Ecomomy Seats to LAX from Dublin

Lifes_a_Witch

Hi all.

Just a quickie.

Have ot fly to LA in a couple of weeks (work not pleasure) and was thinking of going Economy. The plane is an AIRBUS INDUSTRIE A330-200 and I was wondering if anybody knows how Ecomony it is!

Thanks

LAW

Time Magazine

Flew this flight a little while ago. Aer Lingus have two types of plane that go on that sort of journey; 7 of the older ones and 2 of the newer ones. The newer ones, which I have a strong suspicion you'll be on, is fecking class. It beat my LAX-Dublin on United's Economy Plus option hands down.

BuffyBot

I'm assuming your flying Aer Lingus?

If so then it's going to be pretty average. The seats won't be the worst, with average width and space between it and the one in front. The food will be pretty inoffensive/offensive depending on your POV. Alcohol will have to be paid for, soft drinks are free and the IFE should be ok (LA normally gets the plane with individual screens in the back of the seats - if you're lucky it might be switched with the brand new aircraft with on-demand entertainment..if you're lucky).

Economy is...well, economy.

Time Magazine

Also you might want to ask one of the mods to fire this over to the Aviation and Aircraft forum, they're a pile of geeks that know a helluva lot more than me .

Time Magazine

BuffyBot wrote:

if you're lucky it might be switched with the brand new aircraft with on-demand entertainment..if you're lucky

From what I can see, but I know f*ck all about planes, the lovely new ones are the A330-200s.

Lifes_a_Witch

Hey folks. Thanks for the quick turnaround on that. Yes, forgot to say Aer Lingus. Doesn't sound as bad as I expected (ryanair Dublin to Aya Nappa esque nightmares)

BuffyBot

Nope, one of the older ones is a -200 also

5starpool

I was on one of the older ones a couple of months back and it was a painful flight over. There were no seat back screens and people kept getting in the way of the big screens which were terrible quality anyways. On the way back though it was one of the new planes and it was fantastic, on a par with the Virgin Atlantic experience I have to say, pausable interactive entertainment.

rossie1977

flew this route in February from Dublin to LAX. Aer lingus still have the old planes running this route. Its like everyone has said, economy is economy so don't expect much.

Flew DUB-LAX return in March with Aer Lingus, both flights were on the newer aircraft with individual TVs in the seatback.

Was pleasantly surprised at the relative comfort.
I've been out and back to Australia a few times on various airlines and that Aer Lingus experience was as good as my last long-haul Singapore Airlines flight (apart from having to buy alcohol)

WexCan

Aer Lingus can be quite painful in economy compared to other carriers. If I was still living in Dublin, and given the choice, I'd connect at Heathrow to a Virgin Atlantic flight. Much better facilities on board, only downside is price.

Aer Lingus, in fairness to them, offer some quite low prices on long haul. So much so that some Londoners even route through Dublin to take advantage. And of course they've got the US-Ireland market sewn up in a way. What green-blooded yank would dream of connecting in London when they can start their "Irish experience" with Aer Lingus. Soft spot moment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_i3iX6ozvI

I digress, however. As mentioned above expect average service, below standard entertainment (unless you're on one of the newer aircraft, namely EI-DAA if you can spot the reg, which has on-demand IFE), and a reasonably comfortable seat - again depending on the aircraft.

I know a few Aer Lingus crew, and they're a mixed bunch. Some are the typical Irish flight attendant - warm, friendly, couldn't do enough for you. Others will hide in the galley all the way from Dublin to LAX and make you feel like an idiot for interrupting the gossip. Though the same can be said for many airlines.

FlutterinBantam

An A330-200 is not neccessarily a "new "plane"
Of the type of A330 EI fly it has a longer range and smaller passenger capacity A 330-100.
That is why its used on the DUB-LAX route.

FlutterinBantam

BuffyBot wrote:

Nope, one of the older ones is a -200 also

Two actually

WexCan

WexCan wrote:

Aer Lingus can be quite painful in economy compared to other carriers. If I was still living in Dublin, and given the choice, I'd connect at Heathrow to a Virgin Atlantic flight. Much better facilities on board, only downside is price.

I'd rather stick pins under my fingernails than voluntarily transfer via Heathrow.
You're immediately adding a minimum of four hours on to your journey time, between checking in at Dublin, transferring and waiting for the Heathrow departure.
It's also a hellish airport, there's no bones about it.
The return flight is worse when you just want to get home and are stuck in that corrugated iron tube Heathrow claims is a 'gate'.

As I said, my last trip with Aer Lingus was as good as most long hauls I've taken over the past four or five years (in economy), Virgin Atlantic included.
I certainly wouldn't add hassle and pay more for an ice-cream or better movie choice during a flight to LA, it's not that long!

highlydebased

FlutterinBantam wrote:

An A330-200 is not neccessarily a "new "plane"
Of the type of A330 EI fly it has a longer range and smaller passenger capacity A 330-100.
That is why its used on the DUB-LAX route.

There is no such thing as an A330-100.

Aer Lingus have A330-200s and A330-300's. Only the A330-200's have the range to LAX. HOWEVER, the new A330-300 is an A330-300E, which means it has extended range, so it can make it to LAX. The aircraft concerned is reg EI-DUZ

FlutterinBantam

Typo there Boss...was going to edit but didn't anyone would notice:rolleyes:

Noelie

I flew it in May, the way to LA we had individual screens, on the way home it was the ****ty screens every 5 or so rows.

BuffyBot

Well, if anyone wants to discuss the specific of airplane models, the Aviation and Aircraft forum is probably a better place for it. Let's keep this to topic

highlydebased

We should have a sticky topic with info on the seats/services offered by the various airlines. I wouldnt mind putting same together...

Mec-a-nic

Prob not too late to add to this thread:-

I fly to LA once a year and always try take the AerLingus direct route...

The reasons:- you save at least 4hours at the start of the trip by not transiting through the Heathrow Hell-Hole (or the more relaxed Schiphol) and save one hour not queuing in LAX because you're already passed Immigration in Dublin.

It's a point-to-point trip, so less likely to get messed up with connections being lost. Also, I'd rather have a nice hotel for the time I'm there rather than a comfy business seat for 10 hours that costs ten times an economy one. (I also fit in an economy seat, so this point isn't valid if you're very tall/wide).

Entertainment:- I ignore the screens and use my laptop for DVDs/divx/music/games. The trick is knowing which seats in economy have power ports between the seats, and you'll never find anyone who can tell you for sure. The older Airbus 320s have them in some of the rows down the left window seats.

Good flight

Savman

We're going DUB to LAX via New York JFK with Delta.

We had considered Aer Lingus direct but chose Delta for 2 reasons: very good price (€475pp return) and the fact the journey is broken up halfway do get a chance to get off the damn plane for a while and walk around.

We have flown Aer Lingo to UK loadsa times its not an all round pleasant experience so I don't think we'd hack 10 or 11 solid hours on one of their flights.

Sadly, they're not the Airline they used to be.

highlydebased

Indeed the option of flying to JFK or Newark with Delta or Continental and flying onwards is becoming a very popular option, not only is it cheaper....but theres a chance to strech the legs midway!!