AER LINGUS - NEW TIERED FARES SYSTEM

Ernest

Aer Lingus have just introduced a new tiered fares system in which passengers will have to pay € 20 extra to pre-book a seat on airplanes. This so called Plus fare covers the present pre-booking of a specified seat and also includes one baggage item of 20kg. If you don't opt to pay the extra €20 premium, seating is "assigned" presumably by them and in random order, so bringing Aer Lingus a step closer to the Ryanair model.
One less reason to fly Aer Lingus.

Tefral

Ernest wrote: »

Aer Lingus have just introduced a new tiered fares system in which passengers will have to pay € 20 extra to pre-book a seat on airplanes. This so called Plus fare covers the present pre-booking of a specified seat and also includes one baggage item of 20kg. If you don't opt to pay the extra €20 premium, seating is "assigned" presumably by them and in random order, so bringing Aer Lingus a step closer to the Ryanair model.
One less reason to fly Aer Lingus.

I dont know why you think the seats will be assigned by them? Free seat allocation isnt the same as assigned. Aerlingus always charged you for selecting your seats in advance of the 30 hour check in window.

You like to know exactly what you are getting for your money - thats why we've made it even easier with our new Fare Options which appear on screen once you choose your flight.

Low fare
Free seat allocation
Free check-in
1 hand luggage up to 10 kilos

Plus fare
1 free checked bag up to 20 kilos
Free advance seat selection
Free check in
Gold Circle points for Gold Circle members and applicants

Flex fare
2 free checked bags (total weight 20 kilos)
Full flexibility to change date and times
Lounge access
Gold Circle points for Gold Circle members and applicants

Ernest

The booking form says "Assigned Seating" for the lowest fare. If you pay the premium you get "Free Seat Selection". That seems clear enough.

Tefral

Ernest wrote: »

The booking form says "Assigned Seating" for the lowest fare. If you pay the premium you get "Free Seat Selection". That seems clear enough.

Even if thats the case it beats rushing up in the hope you and your travelling partner will get to sit together on the plane.

dudara

Not really a Consumer Issue

Moved to Aviation

dudara

L1011

Ernest wrote: »

The booking form says "Assigned Seating" for the lowest fare. If you pay the premium you get "Free Seat Selection". That seems clear enough.

It doesn't in any way suggest that its any different to the existing system, whereby you don't get to chose your seat in advance unless you pay.

I'd be pretty much absolutely certain you can select your seat at check-in still and likely still have the same bias affect certain ground handlers have as goes giving the better seats to loyalty card holders.

The fact that they're effectively providing a fare that's not particularly much higher and includes assigned seating *and* a checked bag and guaranteed GC points (even if the fare+20 quid wouldn't have been close to the lowest qualifying fare code) suggests to me that this will be rather popular.

They've also changed the website to quote tax inclusive fares now, which is another move AWAY from the Ryanair model - which is what Mueller is intending to do.

Stripey Cat

dudara wrote: »

Not really a Consumer Issue

????

L1011

I'm actually going through a booking now, and seeing as they still want a fiver extra for the front rows and a tenner extra for the exit rows - with Plus selected - I'm even more certain that its no change from before.

H6

http://ebm.email.aerlingus.com/c/tag/hBO6fsKB7SmdKB8fBRRCXINpu9i/doc.html?t_params=EMAIL%3Dandrew%2540tpc-media.com

http://www.aerlingus.com/i18n/en/htmlPopups/faretype.html#flexible

Nothing more than a more transparent, simplified booking process which is yet another move away from the Ryanair model.


Seems like one MORE reason to fly Aer Lingus to me!

Su Campu

Yep, a good service I would say.

Just one thing though. They say here that the Flex Fare allows Full Refund*, then the small print:

*Full refund less 15% of the flight fare and administration fee.

So it's NOT a FULL refund. Why put the word FULL in there when they realy should put Refund*.

CaptainSkidmark

can you still pick your seat on the machine when checking in?

Our man in Havana

CaptainSkidmark wrote: »

can you still pick your seat on the machine when checking in?

Yes.

el tel

This has little to do with the spirit of aviation and aircraft forum but has everything to do with consumer issues. IMHO of course.

mikedragon32

el tel wrote: »

This has little to do with the spirit of aviation and aircraft forum but has everything to do with consumer issues. IMHO of course.

Ship it over to Travel if you like, it's not being discussed there yet!

I think this is a good thing. If you were going to travel with a checked in bag anyway, then it makes sense to book the plus option and avail of being able to select your seat in advance which they normally charge extra for.

Only thing that irks me is their "transparent" pricing which is the all inclusive price... But only until you get to paying and are hit for another fiver per person per leg. A bit cheeky.

Tenger

mikedragon32 wrote: »

I think this is a good thing. If you were going to travel with a checked in bag anyway, then it makes sense to book the plus option and avail of being able to select your seat in advance which they normally charge extra for.

Me too. Tiered fare system covers options for different passengers and desires.

If I travel to Europe I always check in a bag so this option is easier for me. (For UK 1 night trips I can choose low fare and carry my bag onboard)

Ernest

I am at a loss to understand how this thread was moved to Aviation??
Its true that "Travel and Transport" seems to be limited to Rail and Bus issues with Road Transport seemingly allocated to Infrastructure, leaving no ideal thread for Air Travel issues such as complaints against Ryanair or, more rarely like this one, grumbling about Aer Lingus or other carriers. This seems to me to be a Consumer Issue rather than an Aviation one (the latter suggesting issues relating to technical flying topics)

L1011

mikedragon32 wrote: »

Only thing that irks me is their "transparent" pricing which is the all inclusive price... But only until you get to paying and are hit for another fiver per person per leg. A bit cheeky.

That's the last vestige of Ryanair aping, there is some obscure payment method that can avoid it.

Ernest

Ernest wrote: »

Its true that "Travel and Transport" seems to be limited to Rail and Bus issues with Road Transport seemingly allocated to Infrastructure, leaving no ideal thread for Air Travel issues ...

The above should, of course, have referred to "Commuting and Transport" rather than to "Travel and Transport" - the latter does not exist.

L1011

Ernest wrote: »

The above should, of course, have referred to "Commuting and Transport" rather than to "Travel and Transport" - the latter does not exist.

Normal road-usage stuff is perfectly accepted in C&T, its more to do with the physical blacktop that goes in to Infrastructure.

I'd imagine air travel would be accepted also.