Aer Lingus - New Business Class

MJohnston · 08-04-2015 3:23pm

yer man! wrote: »

I flew Delta to NY last year and I have to say the product they offered (for the same price) was far far superior, unlimited free alcohol, hot towels, as much food as you can eat, free eye patch sleepy things, pretty good in-flight entertainment and a proper amount of cabin crew so you were well taken care of. The AerLingus experience just feels toned down and done on the cheap.

Weird - flew back on EI146 on Monday in business, and had pretty much everything on that list.

NSAman · 08-04-2015 4:34pm

MJohnston wrote: »

Weird - flew back on EI146 on Monday in business, and had pretty much everything on that list.

I agree, EI has better food and far better service than business on AA and Delta. I fly a huge amount. BA is good, how they can say that Ibera is business class I will never know, it is awful.

JCX BXC · 08-04-2015 4:35pm

MJohnston wrote: »

Weird - flew back on EI146 on Monday in business, and had pretty much everything on that list.

That's the difference between J class in SNN and DUB.

Tenger · 08-04-2015 4:46pm

Vuzuggu wrote: »

They really do.............Aer Lingus is getting a bit of a reputation for bending the facts.

Ive been saying that for years (although in relation to other issues) :rolleyes:

Tenger · 08-04-2015 4:53pm

yer man! wrote: »

I've used the SNN - BOS EI 757 a few times now and overall I have to say they provide a fairly good service,............................I flew Delta to NY last year and I have to say the product they offered (for the same price) was far far superior, unlimited free alcohol, hot towels, as much food as you can eat, free eye patch sleepy things, pretty good in-flight entertainment and a proper amount of cabin crew so you were well taken care of. The AerLingus experience just feels toned down and done on the cheap........

I think you highlight an important issue. EI are reducing staff and trying to keep the same service. 4 crew on a B757 vs 5/6 for the US airlines.
Titan have 6 crew on their 264Y config B767......EI now have 5 crew for their 290 Y cabin on the A333.

At the same time EI are trying to introduce as much "ancillary revenue" products as they can on their T/A routes. This to me is going to drive away first time pax who are using EI and DUB.

Carnacalla wrote: »

On another note, has anyone done a speed test on EI WiFi? I'd love to see how high the ping is.

Well I know a girl and she was able to stream the Ireland vs Wales match for some J Class pax a couple of weeks ago.

yer man! · 08-04-2015 5:14pm

MJohnston wrote: »

Weird - flew back on EI146 on Monday in business, and had pretty much everything on that list.

Oh sorry, forgot to mention these were economy class seats on both Delta and EI. I know it's off topic, sorry....

Tenger · 08-04-2015 11:47pm

yer man! wrote: »

Oh sorry, forgot to mention these were economy class seats on both Delta and EI. I know it's off topic, sorry....

Well not off topic if the "new Business Class" is actually impacting the Economy class experience. EI at the moment are on a big PR campaign about the J Class product.....but nothing about Y. Funny that.
Y Class class may not have the profit margin and/or RASK potential as J Class...however it is often the customers first experience with and airline. And with the EI business model I expect that some customers travel westbound in Business (going to meetings in the US) but travel back in Economy.

IRLConor · 09-04-2015 12:06am

Tenger wrote: »

And with the EI business model I expect that some customers travel westbound in Business (going to meetings in the US) but travel back in Economy.

Anyone who's paying for J one way and Y the other would be best advised to do the reverse. You want the bed on the way back! You shouldn't be sleeping on the way out.

I did DUB-SFO-DUB in economy last week and it was pretty solid. The amenity kits in economy are nice actually. When did they come in?

Sadly, an upgrade was silly money – I got quoted $2900 to upgrade the return leg. Considering the original ticket was ~€1,100 that would be ~€3200 for one way. I got DUB-AUH-SYD-AUH-DUB in Etihad's business class for not much more than that. I know it was last minute in terms of timing, but in €/hour terms Aer Lingus were looking for 4 times the money Etihad wanted and Etihad's business class is excellent.

galwayjohn89 · 09-04-2015 9:18am

IRLConor wrote: »

Anyone who's paying for J one way and Y the other would be best advised to do the reverse. You want the bed on the way back! You shouldn't be sleeping on the way out.

