Orlando + Aer Lingus

Rashers72

Thinking of booking EI Dublin - Orlando direct next Easter.
So what's the new service like? I am especially interested in inflight entertainment (personal TV screens/games etc.), as I'll have a 9+4 year old in tow.
Return flights will be EUR5,500 for the 4 of us, so want to make sure the service is worth the premium I'll be paying for using EI.

MrVostro

Dont forget the €55 or whatever each, each way too for Aer Lingus Bait and Switch (fuel surcharge).

Its the same as the service to New York or Chicago.

Expensive but better than Delta and non-stop.

highlydebased

You've no gaurantee of entertainment. You may not have either of the two aircraft that have in flight entertainment. (2 of them have AVOD which is audio video on demand, personal screen etc the rest just have drop down screens)

Personally I'd fly Virgin to Orlando.

Plus 5,500 is an awful lot of money. Virgin are bound to have cheaper flights (ex MAN or LGW)


Aer Lingus' service is by no stretch better than Delta's

MrVostro

I think you would be better going with Virgin too.

Delta is Dire. You get more legroom on a Ryanair flight. You can even open a laptop if the seat in front is even half way back

You cant see the TVs and if you end up in an Aisle seat the keep hitting you with the trollies.

highlydebased

MrVostro wrote: »

You get more legroom on a Ryanair flight. You can even open a laptop if the seat in front is even half way back
.

Continental are the same :rolleyes::rolleyes:


Virgin are well renowned for being family orientated

MrVostro

Neon-Circles wrote: »

Continental are the same :rolleyes::rolleyes:

They are indeed. In fact they are almost exactly the same. And Aer Lingus are better than both.

MikeTheMan

Hi,

Aer Lingus use the Airbus A330-200 aircraft between Dublin and Orlando.
Currently, there are 4 of these in the fleet. One such aircraft EI-DAA has the old IFE system and the new aircraft EI-DUO has the brand bew AVOD system (but that particular aircraft is being sent mainly on longer routes, namely San Francisco, Los Angeles and Dubai).

The Orlando flights are being sold as ALL Economy, but you may pay an upgrade supplement after you book your flights online, by calling the Aer Lingus Helpdesk. You will get a Premier seat, but an Economy meal.

Furthermore, you have the benefit of a non-stop flight AND pre-clearing immigration in Dublin. If you transit via MAN or LHR and connect with Virgin, BA.. then you will have to queue once you arrive in McCoy airport in Orlando and this may NOT be what you want to do after a long flight with your kids in tow!

All the best and enjoy,
MTM

highlydebased

OP-

Fly Aer Lingus if you want to just for the sake of a direct flight and pre-clearing but you have no gaurantee of fantastic entertainment

Rashers72

Just wondering if anyone has flown this route recently?
Thanks in advance.

GBX

I flew this route in Nov. Went quite well. Immigration was done at Orlando as opposed to Dublin when I flew out with AA before. There was no queues that day when we got to the desks so went quick enough. Baggage claim was grand too.

Rashers72

GBX wrote: »

I flew this route in Nov. Went quite well. Immigration was done at Orlando as opposed to Dublin when I flew out with AA before. There was no queues that day when we got to the desks so went quick enough. Baggage claim was grand too.

So if you fly with Aer Lingus to Orlando, is immigration done in Dublin? Also what was the in flight entertainment like - i.e. TV's in headrests, etc.

GBX

No immigration was done in Orlando for me. It wasnt the same plane that was due to go because I booked a seat beside the exit and it was a different layout. but I didnt mind because there was nobody in the seat beside me. Entertainment was ok. Drop down tvs from the ceiling.

Rashers72

I wonder was that the norm, as according to EI, it is normally done in Dublin:
http://www.aerlingus.com/cgi-bin/obel01im1/Services/us_immigration.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0611264854.1199257939@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdcaddmmfihimfcefecfigdffgdfkg.0&P_OID=-8221&Category=3

pebbles21

i travelled over last week and did all the immigration stuff in dublin airport it was packed in dublin airport(xmas)not sure bout now but give yourself plenty of time in airport for the immigration process i nearly missed my flight cos of queue :rolleyes:btw the weather over here for the last week has been great in the high 20s but all a sudden its gone to freezing today and tommorrows not looking any better :mad:

Dodge

Rashers72 wrote: »

I wonder was that the norm, as according to EI, it is normally done in Dublin:
http://www.aerlingus.com/cgi-bin/obel01im1/Services/us_immigration.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0611264854.1199257939@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccdcaddmmfihimfcefecfigdffgdfkg.0&P_OID=-8221&Category=3

Depends on the flight time. Later flights don't use Dublin AFAIK

Savman

Dodge wrote: »

Depends on the flight time. Later flights don't use Dublin AFAIK

Kinda, US Immigration in Dublin closes about 3ish IIRC. There are also some earlier flights that don't clear in Dublin, for reasons I was never told, "they just don't"

Ms Inquisitive

Only 6 EI transatlantic flights a day clear immigration in Dublin.

Predominately, Boston, Chicago, New York (the first one) and LA.

There's no set way for knowing but I think Orlando is usually immigration over there, at least until the US Immigration area upgrade is completed.

I, however, did immigration in LA a few months ago. Flight was late and we weren't in til late evening. The queue was about 30 mins but wasn't that bad. Wouldn't worry too much about immigration unless you're flying into New York.

Rashers72

Using the previous posters details, I reckon my Orlando flight should clear immigration in Dublin.
Ahead of me = Boston, NY, Boston. Then Orlando.
After me, NY, Chicago, Boston.
No flights to LA, San Fran or Washington on my date of travel.
I want to figure out how early I need to arrive @ DUB, as I don't want to be waiting there for ages, and not clear immigration, only to join long lines on arrival in US.
Hopefully, around Easter they'll also put on the airbuses with the Seat back TV's, as this route will be busy with families
All advice welcome!

Rashers72

I'll have to change my thoughts on this. I am 99% sure you need to wait till US to clear immigration, and there is an added complication with a double baggage reclaim??? Very time consuming.
Also there seems to be a lot of negative feedback about the older airbuses been used, with IFE not great, seats broken, etc.

FlutterinBantam

Savman wrote: »

Kinda, US Immigration in Dublin closes about 3ish IIRC. There are also some earlier flights that don't clear in Dublin, for reasons I was never told, "they just don't"

US preclearance in Dublin is located in a small confined area,both from an aircraft parking point of view and passenger numbers and usable desks.

there are only so many flights it can accomodate.

Not all airports in the US have queue problems at immigration similar to JFK etc.

Therefore it is pointless to squash everyone in like cattle at Dublin when normally Immigration clearance is not a major problem at the destination.

Thats the why.

Its common sense.