Aer Lingus - New bag fees for carry-on €5.99 or €35 at the gate

bikeman1 · 22-06-2021 9:35am

The low cost airlines, and EI is trying to be one, are always trying to find ways to squeeze more out of their passengers to increase their average spend. There is nothing new with this. Then something changes operationally and they make another change and so on and on.

The reverse is true too, to save the number of baggage handlers and check in staff required the airlines drove the size of luggage down and then encouraged everyone to bring their bags on board, vastly reduced the amount of staff required to bring your bag from the carousel to the aircraft and back again.

Now (well pre-covid), on time flights are very important with potential for large delays if flights don't get away on time. The cost benefit has swung to have the now smaller bags loaded on the aircraft by staff as that's where they were going anyway when the bags got sent down from the cabin.

For me personally, there are some flights - particularly those flights coming home to Dublin where I just want to get off and home ASAP, I will pay for having my bag on board. Others like when I have plenty of time on the other end will throw it in the hold. I never understand priority boarding so each to their own.

The joys of low cost aviation!

markpb · 22-06-2021 10:49am

bikeman1 wrote: »

I never understand priority boarding so each to their own.

If I'm travelling by myself, I couldn't care less about priority boarding. When I'm travelling with my kids, I'll happily pay for it because it's easier to get them on with fewer people on board and, crucially, there's a better chance of putting their bags overhead so I'm not walking a marathon between seat and bag fetching toys, colouring pencils, snacks, nappies, etc.

JeffKenna · 22-06-2021 10:54am

I actually like checking my cabin bag in before security. Going away for a weekend or a night it's great to bring whatever toiletries I want without worrying they'd be taken off me at security.

titan18 · 22-06-2021 10:57am

To me, it's I hate queuing, and it's nice to get on to the plane, sit down, get comfortable, put the bag away easily etc. Coming in mid way down a queue, you're climbing over people and hoping there's space for the bag. Having the window seat and climbing over people to get into it is not fun.

RunningFlyer · 22-06-2021 3:21pm

I would say this summer I wouldn’t be worrying about queuing for bags at the other end as I’d say the Qs for immigration (usually before baggage) will take longer to process anyway with the Covid cert checks etc.

Otherwise, I support the policy as frequent flyers, connections and higher fare pax are unaffected, and the price point is low enough on the saver fare that if you really want to hang on to your bag you can.

Once they don’t start increasing the price based on flight length though, that will just p*ss people off.

theguzman · 25-06-2021 12:03pm

I am a pretty frequent flyer and in the last 18 months I have not used Aer Lingus once and Ryanair only for one return flight. I hate carryon luggage with a passion. I prefer checked always as I can carry more stuff including liquids, and I often would buy a bottle of some native liquor or specialised spirits and bring it back. I wonder how will this be implemented on connecting flights to full service carriers?

Advantages are that I don't have to pack like a soldier heading into battle and spend hours folding or rolling clothes to fit into a crappy carryon. Most recently I flew Qatar Airways from Sao Paulo to Doha and I had 2 x 23kg pieces and I checked in my carryon also and only took my laptop bag with my meds into the cabin. A few weeks earlier it was the same story with Turkish Airlines on the outward to South America, less hassle at security and dragging stuff through the airport also.

<SNIP>

My choice nowadays is usually the flag carrier of whatever European country I'm going to, inevitably it is often British Airways, Ryanair only gets considered if it is €100 cheaper or as was the case last year they were the only airline operating in the worst days of the virus. I have travelled to ten countries in the pandemic across five continents and covid made travelling a breeze due to lesser numbers but we all know this is not economically feasible for long.

Noxegon · 25-06-2021 5:29pm

theguzman wrote: »

Ryanair is Ryanair and you know you will be treated like dirt but at least they are not masquerading as something good

There's been little to choose from between short-haul EI and Ryanair for quite some time now.

The only real differentiating factor is that Ryanair tends to be on time

blackvalley · 25-06-2021 6:04pm

theguzman wrote: »

.........
In the last five years I have only voluntarily booked Aer Lingus once or twice and the rest of my flights were connections via LHR or AMS.......

I have travelled all over Europe with Ryanair and have never been " treated like dirt ". Perhaps iv just been lucky or my perception of dirt differ from others.
Luckily I have never been seated beside " Scumbags " either for that matter .:)

cson · 26-06-2021 1:13am

theguzman wrote: »

............
My choice nowadays is usually the flag carrier of whatever European country I'm going to, inevitably it is often British Airways, Ryanair only gets considered if it is €100 cheaper or as was the case last year they were the only airline operating in the worst days of the virus. I have travelled to ten countries in the pandemic across five continents and covid made travelling a breeze due to lesser numbers but we all know this is not economically feasible for long.

Have you flown on a BA A32N?

Because I can't believe you'd admonish the FR product if you have.

BA's regular Y A32N seat is on a par with Spirit & Frontier.

Locker10a · 26-06-2021 11:04am

cson wrote: »

Have you flown on a BA A32N?

Because I can't believe you'd admonish the FR product if you have.

BA's regular Y A32N seat is on a par with Spirit & Frontier.

Indeed; it’s the same seating as Easyjet and I believe TAP have the same down the back in their euro economy too... sadly it’s just the reality of economy these days.

Also regarding BA... don’t they board by groups !? And you’re assigned group is based on you’re fare level... so basically the more you pay the more priority you get.... and the have the same problem with cabin luggage.... go figure

manofwisdom · 04-02-2023 12:57am

I'm flying from Dublin to Manchester in a couple of week is it still free to bring a bag 7kg or under on board?

04-02-2023 1:04am

Perspective. I first travelled London to Dublin in 1980s. It cost pounds 299.00

Locker10a · 04-02-2023 1:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120199693#Comment_120199693

A small personal item is free, they don’t weight it generally, it must be the size of a handbag or laptop bag.

a 10kg case May be checked in for free

Chris_5339762 · 05-02-2023 10:00pm

A small backpack is allowed - basically anything that fits under the seat. You can pack enough in that for several days.

Mr rebel · 15-02-2023 4:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117512854#Comment_117512854

And for some reason that Aer Lingus still benefits from getting to arrive/depart at the “better” terminals while Ryanair get stuck with the “budget” ones - see Bordeaux airport as one example.

Locker10a · 16-02-2023 12:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120244335#Comment_120244335

That’s down to airline choice

coylemj · 21-02-2023 2:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120244335#Comment_120244335

Aer Lingus pays to use the 'better' terminal. Ditto in Dublin Airport, where Ryanair decided to save money by not using the jetways. Instead, Ryanair opted to dump their passengers on the apron. Resulting in the current situation where it's impossible for DAA to segregate arriving passengers into passport/no passport lines. And we all have to queue for passport control, even when arriving from the UK.

Noxegon · 21-02-2023 6:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120270109#Comment_120270109

There are existing doors directly behind the passport control booths in T1.

I imagine if the will was there it'd be possible to bus passengers there from domestic and UK arrivals.

IngazZagni · 21-02-2023 11:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120270109#Comment_120270109

I'm sorry but this is incorrect. I'm not getting into a debate about the CTA again but how would this even be possible in T2? They could easily get arriving passengers onto buses to bypass passport control like they do in multiple UK airports but of course our CTA rules are different so we need to check nationality at passport control. Dumping pax onto the apron has no affect on this.

Charges at T1 and T2 are the same with an additional airbridge charge.

Aer Lingus - New bag fees for carry-on €5.99 or €35 at the gate

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