I'd take Business West-Bound over East-Bound. Slightly longer flight, plus you can get work done and enjoy the service.

NSAman · 09-04-2015 10:23am

Vuzuggu wrote: »

I'd take Business West-Bound over East-Bound. Slightly longer flight, plus you can get work done and enjoy the service.

Oh god no,,,, travelling with the "commoners"?? sorry has to be business at the very least

I jest..;)

IRLConor · 09-04-2015 10:28am

Vuzuggu wrote: »

I'd take Business West-Bound over East-Bound. Slightly longer flight, plus you can get work done and enjoy the service.

I agree that you get to enjoy the service more if you're awake. That said, I see the main benefit of business class as "buying a day of my life back" since I'm a functioning human the day of arriving off an eastbound business class flight. Anyone who saw me on Sunday could testify how utterly broken I am after an eastbound economy overnight flight.

I'm able to work in economy so long as the person in front doesn't recline, but maybe I'm just lucky. I got plenty done on the way over on the last trip.

MJohnston · 09-04-2015 10:51am

Having just done the DUB-SFO-DUB trip I'd definitely say if you had to pick one trip to be flying business on, it'd be the eastbound. I was awake and watching films on my tablet the entire time westbound, because you want to be awake if you want to keep the jetlag away. Coming back, if you don't get even a little sleep on the flight, you're fecked for an entire day, and probably a few after that.

One small perk of the business class refit that I forgot to mention before - they didn't redesign the overhead panels, so you still have two air vents that you can point at yourself - this is especially good if you're lying down to sleep because it can get quite warm otherwise. That always annoyed me about BA's 747 business class - the upper deck offered a way better experience, but there was no air flow and you were roasting, horrible to sleep in.

galwayjohn89 · 09-04-2015 11:20am

I'm lucky that jet lag doesn't affect me especially after coming back from east coast of America and would usually stay awake for the flight which can be less than 5 hours, get some food watch a movie or two and you're there. Stay up all day and go to bed 9pm Irish time and I'm back in Irish time. Obviously I'd prefer Business both ways but I would tend to prefer business heading over although could see why people would prefer it westbound

MJohnston · 09-04-2015 1:39pm

Preset No.3 wrote: »

Pricing also has a lot to do with it. If you shop around and buy at the right time you can get Virgin Upper ex DUB via LGW/LHR for about €1400.

Delta also have their sales. I have gotten biz class for about €1500. On their A330 fleet it was angled lie flat, but the service is second to none.

US Airways, don't bother. If its the 757, its recliner seats.

But its always United for me. Lie Flat on the 757. That is a Continental route so its all ex CO crew and they are a step above any of the United crew. Again if you are smart with your buying, you can get business for around the €1500 mark.

Aer Lingus has always been way off the mark with its pricing. For all their sales, etc, you will never get business below €1800.

When I was booking the flights I just took, BA had a sale and it was GBP1600 return in FIRST class. Still booked Aer Lingus though, can't be overstated how much of a benefit not having to transfer thru LHR, and preclearance can be.

galwayjohn89 · 09-04-2015 1:42pm

United used to be my go to Airline but want to give EI a chance with their new offering. UA is great but I feel EI will be a lot better, plus the avios program with EI is much better than United mileageplus.

Razor44 · 09-04-2015 1:53pm

Vuzuggu wrote: »

United used to be my go to Airline but want to give EI a chance with their new offering. UA is great but I feel EI will be a lot better, plus the avios program with EI is much better than United mileageplus.

But EI dont have avios? (Yet anyway)

L1011 · 09-04-2015 2:00pm

Razor44 wrote: »

But EI dont have avios? (Yet anyway)

You can credit EI flights to Avios at some extremely non-beneficial conversion rate from memory.

galwayjohn89 · 09-04-2015 2:00pm

Razor44 wrote: »

But EI dont have avios? (Yet anyway)

You can earn and spend avios on EI flights. In fact (before 17th April) using Avios on EI is the best value for transatlantic business class flights. 50k return to Boston in business.

