Aer Lingus online check in issue

Locker10a

Hi everyone,
I have a questions to which i cannot find the anwser on aelingus's website and thought maybe the extensive knowledge on here among some members maybe of help.
I have a friend travelling to Ireland from Germany, this person is a nervous flyer and likes to choose a window seat over the wing, the flight is booked but there seems to be no option to check in online and choose a seat in advance without being charged. I know you can do so when flying from Dublin and on the website it only give information on Irish origination journeys.
So my questions is Can German/European originating passengers check in online or are they forced to que at the airport? If this is the case why?
Why would EI not make such a service aviable to its non Irish passengers?

Tenger

probably something todo with the facilities available at the European destination...perhaps their system's cannot accept the pre-booked info from EI.Com?

Having pre-selected seats the other day they do give a list of airports where is is not available.
I know that you can check-in online for some routes up to 30 hours before your flight. I did that and wasn't charged as it was 'check-in' rather then 'seat pre-selection'

coylemj

Web Check-In

Check-in here if you are between 30 hours and 2 hours before your scheduled departure time.*

*Web check-in for travel from Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Belfast, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Bristol, Kerry, Isle of Man, Waterford is available from 30 hours in advance up to 2 hours before your scheduled departure time.

Web check-in for travel to and from New York (JFK), Boston, Chicago and Orlando is available from 24 hours in advance up to 2 hours before your scheduled departure time.

Passengers travelling from the USA with Web boarding passes must present themselves at the dedicated Web check-in counter at the airport at least 45 minutes prior to their scheduled departure time.

Web check-in for travel from all other airports is available from 30 hours in advance (24 hours in advance to/from USA) up to 4hours and 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time.

http://www.aerlingus.com/travelinformation/knowbeforeyoufly/check-in/web-check-in/

So maybe the OP's friend should try 30 hours before the flight

Locker10a

Tenger wrote: »

probably something todo with the facilities available at the European destination...perhaps their system's cannot accept the pre-booked info from EI.Com?

Having pre-selected seats the other day they do give a list of airports where is is not available.
I know that you can check-in online for some routes up to 30 hours before your flight. I did that and wasn't charged as it was 'check-in' rather then 'seat pre-selection'

Yes its possible to preselect seats but at a cost wheres its free during online checkin but this option is not aviable because the journey is starting in Germany and not Ireland, not very fair, or consistant either. not allowing online check in from Europe doesnt make Aer Lingus a very attractive option for business travellers who dont need to check in a bag, it means they have to que even though they would only have hand luggage and means more ques and more time at the airport.

Locker10a

coylemj wrote: »

Web Check-In

Check-in here if you are between 30 hours and 2 hours before your scheduled departure time.*

*Web check-in for travel from Dublin, Shannon, Cork, Belfast, London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Bristol, Kerry, Isle of Man, Waterford is available from 30 hours in advance up to 2 hours before your scheduled departure time.

Web check-in for travel to and from New York (JFK), Boston, Chicago and Orlando is available from 24 hours in advance up to 2 hours before your scheduled departure time.

Passengers travelling from the USA with Web boarding passes must present themselves at the dedicated Web check-in counter at the airport at least 45 minutes prior to their scheduled departure time.

Web check-in for travel from all other airports is available from 30 hours in advance (24 hours in advance to/from USA) up to 4hours and 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time.

http://www.aerlingus.com/travelinformation/knowbeforeyoufly/check-in/web-check-in/

So maybe the OP's friend should try 30 hours before the flight

Thanks for this , i hope it correct because my friend say she couldnt find it on the german verson of the website and said in the email she should present her confirmation email at the check in desk with no mention of online check-in.
Anyway this sound good to me, thanks for the help:o

coylemj

It's also possible that Aer Lingus shares self-service check-in kiosks at the departure airport with other airlines. Maybe if you told us where you friend is flying from, someone here can advise if there is such a facility in that airport.

Locker10a

coylemj wrote: »

It's also possible that Aer Lingus shares self-service check-in kiosks at the departure airport with other airlines. Maybe if you told us where you friend is flying from, someone here can advise if there is such a facility in that airport.

Frankfurt!!

coylemj

Locker10a wrote: »

Thanks for this , i hope it correct because my friend say she couldnt find it on the german verson of the website and said in the email she should present her confirmation email at the check in desk with no mention of online check-in.
Anyway this sound good to me, thanks for the help:o

On the EI website I changed my home country to Germany and my local airport to Frankfurt but left the language as English (I don't speak German) and when you click on the 'Manage Booking' tab there is an option to check-in online. Tell your friend to change the language to English and try it.

LeakRate

I fly regularly from Milan Linate with EI and have no issues checking in online and selecting my seat using the online check in from 30hrs to 2hrs before my flight.

bkehoe

I've always checked in online for flights from various European airports including German ones without issue. Just wait till its 30 hours prior to departure.

Locker10a

coylemj wrote: »

On the EI website I changed my home country to Germany and my local airport to Frankfurt but left the language as English (I don't speak German) and when you click on the 'Manage Booking' tab there is an option to check-in online. Tell your friend to change the language to English and try it.

Ohh thats great thanks for all the help! Il tell my friends the good news!

Locker10a

Thanks for all the replys ! That has cleared thing up!:o:o

dercu

Window seat over the wing is more then lightly an exit yout friend is looking for. So a charge will apply to this row.

