bag (I had a small backpack too), the attendant didnt seem to know what I was talking about and asked 'Is that all you have? You can bring that on board, do you still want me to check it in?'

Then there's the irritating difference in allowed dimensions for your under-the-seat item between Aer Lingus and Ryanair. I have a CabinMax backpack that is the exact size limit for Ryanair, 40cm x 25cm x 20cm. Of course, Aer Lingus says their limit is 33cm x 25cm x 20cm. The bag fits just fine under the A320 seats and I don't expect an attendant to ever take issue with it at the gate but its annoying that the industry can't reach an agreement on standards for this stuff - there are lots of slight variations in dimensions and weight across European airlines even though they're mostly flying a small handful of the same aircraft models these days (regional stuff excepted).

Aer Lingus new bag policy.

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