Razor44 · 09-04-2015 2:16pm

Learn something new everyday

Tenger · 09-04-2015 4:35pm

Vuzuggu wrote: »

You can earn and spend avios on EI flights. In fact (before 17th April) using Avios on EI is the best value for transatlantic business class flights. 50k return to Boston in business.

Indeed I read that tip on another site a good while back

Crumbs868 · 09-04-2015 6:35pm

Preset No.3 wrote: »

Is this the site that people talk on about they who are flyers? :D:D

English please

Tenger · 09-04-2015 6:37pm

Crumbs868 wrote: »

English please

Flyertalk and airlinersnet have both mentioned this avios conversion on EI tip in the past.

roundymac · 10-04-2015 9:06am

Aer Lingus has always been way off the mark with its pricing. For all their sales, etc, you will never get business below €1800.

My wife is going SNN-JFK in sept for €1400 rtn, business,

goingnowhere · 10-04-2015 12:58pm

Tenger wrote: »

Flyertalk and airlinersnet have both mentioned this avios conversion on EI tip in the past.

Its more to do with the distance band pricing for rewards, DUB-BOS is in a sweet spot, go any further and it hikes up

galwayjohn89 · 10-04-2015 3:36pm

On the BOS flight 139 today its a Titan B767. Looking at the website it doesn't appear to have business class. What happens to people booked into business class?

Neilw · 10-04-2015 7:38pm

Vuzuggu wrote: »

On the BOS flight 139 today its a Titan B767. Looking at the website it doesn't appear to have business class. What happens to people booked into business class?

Happened to me last week coming home from ORD, Omni air charter economy only so I was transfered to the next day.

NSAman · 10-04-2015 8:14pm

Neilw wrote: »

Happened to me last week coming home from ORD, Omni air charter economy only so I was transfered to the next day.

sounds like shortage of airbus due to fitting new business class

galwayjohn89 · 10-04-2015 8:16pm

Seems to be happening quite a bit. Would not be happy at all if I got swapped over. I see May 8th is titan 767 but 7th and 9th aren't. Anyone know why?

Neilw · 11-04-2015 4:51am

NSAman wrote: »

sounds like shortage of airbus due to fitting new business class

I was told the airbus that was scheduled to leave Dublin didn't come out of maintenance, it got there a day late.
Captain said there was a problem with the aux engine that still wasn't working when we were leaving ORD.

olive20 · 11-04-2015 5:53am

Neilw wrote: »

Captain said there was a problem with the aux engine that still wasn't working when we were leaving ORD.

Wots an aux engine?

goingnowhere · 11-04-2015 7:44am

Must have working APU for ETOPS operations, no working APU you either don't fly or take a longer route to stay nearer to diversion airports

eatmyshorts · 11-04-2015 8:41am

goingnowhere wrote: »

Must have working APU for ETOPS operations, no working APU you either don't fly or take a longer route to stay nearer to diversion airports

That depends on the type. On my type we can do 180 min ETOPS without an APU.

JCX BXC · 11-04-2015 11:07am

If you had booked a flight from say DUB-BOS on business class because it was going to be operated by an A330 and it would have the new business class and WiFi, could you claim something off Aer Lingus if your flight was operated by a 757?

basill · 11-04-2015 2:17pm

Must have working APU for ETOPS operations, no working APU you either don't fly or take a longer route to stay nearer to diversion airports

Negative. MEL allows up to 180minutes ETOPS without APU working. That would get you across the Atlantic on any normal daily routing and avoid a longer sector across Greenland and skirting the edge of Iceland.

thecommander · 11-04-2015 3:37pm

Just booked DUB>JFK for September. Looks to be the new seats, seating plan is different to usual. Looking forward to seeing it.

Tenger · 11-04-2015 6:06pm

thecommander wrote: »

Just booked DUB>JFK for September. Looks to be the new seats, seating plan is different to usual......

