Air Lingus strike threat

Havealaugh,

Didn't have a choice, reservations wanted 50% upfront with the balance due two weeks before arrival. They will refund 100% except for admin fee of 50$ up until two weeks of arrival but after this the refund is much reduced, can't remember exactly how much off hand.

Does anyone think there will be much movement on the exchange rate between now and Christmas between the dollar and the euro, I'm wondering would I be better off paying the balance now as there is already over 230 euro in the difference since I paid the deposit or would I be better off waiting because of the other uncertainties?.
 
I would hang on until just before the 2 week limit. If the strike has taken hold by then I would cancel and cut your losses.

It is impossible to say where the dollar will go between now and Christmas.

Have you checked out your insurance? Will they cover a strike cancellation?
 
theresa1 said:
This issue could make or break the union's -probably break.
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Hopefully break IMO.

Lollix said:
I would predict that Aer Lingus will struggle on through another year or so of industrial relations problems, and then will be taken over by Lufthansa or by Ryanair.
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Wouldn't that be just desserts for AL. "Oohh look at us, we're the flag carrier". AL are Ryanair under a different guise, and with unions. They're dragging the company down due to their ignorange of the real-world environment. No sympathy for them.
 
Desperate times at Aer Lingus. Just got this in an email.
[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]All USA destinations are reduced - prices start from just €149 one way incuding (their typo:D) taxes and fuel surcharge. So whether you want to experience the magic of Christmas shopping in the States, pay a visit to friends or family or just take a well-earned break in 2009, book your low fare to the USA now![/FONT] [FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]
Book by: [/FONT][FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Fri 14 Nov[/FONT] [FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Fly: [/FONT][FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]17 Nov 08 - 18 Dec 08[/FONT] [FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]
One way including taxes and charges[/FONT]
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You would want to be some fool to book those flights.
 
They're dragging the company down due to their ignorange of the real-world environment
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Will you enlighten us to your exact knowledge of the Aer Lingus situation? Do you know/understand the sacrifices the staff have made over the years to save the company from bankruptcy in the past? Sounds like you know nothing IMO.
 
Hi Bond-oo7,

Thanks for that, yes I think I'll take your advice and wait until I have to pay the balance of the accomodation, not worth the worry to pay early to try and save a few bucks and yes again my travel insurance will cover strikes, thank God.

I just had a look at the aer lingus website and my flights aren't reduced at all, they are comming in at 6480 euro, I paid 2134euro in June for them, but there are only business seats left for my departure date so thats what is pushing up the price.

Just heard, Joe Duffy is covering the strike on the radio to-day if anyone is interested.
 
Havealaugh said:
Will you enlighten us to your exact knowledge of the Aer Lingus situation? Do you know/understand the sacrifices the staff have made over the years to save the company from bankruptcy in the past? Sounds like you know nothing IMO.
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My exact knowledge amounts to all that has been in the media over recent years. Strikes, opposition to changes in working practises etc. None of this has helped anyone except the unions.

Can you expand on all these sacrifices that have 'saved' the company from bankruptcy ? I'm sure I'm not the only one who's curious....
 
theresa1 said:
The workers should bankrupt the company if they have to. At the end of the day most will loose their jobs and they will get paid even if the Government have to step in. This issue could make or break the union's -probably break. They should get advice from the union's in Dublin Bus -love them or hate them they do seem tobe the only union left in this country with any bottle. Why did the Government hold on to shares?
Have a nice day!
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If they do go bankrupt then the workers will only get statutory redundancy and personally I do not want may taxes going to pay for some fe***** who would rather see a company go bust than get real.

Ah yes Dublin Bus the company that exists primarily for the benefit of it's staff.


I was thinking of booking flight with Aer Lingus, now there is no way I will.
All this strike action has done is decrease their sales and thus make remedial action all the more necessary.
Did the unions in AL not learn anything from the Ailtalia debacle ?
It appears not.
 
Havealaugh said:
Can you tell me why you pay in full in advance? I know MOST hotels in North America allow you to cancel up to 4pm day of arrival and most guest houses and B&B's up to a week beforehand so why have you and "others" paid for the accomodation in full in advance ??
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I'm going to a ski resort and due to the fact that we will be there over the weekend closest to new year (one of their busiest weekends of the year), they requested payment in full in advance and it has to be cancelled 30 days prior in order to receive a full refund.
 
We are due to go to New York from Shannon on the 25th of Novemver for 1 week. There are flights available at a good price from British Airways for my dates from London and if i thought I could cancel and get my money back now would prefer to book with British Airways now and have my flight guarenteed. If they are threatening strike action we should have an option of cancelling and getting a refund as on the day it will be too late to make arrangements at affordable prices.
 
