Aeroflot vs Aer Lingus to Ireland
 

We are planning a trip to Ireland this summer, flying out of Chicago. The best connections are on Aeroflot or Aer Lingus. Anyone have opinions on these airlines?

Dear Michael: I shouldn't think there would be a question--Aer Lingus is the IRISH airline. They've been flying capitalists from America to Ireland for years and they will make you comfortable. I admit I've never been on an Aeroflot flight--but I've heard rather dreary reports about them. By the way, I think Delta flies from America to Ireland--perhaps not as directly as Aer Lingus; but they ARE low-priced at this time of year. Give them a call too. Good trip. Joan

Hi Michael--we flew Aer Lingus and really enjoyed it--it is a great introduction to the country; we went on the Aer Lingus B&B and car package which I can highly recommend; if you are interested in staying in B&Bs it is the way to go--every place we stayed in was wonderful and each woman called ahead to the next town we were going to and made reservations for us with their friends who ran B&Bs in that town; I also had friends who used the hotel package and it was great; another nice feature is that everything is paid for before you leave the States and they give you vouchers for the car and your lodging so you don't have to deal with paying for that. Have a grand time--I would spend as much time as you can west of the Shannon; just remembered another nice thing about Aer Lingus--you can fly into Dublin and out of Shannon so you can see Dublin, then drive around the country leaving out of Shannon. Hope this helps--you will have a grand time! Mary

I have flown by Aeroflot from Washington,D.C. to Moscow through Shannon, Ireland. I don't think it is dangerous, because they use only modern airplanes for these flights (Boeings or Airbuses). Their service probably is not as high as that of Delta and they surely haven't such a features as Air Lingus. For me it doesn't matter, it is enough to have a good piece of meat instead of oisters and some beer or wine instead of champagne. But what I like about Aeroflot is that their prices are usually $200-$500 lower than those of other companies. Think, how many features could you get for those saved money. Of course, if a couple of hundreds dollars is nothing for you - take Delta or Air Lingus.

I would absolutely fly Aer Lingus. I have been going over to Ireland for almost ten years now and have always had great service from them. They have gone out of their way to accomodate me on short notice and have always helped with changing flights. It's Irish hospitality at its best. By the way, I do know people who have flown on Aeroflot and have had really horrible experiences. It might not happen all the time, but it did every time to the folks I know.

When I flew Aeroflot, the safety precautions were a joke. The emergency exit door was blocked by cargo on the floor, the slide was a manually operated affair, instead of being automatic, and the bathroom (lavatory) smelled of urine thoughout the rear of the aircraft due to a leak. These are facts. They just do not get the idea of safety for passengers.

No brainer...Aer Lingus!