Aer Lingus - New Business Class

Shammer16 · 31-07-2014 2:03pm #1

Just seen a video of the new Business class that is to be rolled out on the Aer Lingus A330's throughout 2015. Have to say, it looks really nice.

Can't post a link because I haven't enough posts hover it is on the Aer Lingus facebook page and there is a section on the Aer Lingus website.

Jhcx · 31-07-2014 2:13pm

Aer Lingus Business Class Facebook Video

Looks decent enough. Mind you though i still havent seen the current one so... But cant help feel like there really trying after BA specially with the Silver Shamrock. No imagination. Anyway none the less it will be nice to see a new interior.

Tenger · 31-07-2014 2:31pm

Jhcx wrote: »

....But cant help feel like there really trying after BA specially with the Silver Shamrock. No imagination. Anyway none the less it will be nice to see a new interior.

They have had the 'grey shamrock' for quite a while now on their linen and inflight dining ware.

I always thought EI needed a Shamrock on a bulkhead wall on their aircraft. Since they got rid of the 'signature' seat covers their cabins look generic at first glance.

roundymac · 31-07-2014 10:08pm

Thompson Aero Seating from Northern Ireland are supplying the seats, 189 units on order. Other Irish suppliers are Inflight Dublin for the inflight entertainment and Botany Weaving also from Dublin for the fabric and carpets in business class.

Davy · 31-07-2014 11:02pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx3oJI9jAwg

ShaneC93 · 01-08-2014 12:33am

This is a very welcome announcement.

Puts them on or atleast close to on par with British Airway's business class, their old long-haul business class was horrible in my opinion, more like a premium economy then anything else.

Fully-flat seats and on-demand menu ordering sound great.

If only they will now open a DUB-LAX flight up they would be perfect, can usually get their long-haul flights quite cheap via BA's avios points too.

Tenger · 01-08-2014 1:07am

ShaneC93 wrote: »

...If only they will now open a DUB-LAX flight up they would be perfect, can usually get their long-haul flights quite cheap via BA's avios points too.

I would expect to see new routes to the US well before a return to LAX. (As indicated by media reports today and interview in March) Too much chance of cannibalising the loadfactor on the SFO route.

ShaneC93 · 01-08-2014 1:15am

Tenger wrote: »

I would expect to see new routes to the US well before a return to LAX. (As indicated by media reports today and interview in March) Too much chance of cannibalising the loadfactor on the SFO route.

Unfortunately SFO is still 5-6 hours away from LA via car or train and when it comes to whether I wish to fly DUB-SFO-LAX or DUB-LHR(or CDG/AMS)-LAX then it is the European connection everytime, much easier for sleep & energy purposes and usually not much in the cost.

A direct flight to LAX would be such a time saver for me anyway and cost wise too if paid for with avios.

whitebriar · 01-08-2014 7:51am

ShaneC93 wrote: »

This is a very welcome announcement.

Puts them on or atleast close to on par with British Airway's business class, their old long-haul business class was horrible in my opinion, more like a premium economy then anything else.

Fully-flat seats and on-demand menu ordering sound great.

If only they will now open a DUB-LAX flight up they would be perfect, can usually get their long-haul flights quite cheap via BA's avios points too.

In all fairness though,there is no comparison between EI's existing almost fully flat seats and premium economy on BA or any airline.Ei's existing product with fine dining(as airline dining goes) free wifi etc is a far cry from poor premium economy.

The new fully flat seats just brings ex Dub Tatl flights up to the standard other hubs had years ago.
What this May do is force other ex DUB Tatl carriers to put on their fully flat services and some are even nicer than the new EI offering,so win win.

ShaneC93 wrote: »

A direct flight to LAX would be such a time saver for me anyway and cost wise too if paid for with avios.

Good luck with finding availability for those on the days you need if they ever start that route.
It's possible to get EI with avios at the moment to the states in J but difficult.
It's a leisure option only.
You wouldn't want to be needing to go for business on specific dates...

roundymac · 01-08-2014 9:32am

What are the business seats like on the 757s compared to the 330s at present?

pclive · 01-08-2014 10:02am

Looks like they are expanding business class back to door 2?

suasdaguna2 · 01-08-2014 10:11am

pclive wrote: »

Looks like they are expanding business class back to door 2?

With just 2 CCMs up front?

