This month.

barb - me neither! We flew JFK - Rome via Shannon and Dublin last June. Pay for stowing luggage??? What? Where have I been-I've never heard of this.We booked tickets for next June JFK to Rome through Dublin by calling the airline and no one mentioned this additional fee. Doesn't the luggage go straight through to Rome? I'm confused. (Next we'll be charged to use the toilets onboard. Wash your hands afterwards - 2 euros, please. Sheesh.)

It;s the newest fad - pay-per-perk flights. Evidently several low cost airlines are doing this. You pay a low basic no-frills fare, and pay extra for the perks you care about. ie., seat assignment, checked luggage, fluffy pillows, etc.

I am so glad I asked. Now that explains why I can't pull up Aer Lingus on seatguru.

Am I correct in understanding that we will have to pay for seat assignments and checking luggage? Is food available on these flights? I'm starting to anticipate a long journey with my children.

Aer Lingus charges short haul passengers for checked luggage.

They don't charge:
- passengers on transatlantic flights
- passengers on code share tickets showing a BA, AA or KL number forthe shorthauk)
- passengers who booked before August 10, 2006.

I assume - but only prhirsch knows - this means lugage don't charges don't apply to the poster. It's worth double-checking with the airline my understanding that passengers who've used Aer Lingus across the Atlantic NEVER pay for bags on their onward connections in Europe. The website doesn't actually say this straight out.

Seat selection can be done for the transatlantic flight on the Aer Lingus website, and is free. Food is free on the transtalantic flight: it's paid for on the Dublin-Rome flight.

In cattle class, Aer Lingus doesn't offer fluffy pillows, free or for ready money. Its rather naff and mimsy pillows are free.

Connections at Dublin are certainly relatively stressless by comparison with LHR, CDG and Frankfurt.

Great info. Thanks.I'm feeling a little better and, after all, we're not going to the moon. I will prepare the kids for a character building experience, and if it's any different we'll just be pleasantly surprised.

flanneruk - Phew! That's what I thought. Our tickets are bought and paid for. I had visions of flight attendants cruising through the cabin demanding cash or the pilot would open the cargo hold!
prhirsch - Your flight with kids will be no better or worse than any other. As I've said before - it's coach, which is character building on any airline.

prhirsch...I am a packrat so I will see if I can find the seat stub for our tix with those good seats I'd mentioned earlier..It may be in with the maps, etc...Check this thread in a week or so. What I can tell you NOW is that they were in the middle back of economy and in a spot that looked on paper pretty bad. I was complaining before I saw them and was pleasantly surprised.

Wondering I eagerly await your reply and fully respect your rat packing tendencies! Having flown an overseas flight where my seat back did not recline has made me rather particular....Patty

Sorry for the delay...Still haven't located seat stub, but I am thinking when you check in, see if they know at the desk or can call someone in the flight crew. My dh reminded me that HE was the one who had that row (we booked one ff and pd for one at separate times) and I moved from my seat that looked better to sit with him back there! Good luck!