During my Aer Lingus & Iberia A321XLR adventure, the highlight, of course, was crossing the Atlantic on two A321XLRs. However, I also had a new (to me) intra-Europe experience, which I want to talk in this post.
Continue reading: Aer Lingus’ AerSpace Seats On Europe Flights: Worth The Premium?
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
do paid business class long-haul fares (LAX-DUB-PRG for instance) include AerSpace seating on the intra-Europe segment?
@ listen -- It generally is included on revenue fares, I believe, but obviously award tickets is a different story, given segment by segment pricing.
Next time, try the cheese toastie...so good!
Btw, i flew DUB-TFS in February on EI on their A320s and wow...that flight took me back to the 1990s of travel, No in-seat power, no wifi, no anything. Note that DUB-TFS is almost 5hrs long!!! The only "modern" thing and redeeming quality about the plane was the mood lighting and the older seats which offered decent padding.
I blame myself that I wasn't prepared for it since i had nothing downloaded on my phone nor did I have a book on me. LOL. I came in from SEA in J and thankfully had my phone fully charged and, since I knew they were all BoB in Y (no Aer Space to beach markets), i brought some snacks from the lounge. But man, thankfully I was jet-lagged and managed to doze off for a couple of hours. I made sure to prepare for the return flight!! 🙂
“The one exception worth calling out is that Aer Lingus sometimes operates its long haul configured A321LRs and A321XLRs on flights within Europe.”
Bingo. That’s the best!
You'd have to pay me to sit in the first row of a Euro-Config narrowbody, as the leg room is significantly worse than in all other rows.
I guess at least with Aer Lingus I know I won't end up there unless I buy the extra fare.
While the wrap may have been refrigerated, I’m pretty sure it was chili, not chilly.
Love our trip reports.
Please see the typo: "That’s to say that if booking far in advance, and if Saver fares are €60, the AerSpace fare is still likely to be around €300"
You mean 160 euros and not 60 euros
@ Chris -- I respect your take, but I have to disagree there. Aer Lingus' pitch is under 30" on the A320, and the front row has a decent about of leg room, by comparison.
@ Calidude -- Thanks for reading! I might be missing something, but I don't think it was a typo? My point was to say that if the Saver fare is €60 (unless the €160 Saver fare on the flight I booked), the AerSpace fare is still likely around €300.
Agree, row 1 actually often has better space than other rows in European J. Can't stretch your legs out as much maybe, but the knee space is significantly better.
Flying BHX to DUB, aerspace's premium price isn't worth it on such a short flight ( 1 hour) but the benefits of advantage (fast track and lounge access) are
But y9u have to choose wisely as majority of flights are not AL 737, but their Emerald Airlibes ATR 72, now that's a tight seat!
You only get lounge access flying out of Dublin, you don’t if you’re departing anywhere else in Europe. And Aer Lingus priority boarding is a joke. Nothing is enforced and it’s just a free for all..,
How much space is available in the "dedicated overhead bin"? That bin holds emergency equipment. My experience is that these bins don't have a lot of available space; at least they don't have as much available space as other bins.
Oh Boy what a con trick. 300 or so EACH WAY in the 320 in a packed and tight all economy plane.
If you plan you can do that same journey in Business Class for the same money and on an airline where they show some respect.
Better to bet on a horse than to waste money like this. This is the airline to avoid if you are travelling in Europe as well as others emanating from the same country. My experience of Aer Lingus lounges at Dublin is that they have filthy seats and are full of uncleared garbage so it's an airline to use only if desperate in my humble opinion.
The Advantage fare, which is one step below AerSpace, is also fully refundable, includes fast-track at Dublin Airport, lounge access in Dublin and "select" airports, free seat selection during booking apart from the first row. I do not see the value of paying for AerSpace for free snacks, priority boarding (almost never enforced outside of Dublin) and sitting on the first row. I have seen really absurd price differences between Advantage and AerSpace fare (€100+ extra for the latter). Unless one is looking to build up Tier Credits (40 with Advantage versus 50 with AerSpace) or it is an A321 flight, I see no reason to pay for AerSpace.
I guess everyone is different, but I don't know why anyone would care about knee room. I'm 190cm with about average length legs for that height, and every bulkhead tow in Euro C made me suffer. Isle seats where the legs can be extended a bit into the isle are slightly less worse, but FAs are usually pretty aggressive at rolling over them with a card or telling you to move them away.
Just as a data point:
I’m 195 cm and can’t (literally) fit in a standard slimline seat. My knees are pressing up against the seat in front every single time. But the bulkheads are good. I would GLADLY pay €150++ to sit in the first row, and regularly do so. As I see it, the only perk with LH Senator is free bulkhead seating in C.
(Flying intra-EU on LH, OS, LO, SK, AF quite regularly - same everywhere.)
The value prop of a blocked middle is significantly diminished when you have fixed armrests.
I actually don’t care much about the width of the seat, for me the advantage is not to have someone directly next to me. For this product however I would probably not pay the extra.
Aer Lingus operate as a low cost carrier in Europe so the fares are structured accordingly.
"Historically, Aer Lingus hasn’t offered a business class product within Europe". Incorrect.
This should be corrected Ben. Aer Lingus previously offered intra-Europe business class right up until 2002.