Aer Lingus vs. British Airways?
 

We are looking into buying tickets to Ireland for our vacation in August. We can save about 700.00 (divided by four of us) going with Aer Lingus vs. British Airways. We're flying from SFO so this is a long flight. Is there a noticeable difference between the two carriers?

I've flown BA from Houston to London several times and flown Aer Lingus from Baltimore to Ireland and also a Dublin-London flight. I found that Aer Lingus is very no frills. BA flights have individual tv screens with multiple channels that you can change whereas Aer Lingus doesn't have individual screens and you have no choice in programming (maybe different situation with different routes). BA offers better meal and snack service, even offering candy and cookies in the back of the plane. I think leg room was probably about the same. BA flight crews were nicer than the Aer Lingus people (to my surprise) and also Aer Lingus messed up seat assignments for each leg of my four flights. BA has never messed up my seat assignments. If the price were equal or not too much different I would pick BA over AL, but at a savings at $175 a person, I guess I would pick Aer Lingus. It will be safe and fine. International flying is not comfortable on any carrier really, unless you fly in first class!

The two airlines share one very important characteristic. Neither fly from San Francisco to Dublin, and both require you to change airlines to do this journey. In both cases, your bags should be htrough-checked all the way

Aer Lingus sell tickets that usually uses American Airlines to Los Angeles or Chicago, whence an Aer Lingus flight to Dublin. Returning, you go through US immigration at Dublin.

BA will sell you a ticket on BA to Heathrow, where you change (at the same terminal, going through what is in effect Irish immigration, but not customs, which doesn't happen anywhere, but would happen at Dublin if it did, if that doersn't sound too Irish)) onto an Aer Lingus flight to Dublin. Returning, you go through US immigration at San Francisco.

The differences between the two transatlantic flights are, IMHO, trivial.

It's the two alternative terminal experiences you need to think about. And I'd go for an all-Terminal 1 at Heathrow over LAX or ORD any day.

Others may differ. But ensure, before they trot out a story about changing from Air Azeri onto Air France at Heathrow, that they're describing anything remoteky resembling the transfer you'll be taking.

Aer Lingus is not my favorite airline but it is not horrible. Either way you have to make connections either in Chicago or London. I agree with Aggiegirl, pocket the 700 for a couple of nice dinners. The one thing to keep an eye on is the fact that Aer Lingus is in the process of becoming a private company and staff is being forced to take cuts in pay and benifits. The staff is talking strike. This should all have been settled by Aug. Aer Lingus staff in the past has staged one and two day work stoppages. Have fun

Actually, we are traveling with a four and six year old so the lack of individual monitors on Aer Lingus could be a deal breaker. It's bad enough taking a long flight with them with the TVs! And they would have us routed through LAX (United to LAX).

I was going to suggest Continental, which I prefer. It flys to SNN from SFO stopping in EWR (Newark). Unfortunately, I don't think they have individual tv monitors in economy.

In the summer, CO's EWR-DUB will be on a 767-200 with personal video screen. However, SFO-EWR is almost as long as EWR-DUB, and that leg will be on a narrow-bodied 737 or 757, with no personal video.

Monica, I don't know what your dates are in Aug. but have you checked with Delta? I believe they fly SFO to ATL then ATL to DUB or SNN all on 767's. They are not as cheap as Aer Lingus but cheaper than BA. Just a thought. Have fun

Monica writes: "we are traveling with a four and six year old so the lack of individual monitors on Aer Lingus could be a deal breaker. It's bad enough taking a long flight with them with the TVs!"
It sounds more like you're shopping for a Cineplex than an airline. Our last Ireland flight on Aer Lingus was almost 2-years ago: our AirBus 330 didn't have individual screens in Economy Class.

AerLingus Code shares with American on several routes, so when you think you will be flying an AerLingus AirBus 340 you may find yourself on an American Airlines Boeing 757. So it's unlikely that you'll know when you buy your tix exactly the carrier & aircraft you'll be flying.

Go for the least exoensive and hope for the best!

You can always tell for sure which airline you're flying when you book. Airlines don't switch around your itinerary unless there's a cancellation.

But it's correct that not all of Aer Lingus' A330 has individual screens. They have 7 A330 and 2 on order, some of them older without personal video. I don't know the exact number of each type.

We flew Aer Lingus from LAX to Dublin, a 10-hour flight, in summer 2006. WE were fortunate to have the individual screens both ways, and it was fun, made the time pass faster. They had games, movies, and music.

HOWEVER the seats were amazingly crowded. We have travelled a lot in the past few years and I haven't taken any other international flights with seats that crammed!

Also, I have no idea why, but for a great number of hours they kept announcing that the pilot says to keep on your seat belt and you are not allowed to get up to use the bathroom. However as many hours went by with the same message, and the flight seemed fine to us, about normal, I mean we didn't experience any horrible turbulence...I just had to use the bathroom, it was ridiculous! Passengers began to go, becasue they just had to.

Now, I understand maybe there was a good reason why they kept making this announcement...maybe there was a possibility of serious problems or something...but it was unrealistic to expect people to wait that long. Also the problems never materialized. So, when it was officially okay to go to the bathroom, those poor folks who had waited had a VERY long line!

I have flown on flights with turbulence but have never seen an announcement specifically telling you not to get up to use the bathroom for so many hours.

On the good side...the Aer Lingus flight serves a great cup of tea...and 10 hours from LAX to Dublin non-stop is terrific timing!

Sorry haven't flown SF to Dublin. Good luck choosing.

I go home once or twice a year and for the past four years have done the Aer Lingus LAX - DUB flight. Twice I had the individual monitors which was great. But the past two years, I have not. I spoke to another passenger on my last flight and they said that Aer Lingus started a new route to Saudi Arabia and were pushing that route and have all their newer planes with the individual monitors on that route. Not sure if she was right or not. Is there any way to find out in advance if you have the planes with the monitors. I would bring a portable DVD player if I knew it did not. Do they let you use them on the flights???

maureencol, I spoke to a great travel agent when I booked my Aer Lingus flight, and at that time (summer 2006) there wasn't any way you could know in advance whether you would get one of the planes with the individual video monitors. You would of course need to see if this situation has changed since summer 2006. We got lucky and had them both ways between LAX and Dublin.

I flew LAX to Dub in September on EI. No personnel video, and pay for drinks. The Dub to LAX flight in December aircraft did have video. BA are certainly better for facilities and service. But $700. better? I don't think so. Also EI gave me a full ff point per mile compared to 0.25 from BA.

Take the $700 you'll save and get an inexpensive portable DVD player...that way you know your children will have something that will keep them entertained and you'll have it for future travels.