New seats are currently on all aircraft. Last 2 are down in Bordeaux getting refitted.

Can I enquire about ballpark cost on such a forward booking in J Class?

thecommander · 11-04-2015 7:24pm

Tenger wrote: »

New seats are currently on all aircraft. Last 2 are down in Bordeaux getting refitted.

Can I enquire about ballpark cost on such a forward booking in J Class?

PMed you.

roundymac · 11-04-2015 8:01pm

Tenger wrote: »

New seats are currently on all aircraft. Last 2 are down in Bordeaux getting refitted.

Can I enquire about ballpark cost on such a forward booking in J Class?

The wife got SNN-JFK in sept for €1400, about €150 up on last years price.

knockon · 11-04-2015 8:44pm

olive20 wrote: »

Wots an aux engine?

The APU is the auxiliary power unit. Simply its the little motor normally in the tail section of an aircraft you hear very loudly if boarding near the rear of the aircraft and its function is to provide ground power (electrical and pneumatic) to the aircraft. Again, simply you can have cabin lights, air cond etc without the engines running. Its also needed to start the engines of an aircraft. You can fly with it inop but under certain conditions.

knockon · 11-04-2015 8:53pm

basill wrote: »

Negative. MEL allows up to 180minutes ETOPS without APU working. That would get you across the Atlantic on any normal daily routing and avoid a longer sector across Greenland and skirting the edge of Iceland.

...and the APU Master SW is set to OFF:)

WheatenBriar · 12-04-2015 11:58am

Tenger wrote: »

New seats are currently on all aircraft. Last 2 are down in Bordeaux getting refitted.

Can I enquire about ballpark cost on such a forward booking in J Class?

40k avios gets Bos Untill april 28th when BA rates change
Providing you find availability,you can book up to a year ahead

An awful lot of Americans used their free Amex card avios for those

thecommander · 12-04-2015 3:13pm

WheatenBriar wrote: »

An awful lot of Americans used their free Amex card avios for those

Was about to get a business AMEX for that purpose, but the main company that we deal by card with stopped taking them. Would have racked up a load over the course of a year.

Francis007 · 26-08-2015 9:55pm

My missus and I have been flying Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Heathrow to Boston every year since 2007.
However in the last year or so the VA Upper Class Cabin on their Airbus 330's has been " redesigned "
What that actually has meant is that the original 3 rows in the front cabin has now been squeezed into 4 and the panel between each seat is now a see through glass one rather than the original solid screen.
So, this " redesign " has actually meant less room and less privacy !
Now I know that VA are now using the new Boeing Dreamliner on this route but we have decided to have a change this year and try Aer Lingus new Business Class cabin. We depart in October and will be in New England for 3 weeks.
Will let you know our thoughts on the comparison between the 2 products. AL advantage is the US pre-Immigration and Custom clearance at Dublin. VA advantage is the simply fantastic UC lounge at Heathrow.....and the pretty decent one at Logan.
Also I think we will have to sit with the peasants ( joking ! ) on the flight from Heathrow to Dublin and return !
Also AL was a few hundred pounds cheaper for the two of us....but not much in it.
However the AL product looks good and we are both looking forward to it.

Jamie2k9 · 26-08-2015 10:43pm

EI lounges in DUB/BOS are fairly decent and as your business you have access to the new arrivals lounger at DUB (exclusively for J passengers)

If your flying on the 11.50 outbound USCP is quiet busy but shouldn't be to bad in October.

Francis007 · 27-08-2015 8:15am

Morning Jamie

Thankyou for the quick reply.....and your reassurance that we made a good decision this year by choosing AL over VA ! Yep, on the outward bound,we are flying Heathrow-Dublin on the 08.50 and Dublin-Logan on the 11.50. At the moment both cabins are only one third occupied.Returning on the EL136 Boston-Dublin departing 19.00 and arriving 05.05. Then connecting flight to Heathrow at 06.40.

