Aer Lingus forcing charged seat selection

mtk2

Hi,

I'm trying to check in online and when I get to the seat selection stage, it hasnt automatically assigned a seat (ie a non paid one). So it does not allow me to continue with the check in unless select a seat which cost €5 each way.

Does anyone know how to get around this as I don't want to add another €10 to my trip.

Thanks

Mike

munchkin_utd

you must pay the fee if checking in, in advance (36hours+ or some such limit)

simply wait till before you fly or checkin for FREE at the airport either at desk or (if available) one of the self checkin terminals. At Dublin or Cork theres heaps of terminals so you are on your way in a minute, or slightly longer if theres none available straight away.

mtk2

munchkin... Thanks a lot for that!

I'm too used to Flying ryanair I think ha ha!!

franer1970

mtk2 wrote: »

I'm too used to Flying ryanair I think ha ha!!

Me too - reverse snobbery or what??:D

Evenstevens

I don't think you have to select a seat. As long as you've checked in you're on the plane. You might have to move if you're in a prebooked seat though but that's it.. I think that's what I did the last time. I don't care where I sit really.

munchkin_utd

Evenstevens wrote: »

I don't think you have to select a seat. As long as you've checked in you're on the plane. You might have to move if you're in a prebooked seat though but that's it.. I think that's what I did the last time. I don't care where I sit really.

on aerlingus you cannot just decide to sit in any random seat.

Every single passenger has a seat allocation and on a full flight you are just being an idiot if you decide to sit in someone elses seat which with almost 100% certainty you'll have to get out of anyhow.

coylemj

Evenstevens wrote: »

As long as you've checked in you're on the plane.

As long as you've checked in you have a boarding card which if you take the time to read it will have an assigned seat printed on it. As above poster has pointed out, all Aer Lingus flights have assigned seating.

Evenstevens

Ok, my bad but what I was essentially saying which is true is that you're not obliged to pay €10 for a seat if you're happy for the airline to just assign you one.

munchkin_utd

Evenstevens wrote: »

Ok, my bad but what I was essentially saying which is true is that you're not obliged to pay €10 for a seat if you're happy for the airline to just assign you one.

for no extra charge you can actually choose any available seat you like (aside from exit rows) when checking in on line in the 36hour window, and also at the terminal at the airport, if you dont like what the system automatically allocates to you the first time.

ScottSF

Some clarifications are in order. You can certainly pick a seat on Aer Lingus for free. The only costs are if you want to pick a seat in advance or pick a "premium" seat which may be in the front or an exit row.

My advice is to set a calendar or mobile phone reminder for 30 hours before the outbound flight time. That is the earliest you can check-in and pick a seat.

By default Aer Lingus will assign you a seat when you check-in online. During online check-in, you are presented with the seatmap. This is where you can pick any seat that is not already taken or premium (which again costs extra if you choose).

The key is to checkin online as early as possible (within 30 hours) so that you have the widest choice of free non-premium or taken seats. If you follow this plan you will almost always get a decent and preferred seat for all the people on your itinerary.

makeorbrake

Have not flown aer lingus for years. Went to do online check in. I don't want to be bothered to do it tomorrow - which means its outside the 30 hours checkin. That leaves the 30 day check in facility (why could there possibly be a difference!?). When I'm abroad, the last thing I want to be doing is dicking around with check in.

When I try to do that, their system will only allow selection of 'premium' seats - ranging from €5 to €20. This is nothing less than a shake down! It's disingenuous and its underhand. There couldn't possibly be ANY conceivable reason to not allow people to select 'standard' seats via online check in.....and so the obvious thing is to do it for the return journey in advance also.


I'll now wait till I get to the airport and check in - which means inconveniencing me - and can only be a far less efficient means of them doing business....unless it pays of course - with all those that simply pay for seating simply to check in!