I am getting ready to book my Aerlingus flight from Boston to Shannon. Does anyone have any suggestions for which seats to request? Can't go first class so I was thinking of a spot with good access to tv's and far enough away from any young ones. There will be 3 of us and I should have plenty of choices as I am not going until May. Thanks

You're asking us how many children will be on the flight and where Aer Lingus will be putting them? On a flight laving in May?????

Shouldn;t you be asking them that? (Not that they'll be able to tell you - but they have to know more than we do.)

Can't help you specifically, as it depends on the plane and configuration. I usually try the airline's website for a plane configuration (often available when you book online). You cn try www.seatguru.com but they don't have a lot of foreign flights.

AS for kids, generally, it seems to me they are often in the first row (bulkhead) most often, it is often reserved for them due to that baby cot they may put up there, and then maybe the row after that ... or in the very rear. I just try to avoid the first few rows after the bulkhead, and always prefer to avoid the very last row or two for lots of reasons (may not recline, near toilets, etc.). Other than that, it's not so predictable.

Maybe you could charter a plane!!!

ny traveler...I didn't expect anyone in this forum would know how many children would be on a flight to Ireland in May. I have never travelled on Aer Lingus and was looking for any advice from experienced Aer Lingus travelors conerning where they might place children, where tv's are located or anything else. Maybe you misunderstood my question?
christina...Thank you for the excellent advise. I will check out www.seatguru.com. I accidentally posted my question twice and it was suggested on the other post. Along with staying away from the back and the exit rows (which may be colder).
carlyspa...Charter a plane! Not on my budget but wouldnt it be cool I wouldnt have to request seats.

Thanks everybody. I'll be booking soon.

we took the boston to shannon flight this past june and was not impressed with aer lingus...the seats were small, hard (like cheap bus seats) and the small tvs were just in the middle rows and were constantly interrupted...as were the music channels

a friend of ours did get a newer plane on her flight and had individual screens...guess it's just luck?

I always like the 2 seats on sides (rather than middle section)...if 3 maybe get the 2 seats with the aisle seat across from them.

do invest in a nice sleeping mask...for some reason they never turned the lights off on our flight...never was interrupted so much on a flight either...usually they let you sleep...but this flight they kept bugging us with this or that...

Aer lingus being cheaper also seemed to attract more people with small children.

also drink service is very strange...ran out of everything (if you like diet anything, especially since you probably can't bring your own now...your out of luck)and had to serve yourself after first time thru...pay as you go on alcohol...and had to get on first time thru before dinner was served

maybe invest in some of those expensive sound proof headphones

I did enjoy getting into shannon early...other than that...would not fly aer lingus again

Gotta love those cheap fares on Aer Lingus though! I am one of those people who took advantage and brought my 4 kids with me to Ireland a couple of years ago. The tv's were in the middle, (There are still plenty of US carriers with that same "inconvenience"...), but I didn't notice any major wierd issues except that were weren't allowed to use personal CD players. Nothing at all with a "laser." I was mad, as I had bought them for each of my kids to keep them happy on the flight! Also, the fact is that no international flight is comfortable if you can't be in first class.

Jeez - for me, any seat on an Aer Lingus flight would be great right now!

Well, in that it's going in the right direction, I'd agree with margo! But I have to say, my experiences have been similar to chip's. So far, their seats have found me to be a good target for abuse. Last time, it was a spring that was in exactly the wrong place.

Other than that, the seating arrangement (and state of repair too, I guess) is really going to depend on the model aircraft being used for your flight. Infants would likely to fill the bulkheads first, but otherwise children will be anywhere in the cabin.

Flew Aer Lingus in July 2006. I thought there were a greater number of children on the flight than I have ever seen before. I think there were quite a few Irish families returning home after their vacations. Generally families with children preferred the middle section of the plane.

Our plane from LAX to Dublin had 2 seats by the window, then a wider middle section (4 or 5 across? didn't count), then 2 or 3 again by the other window.

the most comfortable seats are the 2 by the window. Because you have more elbow room. For 3 people I would probably request the 2 by the window (that would be one window and one aisle) and put the 3rd person in an aisle seat in front of you.

On our flights everyone had an individual screen for movies and games. (Not every flight has this but both of ours did.)

Aer Lingus seats are especially cramped compared to other airlines I have flown so you won't be comfortable no matter where you sit. If children bother you, put on your headphones, listen to music or a movie, and you won't hear them.

Children don't bother me. I have 3 of them and they are now over 18, so I know it's not easy traveling with children.

On our flights I must say no children caused any problems whatsoever. The only problem I had was Aer Lingus seats were very cramped, and the aisles are so narrow that I had to dodge elbows, feet in the aisles, and heads lolling into the aisles every time I needed to walk down the aisle! And these were all adult heads, elbows, and feet in the aisles.

Bring a comfortable neck pillow, just a simple uncomplicated one. Use that for your neck. Use the pillow the airline gives you for your lower back. That is as comfortable as you are going to get.

Yeah, the seats in Aer Lingus seem to be getting smaller...or maybe its the fact that I am getting a bit bigger! I don't know how tall people manage. I am 5'2" and it seems cramped to me. But then again, I would go in baggage if it was cheap enough! LOL The flight is just one of the inconveniences I have to deal with in order to get to Ireland.

stillriver -

Sorry - you specifically asked which seats would put you "far enough away from any young ones". No one can ever know this about any flight until everyone is seated - so the question is ridiculous.

It's true that people with infants are often allowed to sit in the bulkhead row - which could account for a few children - but since there may be 5 or 10 or 25 or who knows how many kids on your flight there is no sensible way to pick seats away "far enough away" from any children. Especially so many months in advance - when the parents of many of the kids that are going to be on the flight haven't even made travel plans yet.

As for access to "TVs" - I assume you mean video screens - that depends on the specific model plane you get - and which version of the plane it is. Also something that only the airline has a clue about now - and may well change several times between now and the date of your trip.

Except for keeping away from bulkheads (and who wants those anyway since there's no seat in front of you to put a carry-on - or your feet - under, and trying to get Emergency row seats - or aisle or window - there is really little you can do at this point.