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Aerlingus

Types of Travelers

Business Travlers

3/5

Good service to Ireland of UK and East Coast of the US.

Family Traveler

4/5

family-friendly airline

Backpacker
Adventure Traveler

3/5

Few adventure destinations, but does have cheap fares

Student
Budget Traveler

4/5

Competitive rates throughout its selection of routes

Elderly
Disabled Traveler

3/5

Standard accessibility

Long Term Traveler

3/5

Fairly good reach to US East Coast and U.K./Ireland

Novice Traveler

3/5

Reasonably user-friendly airline.

Introduction

Aer Lingus is Ireland’s national carrier.  It began in the 1930s, first serving as a regional carrier.  It launched trans-Atlantic service in the late 1950s and increased that service when it converted its fleet to jets during the ‘60s.  It grew during the following decades, expanding service and updating its fleet.  Despite financial troubles and a take-over bid by Ryanair, the airline’s main competition, Aer Lingus still remains the most recognizable and popular Irish airline.

It has recently decided to drop its fares and the level of service in order to compete with Europe’s low cost carriers.  Aer Lingus actually dropped out of the OneWorld alliance and formed a partnership with JetBlue.


Ratings

Important Factors 3/5

Average Delay

80%

Cancelled Flights
(average per month)

>1%

Customer Satisfaction Rating

Skytrax 3 star airline (out of 5)

Types of Aircraft

Airbus A320, A321, A330 (A350 on order)

General 4/5

Number of Domestic Flights (Daily)

73

Number of International Flights (Daily)

Europe and North America

Size of Fleet

44

Major Airports and Destinations Served

Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Hamburg, Shannon, Cork. Milan, Rome, many destinations in the UK and Spain

Location of Hub

Dublin, Shannon, Cork

Countries Served

Most of Europe, US and Canada, and Morocco.

Number of Routes

n/a

Most Popular Routes

Dublin to London, Dublin to Amsterdam, London to Shannon, Amsterdam to Cork

In-Flight 3/5

Which Routes offer Meal Service?

For purchase on European routes, complimentary on long-haul routes.

Food Quality

Fair

In-flight Menu

Irish, English food

Average Leg Room

29-32 inches

Types of In-flight Entertainment

Movies, in-flight magazines

Baggage 3/5

Baggage Fees

1 bag free, $50 for additional bag

Number of Bags Allowed

1 bag free

Weight Limits and Restrictions

50 lbs

Web Site 4/5

Online Check-in

Yes

Web Site Usability

4/5

Special Needs 2/5

Handicap Accessibility

Standard accessibility

Pets

On US to Ireland flights only.

Special Offers /Partners /5

Airline Alliance Membership

None, former member of One World

Hotel Partners

n/a

Competing Airlines

Ryanair, Virgin Atlantic

Strengths
  • Great reach in Ireland, the UK and Western Europe
  • Good trans-Atlantic service
  • New lower fares
  • Partner with JetBlue

Weaknesses
  • Financial troubles
  • No airline alliance
  • Despite low-cost re0invention, flights and connections are often cheaper on competing airlines.

Frequent Flier Program and Airport Lounges

The Lingus loyalty program is known as the Gold Circle Club. Users can earn miles on Aer Lingus flights and also earn miles when they fly on other airlines that have an agreement with Aer Lingus to share miles: British Airways, Qantas and United Airlines. Miles can also be earned on JetBlue connecting flights that feed the airline’s transatlantic routes. Lounge access is possible at Gold

Conclusion

Aer Lingus is the obvious choice for people heading to Ireland from the US and UK. It also offers great connecting service to the UK and to vacation destinations in Spain. Despite this, Aer Lingus has developed a poor image, both when it comes to customer service and when it comes to its business model. Its transformation into a low-cost-carrier has not been without controversy, but it appears to have emerged as a leaner, more efficient airline. Passengers will have to wait until the future to see if Aer Lingus can offer cheap fares and provide better service compared to fellow Irish airline Ryanair.