Aer Lingus - check in & Allocated Seating

DvB

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere but I couldn't find it on the search function.

There's a group of 6 of us travelling to Tenerife in a few weeks (incl 2 young children) and we have already paid for allocated seating to ensure we're all sat together on both flights. (A small price to pay given how much easier all round it will be for us)

However, in terms of checking in, as we all have baggage to check in can we check in online & print our boarding passes for both outward & returning flights prior to leaving Dublin or do we check in & get boarding passes at each airport seeing as we've to check in baggage on both flights anyway? & if so will they recognise we've already paid or allocated seating?

Any advice/help greatly appreciated.

coylemj

You'll have to do a bag drop anyway so I wouldn't bother printing anything at home. Go to the check-in desk with your bags and passports, the booking will come up with the seats already allocated, the check-in person will take your bags and give you boarding passes.

You'll have to do the same for the return flight in Tenerife.

DvB

coylemj wrote: »

You'll have to do a bag drop anyway so I wouldn't bother printing anything at home. Go to the check-in desk with your bags and passports, the booking will come up with the seats already allocated, the check-in person will take your bags and give you boarding passes.

You'll have to do the same for the return flight in Tenerife.

Superb, thanks for that, had hoped it would be that straightforward.

DC403l

Sorry to take over your thread, but how much time from departure is suggested if you are dropping bags off with Aer Lingus (short haul) is it 45 min?

coylemj

DC403l wrote: »

Sorry to take over your thread, but how much time from departure is suggested if you are dropping bags off with Aer Lingus (short haul) is it 45 min?

I'd be aiming to check-in at least an hour beforehand if dropping bags. Remember that if you have no bag, it's only you that has to make it on to the plane. Check-in typically closes 30 minutes before a flight so you'd be cutting it fine with a bag at 45 minutes if you get delayed on the way.

athtrasna

DC403l wrote: »

Sorry to take over your thread, but how much time from departure is suggested if you are dropping bags off with Aer Lingus (short haul) is it 45 min?

There is no way you'll get through bag drop and security (if it's Dublin Airport) in 45 minutes. At least an hour but I'd aim for 90 minutes.

munchkin_utd

it was 30mins about 7 or 8 years ago, but they then changed it to 40 or 45 minutes as the cut off point.
Honestly though, if you try and time the run too closely then youve no buffer for unexpected delays (traffic, delayed shutle bus connection, quick tyre change etc or just general delays if taking public transport) so aiming for arriving 90min to 2 hours before should mean you can cope with any unexpected stuff along the way.

Humour Me

You need to remember that there is a single bag drop area for Aer Lingus and that you will be queuing with everyone else who is flying with them.

Last August I was queuing at the bag drop for over 30 mins at 6am as all the passengers flying to the states were also dropping off their bags.

My flight was at 7.30 and by the time I dropped off my bag and got through security, it was 7.15 by the time I got to my gate.

I would always try and be at the airport 2 hours in advance .

CassieManson

Humour Me wrote: »

You need to remember that there is a single bag drop area for Aer Lingus and that you will be queuing with everyone else who is flying with them.

Last August I was queuing at the bag drop for over 30 mins at 6am as all the passengers flying to the states were also dropping off their bags.

My flight was at 7.30 and by the time I dropped off my bag and got through security, it was 7.15 by the time I got to my gate.

I would always try and be at the airport 2 hours in advance .

You need to leave at least 90 minutes. Was at Dublin Airport last Saturday for a 07:20 flight. Got there shortly after 6am and we just about had time to queue and drop our bags. Luckily there was no queue for security but the Aer Lingus queue took a long time and was a bit chaotic. We then had to walk back to Terminal 1 to get on our plane. This was not explained at checkin and took about 15 minutes. So leave at least 90 minutes, even if you have checked in in advance, just so you are not under too much pressure on the day.

Miaireland

You really should give yourself plenty of time to use bag drop. I have queued for ages and ages at times for it. And you have to leave time in case you get stuck behind someone who has an overweight bag and wants to argue with the person on the desk about it. ( I always seem to get stuck behind people like that)

Kensington

Yeah, give yourself MINIMUM two hours (90 mins for bag drop and another 30 mins for security and gate clearance - for US flights add a further 60 mins for preclearance)

I queued last Sunday week for about 90 mins at Aer Lingus bag drop (from about 5.30am) and another 15 mins to clear security and arrive at the gate (London Gatwick bound flight). I made it with all of about five minutes to spare! ALL Aer Lingus flights, long and short, do bag drop at the same desks in T2.

Its absolutely chaotic in the mornings with it being peak holiday season, all the US flights leave early around the same time and French ATC aren't exactly going to ease matters now either!

coylemj

Before this auction gets out of hand and someone recommends arriving 6 hours before the flight, it's worth noting that for Aer Lingus flights departing between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., you can drop the bags off the evening before between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Other than a family group, each passenger must show up with their passport to check-in his/her bag, see the details below.....

If your flight departs Dublin Airport between 06:00-08:00 in the morning, you can now check-in at the airport between 16:00-20:00 the evening before.

This new service is available for both Aer Lingus and Aer Lingus Regional flights.

Each passenger needs to present themselves to check-in and drop off bags but if you are travelling with immediate family, one member of the family can check-in and drop bags for the group the evening before. Passports/ID cards are required for all passengers travelling, and must be presented the evening before.

http://www.aerlingus.com/travelinformation/knowbeforeyoufly/check-in/check-intimes/#d.en.6200

CassieManson

coylemj wrote: »

Before this auction gets out of hand and someone recommends arriving 6 hours before the flight, it's worth noting that for Aer Lingus flights departing between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., you can drop the bags off the evening before between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Other than a family group, each passenger must show up with their passport to check-in his/her bag, see the details below.....

If your flight departs Dublin Airport between 06:00-08:00 in the morning, you can now check-in at the airport between 16:00-20:00 the evening before.

This new service is available for both Aer Lingus and Aer Lingus Regional flights.

Each passenger needs to present themselves to check-in and drop off bags but if you are travelling with immediate family, one member of the family can check-in and drop bags for the group the evening before. Passports/ID cards are required for all passengers travelling, and must be presented the evening before.

http://www.aerlingus.com/travelinformation/knowbeforeyoufly/check-in/check-intimes/#d.en.6200

Not really convinced that this is a better option as it involves two trips to the airport. It just means you queue the evening before and maybe get an extra hours sleep in the morning.

The good news is that the French air traffic controllers strike is over!

coylemj

CassieManson wrote: »

Not really convinced that this is a better option as it involves two trips to the airport. It just means you queue the evening before and maybe get an extra hours sleep in the morning.

You don't have to queue at all if you go along as I did at about 7:30 p.m. so it's nothing like the experience you'd have the next morning and if you're staying in an airport hotel the night before an early morning flight, it's a superb facility.