Bussywussy · 01-08-2014 10:30am

I heard LAX,Dallas and another florida route are being seriously considered with 2 A330 coming in,1 already sourced

suasdaguna2 · 01-08-2014 12:36pm

Bussywussy wrote: »

I heard LAX,Dallas and another florida route are being seriously considered with 2 A330 coming in,1 already sourced

Jeez that would be great. All I know is that SFO is jammers. If they are looking at LAX the demand for the west coast re future bookings must be through the roof. EI EWR is being bandied about as returning. I think they need a IGW 300 to satisfy demand.

hairybelly · 01-08-2014 1:02pm

would be nice if it wasnt so outrageously expensive!

Idbatterim · 01-08-2014 1:12pm

Please, please let there be a Vegas flight at some stage in the near future, even if one 3-4 times a week during the summer season!!!

Tenger · 01-08-2014 2:44pm

suasdaguna2 wrote: »

With just 2 CCMs up front?

30 seats with 2 crew.......definitely below par. I guess BA would have 3-4 in a similar area?

However I think United have 2 crew for their J Class on the B757, while EI only have 1 on their own B757's.

ShaneC93 · 01-08-2014 5:04pm

Tenger wrote: »

30 seats with 2 crew.......definitely below par. I guess BA would have 3-4 in a similar area?

2 for 30 is below average, other airlines tend to go for one crew member per 10-12 business pax.

But compared to, for example, La Compagnie who are a new "low-cost" trans-Atlantic airline who have only 3 crew for 74 business seats, AerLingus are not too bad on that front.

Just fingers crossed it does not mean that meals will be served from a trolley, all on one tray

afatbollix · 02-08-2014 10:49pm

I've had 2 CW on a business class flight with BA to Lisbon. That must be mad for 2 all the way to New York! Must be manic.

afatbollix · 02-08-2014 10:50pm

hairybelly wrote: »

would be nice if it wasnt so outrageously expensive!

Thats the point!

Tenger · 02-08-2014 10:56pm

afatbollix wrote: »

I've had 2 CW on a business class flight with BA to Lisbon. That must be mad for 2 all the way to New York! Must be manic.

Shorthaul J Class is quite different to Trans-Atlantic J Class.

I'm not 100% but I think BA have 3 cabin crew on their A318 service from LCY-SNN-JFK which has 32 seats.

de biz · 14-02-2015 2:03am

EI-DUO arrived back from Bordeaux Friday,EIN991,with the upgraded business class retrofit completed.

Tenger · 14-02-2015 1:52pm

de biz wrote: »

EI-DUO arrived back from Bordeaux Friday,EIN991,with the upgraded business class retrofit completed.

Saw the pic on the EI twitter account....looks sparkling....oh to get a test flight on her!

Seats look crammed in there, but with full recline am sure it will hardly be noticed.

EDIT:

Preset No.3 wrote: »

Is that a 1-2-2 config?

Sort of. Saw it posted elsewhere that it alternates 1-2-2 with 1-2-1

Preset No.3 · 14-02-2015 2:21pm

Is that a 1-2-2 config?

donvito99 · 14-02-2015 3:17pm

Preset No.3 wrote: »

Is that a 1-2-2 config?

Essentially, yes.

IMO needs much more green.

basill · 15-02-2015 3:01pm

They were from Portadown so what do you expect:)

Preset No.3 · 15-02-2015 3:17pm

basill wrote: »

They were from Portadown so what do you expect:)

Living in the past much?

donvito99 · 15-02-2015 3:37pm

basill wrote: »

They were from Portadown so what do you expect:)

EasyJet prolific customers no doubt.... :pac::pac::pac:

Tenger · 26-03-2015 7:02pm

Found this review from a travel blogger from last week:
http://travelskills.com/2015/03/25/trip-report-aer-lingus-new-business-class/

IRLConor · 26-03-2015 10:42pm

Tenger wrote: »

Found this review from a travel blogger from last week:
http://travelskills.com/2015/03/25/trip-report-aer-lingus-new-business-class/

It looks good. I'd love to have a go. My next trip (this weekend actually) I'm down the back but maybe next time I'll get to sit up front!

It looks like a definite improvement over the previous version and I really like the look of the seats the article dubbed "Captain Kirk" seats.

MJohnston · 27-03-2015 6:00am

Flew on it a couple of times recently. The only "bad" seats are the right hand ones where it's doubled up because they both get less storage space than the doubled up middle seats. Probably the best seats would be 3K, 5K, or any of the single seats on the left hand side of the cabin.

It's a massive improvement imo, I've flown BA business before and it is definitely a good bit ahead of that offering in terms of comfort and modernity. One of the best things is the overhead air vents are still there, so you can get some air, whereas I always get really over-warm and sweaty on the BA lie-flats.

One negative is that the buttons to adjust the seats are far too sensitive, so you'll find your elbow touching them and moving you about quite a bit.

Aer Lingus - New Business Class

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