Locker10a

dercu wrote: »

Window seat over the wing is more then lightly an exit yout friend is looking for. So a charge will apply to this row.

On EI's 320s the exit rows are row 12 and 13 i think so over wing rows are proably row 11 12 13 14 15 ! So any of those will do her!
And with regard to paying for exit rows seats i never do and always just select it for free at checkin! i have even checked in at the desk an hour before depatrure and asked for an exit seat ( i didnt think there would be any left) but there was which i was surprised to hear and the flight was packed out!
Same on Ryanair flights, very few actually pay for the exit row and people who paid the cheapist fare end up being moved into the exit row for free!

coylemj

Can't see any point in going for the exit rows on an EI Airbus, is there any extra legroom at all? If you're sitting nearby, you only become aware of them when just before take-off the cabin staff tell the occupants that they can't have bags or coats on the floor.

L1011

coylemj wrote: »

Can't see any point in going for the exit rows on an EI Airbus, is there any extra legroom at all? If you're sitting nearby, you only become aware of them when just before take-off the cabin staff tell the occupants that they can't have bags or coats on the floor.

There is some extra legroom on the standard spec 320s - enough for me to notice a difference with my height. Significantly more on the 321.

No idea about the 319s or the ex-Iberia 320s primarily because I've never used them - and the ex-IB birds have had their seats moved around recently too.

Locker10a

coylemj wrote: »

Can't see any point in going for the exit rows on an EI Airbus, is there any extra legroom at all? If you're sitting nearby, you only become aware of them when just before take-off the cabin staff tell the occupants that they can't have bags or coats on the floor.

Well i find a big difference, im 6ft and fit in the regular seats no bother but i really notice the extra room at the exit! But my main reason for taking the exit row is because i like the window seat and on longer sectors i can get up and go to the toilet without having to make the people in the middle seat and ailse get up, i can easily get past them without bothering them Same with row 1 IIRC

L1011

Locker10a wrote: »

Well i find a big difference, im 6ft and fit in the regular seats no bother but i really notice the extra room at the exit! But my main reason for taking the exit row is because i like the window seat and on longer sectors i can get up and go to the toilet without having to make the people in the middle seat and ailse get up, i can easily get past them without bothering them Same with row 1 IIRC

Row 1 has quite a significant amount of extra space - can attest to having let someone past me last week in 1C, however its brutal for legroom due to the bulkhead.

charliehotel

Locker10a wrote: »

i have even checked in at the desk an hour before depatrure and asked for an exit seat

So when you check-in at the airport you can ask to choose a seat then?

I didn't know that we could do this !! :eek:

L1011

charliehotel wrote: »

So when you check-in at the airport you can ask to choose a seat then?

I didn't know that we could do this !! :eek:

Always been the case. On self checkin there's a "change" button and at the desk you can just ask.

charliehotel

MYOB wrote: »

at the desk you can just ask.

I'm travelling with a group to the USA on EI in February and I've been wondering how to secure a window seat. So, if I just ask should I get one ?

bkehoe

charliehotel wrote: »

I'm travelling with a group to the USA on EI in February and I've been wondering how to secure a window seat. So, if I just ask should I get one ?

If you don't pre-select or do the online check-in then yes you can simply ask but as you'll have left it till the last minute all the window seats may be occupied.

adlima

Im traveling with EI transatlantic from shannon in two weeks time, but the seat selection had no options whatsoever. I had one seat available to me for both flights. Surely it's not completely booked out and every single seat has been reserved? Im doing a search on these flights now and there's still tickets available. Someone here might have an answer. Cheers

coylemj

adlima wrote: »

Im traveling with EI transatlantic from shannon in two weeks time, but the seat selection had no options whatsoever. I had one seat available to me for both flights. Surely it's not completely booked out and every single seat has been reserved? Im doing a search on these flights now and there's still tickets available. Someone here might have an answer. Cheers

Are you prepared to pay to reserve your seat(s)? If so then go to the EI website, click on 'Manage Booking' and 'Select Your Seat'.

If you're not prepared to pay, you need to wait until 30 hours before your flight, then click on 'Manage Booking', 'Check-in online', then 'Web Check-in'.

adlima

coylemj wrote: »

Are you prepared to pay to reserve your seat(s)? If so then go to the EI website, click on 'Manage Booking' and 'Select Your Seat'.

If you're not prepared to pay, you need to wait until 30 hours before your flight, then click on 'Manage Booking', 'Check-in online', then 'Web Check-in'.

Thanks for the reply. Oh I didn't know you have to pay for seat reservation on transatlantic. I didn't see any option for this. I'll look again. Thanks

coylemj

adlima wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. Oh I didn't know you have to pay for seat reservation on transatlantic. I didn't see any option for this. I'll look again. Thanks

I recall that one check-in bag is included in the fare, I can't say for certain that you get seat selection well in advance for free, don't think so.

Locker10a

coylemj wrote: »

I recall that one check-in bag is included in the fare, I can't say for certain that you get seat selection well in advance for free, don't think so.

Transatlantic fares include a free check in bag and free seat selection at the time of booking , at least that has been my experience!

bkehoe

Locker10a wrote: »

Transatlantic fares include a free check in bag and free seat selection at the time of booking , at least that has been my experience!

Free seat selection for 'standard' seats. Emergency exit, bulkhead and the special mini-cabin behind J class all have a charge. It's entirely possible that all the standard seats are blocked at the moment and other may appear once checkin opens.