I would say that one should be wary about booking any flights out of Dublin Airport around this time. If there are pickets placed outside it could cause chaos at the airport for the duration.Some staff from other airlines and ancillary services will not pass an official picket.
 
pjryan62 said:
I would say that one should be wary about booking any flights out of Dublin Airport around this time. If there are pickets placed outside it could cause chaos at the airport for the duration.Some staff from other airlines and ancillary services will not pass an official picket.
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Just what the country needs right now :(
 
I'm going to a ski resort and due to the fact that we will be there over the weekend closest to new year (one of their busiest weekends of the year), they requested payment in full in advance and it has to be cancelled 30 days prior in order to receive a full refund.
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Are you staying at a B&B, Hotel or Guesthouse ? I find it strange that they would ask these terms - 30 days in advance, I'd have negotiated considering you are travelling form Ireland etc and not from the continent itself.
 
It's a very popular hotel in the resort. We've gone to the same place for the last 4 years, we really like it and the terms have always been the same. I don't have any problem with paying upfront, in fact most of the time it suits me better as it is out of the way before the hols. If there's a problem with the flights, it will be a different issue. I have travel insurance so hopefully it will cover in the event of there being any problem.
 
Havealaugh said:
Will you enlighten us to your exact knowledge of the Aer Lingus situation? Do you know/understand the sacrifices the staff have made over the years to save the company from bankruptcy in the past? Sounds like you know nothing IMO.
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Are we talking about that magnificent 'Irish' company who charged so much that Irish emigrants in the UK/USA etc could not afford to fly home at Christmas. Lovely 'free' breakfast though for only IEP500 per person. We really miss that. And what have the staff to say to all those who have already booked their Christmas flights, often their one and only flight home. Who's making the sacrifice here, the staff or the customers?
 
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Are we talking about that magnificent 'Irish' company who charged so much that Irish emigrants in the UK/USA etc could not afford to fly home at Christmas. Lovely 'free' breakfast though for only IEP500 per person. We really miss that. And what have the staff to say to all those who have already booked their Christmas flights, often their one and only flight home. Who's making the sacrifice here, the staff or the customers?
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And the type of gun put to your head to fly with Aer Lingus was? This strike has been pending months.

Do you get a "free" breakfast on the GB flights ?

what have the staff to say to all those who have already booked their Christmas flights
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What have the customers to say to 1300 people losing their jobs? Easy to sit on the fence and point the finger when you are not one in a position losing your job in advance of Christmas.

And PS I have 2 flights booked with AL that are in jeopardy beacuse of the strike, but I am prepared to put 1300 jobs ahead of my requirement to fly.

There are other airlines that fly from GB/USA.
 
I'm pretty hacked off. While I sympathise with any Aer Lingus staff member in danger of losing their job, it still doesn't help me ...

I booked a holiday over a year ago which involves flying Aer Lingus to London in order to get a connecting flight. I have spent thousands of euros on hotels which are not refundable and my carefully planned itinerary now has question marks over it because of the Aer Lingus strike.

Today I will be booking alternative flights to London because I cannot take the chance of having no flight next week. I will be 100 euro out of pocket, but I console myself the fact that I will NEVER fly with Aer Lingus again. Really. I will be giving my money to the British airlines from now on. Too much uncertainty and unreliability; they don't deserve my custom.
 
The British airlines are not perfect either.

I'm in a similar situation but I booked BMI to fly to London for a connecting flight. They contacted me two weeks ago to notify that my scheduled flight (11am arrival) had been cancelled and the next flight would arrive at 2pm which would be too late for my connecting flight.

I then had to book an Aer Lingus flight to get me to London on time and now this is up in the air too (not literally unfortunately), I might have to give Michael a try now and ferry myself from LGW to LHR.

Aargh.
 
Havealaugh said:
And the type of gun put to your head to fly with Aer Lingus was?
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Sorry have you not heard of code sharing?
I have an issue with Aer Lingus because of Irish emigrants of which I am one. Have you gotton the boat from one end of Ireland to London? Well I have and it was not pleasant. You cannot get to the USA without flying, it costs an absolute fortune even today for families to get back and now they don't know if the flights will go.

I have every sympathy with anyone threatend with losing their job but it is a fact that Aer Lingus needs to cut it's cost base to compete with other airlines which in the past when it was the staff's private travel club it did not have to do. The staff could state right now that there would be no strike from 20th Dec to 10th Jan, they would get a lot of kudos for doing so.
 
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