We purchased our tickets through Travelbag as they were a few hundred pounds cheaper than purchasing directly through the AL website. Only problem is that although we have been given an AL booking reference no. by Travelbag, the AL website does not seem to recognise it when I try to " manage bookings ".

So, although I have our seats allocated in the 2 Business Class parts of our flights, I cannot allocate seats for the Heathrow-Dublin or Dublin-Heathrow legs. Also cannot put in any advanced passenger info.....and it seems as though we will not be able to do an online check in 24 hours before our departure. Any ideas of how we can get round this ? Bearing in mind we are retired "Oldies".....and things like this worry us now. ( joke )

We will miss the "bling " of VA but this flight will be £600 cheaper for the 2 of us...and I think I can forego it for this year !

goingnowhere · 27-08-2015 8:36am

This is normal as you didn't book directly with EI, if you have a reference code beginning with 2 then you have a valid EI reference

You can't pick a seat on DUB-LHR until 30 hours beforehand anyway

Advanced passenger information will be dealt with at check in and boarding cards for the connecting flight issued at the same time.

You have lounge access in LHR outbound and DUB on return in addition to DUB and BOS, just show the business class boarding card

Francis007 · 27-08-2015 9:06am

Hi " Goingnowhere " Thankyou for your kind and helpful reply.

My reference code does begin with a 2....but I cannot type in any of my advanced passenger info on the AL website. It fails to recognise it. In other years flying VA ,I have done this many weeks before departure on the VA website. I know I am worrying too much over this......but being 67 years of age and being re-knowned in my Family as someone who likes to plan everything well ahead ( you know, " fail to plan, plan to fail etc ! ). In fact my Family regulartly take the P out of me for this ! It is a constant source of amusement for my adult children who have now all flown the nest.

May I ask please that if I cannot pick a seat on the LHR-DUB and vice-versa flight until 30 hours beforehand, why, when you look at the seat map of both those flights, are there many seats already allocated ? Just asking !

Thankyou in advance

MJohnston · 27-08-2015 9:07am

Are you able to use this option on the Seat Selection/Advanced Passenger Information parts of the EI website?

It seems to fit with your situation.

goingnowhere · 27-08-2015 10:07am

MJohnston wrote: »

Are you able to use this option on the Seat Selection/Advanced Passenger Information parts of the EI website?

It seems to fit with your situation.

This may or may not work, it has issues with connecting flights

All else fails, you can simply call Aer Lingus by phone and the can sort it out for you, as you have a business class ticket they may as a courtesy allocate you seats there and then but in general its best wait to the airport as online check in will probably only offer rows 10-29

Francis007 · 28-08-2015 8:25am

goingnowhere wrote: »

This may or may not work, it has issues with connecting flights

All else fails, you can simply call Aer Lingus by phone and the can sort it out for you, as you have a business class ticket they may as a courtesy allocate you seats there and then but in general its best wait to the airport as online check in will probably only offer rows 10-29

No,unable to do that. The website just refuses to recognise my booking reference, even though Travelbag insists that my booking reference no. beginning with 2 is a valid AL number.

So, what Travelbag were able to do was to allocate the Business Class section of the flight seats but not the short haul part Heathrow to Dublin and back.

May I ask if as we are flying Business Class are we allocated seats in the front of the plane seperated by a middle seat ? Or is that offered only on European flights ?

I did ring the help desk of AL about this and they were not helpful at all. Nearer hte date of the flight I think I will ring again and if not helped at all will ask to speak to a Supervisor . Well, we did pay almost £4000 for our flights so I think we deserve a little consideration ! This is another big difference with our experiences over the last 10 years with VA. They could not have been more charming or helpful if we had a minor problem. Even though I am an old git now I must admit that I will miss those girls in red !

On the Dublin-Boston and return we have decided to go for the individual seats on the left hand side of the plane. ( well, we have been married for 45 years so we can cope with not sitting together for 6 and a half hours ! ) Thought they looked a better bet than the " Captain Kirk " seats on the opposite side. Any thoughts ?

Thankyou for all the help given here. A good and informative site.

Aer Lingus - New Business Class

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