Charges by Aer Lingus

M

MaryBe

Registered User
Messages
382
A week has passed since this incident and only now am I able to let off steam. We purchased 4 x adult return flights with Aer Lingus flying for flights during school/college break. The total cost 363.88 euro including one bag for check in. Our flights were coming back on Sunday last at 10:00. Anyway arrived at Airport at 6:45 and tried to check in through the machine and got a message that the flight had departed. Went to the desk and was informed the flight went in the 10:00 am - morning flight. (I for some unknown reason read 10:00pm) The girl at the desk said we could make the last flight that evening if we hurried. Long story short.......girl at desk said they had availability and it would cost Sterling 204.00 ouch. Here's the bigger ouch.... she then said EACH. I literally cried and pleaded for some discount as we cannot afford this cost. She did not give a toss and suggested we contact someone who can use their credit card to get us home. We had our credit card with us and had to use it or stay another night in London with the added expense of accommodation and missing work for three people the next day.
The one hour journey from London cost us Sterling 814.00. To cap it all I had a chicken and stuffing sandwich on the flight home and was not well for two days after. I used to be pro Aer Lingus but now I have my reservations (pardon the pun) It certainly was a very very expensive lesson. Has anyone else experienced this type of incident?
 
I have heard numerous similar tales involving Aer Lingus and Ryanair.

Unfortunately this is the price to be paid when using a low-cost airline.

If you notice, when booking through Aer Lingus, there is a "Flexifare" option for each flight which enables you to change without any charge.
 
You missed the flight because you didn't pay attention. Sorry but not sure what you are complaining about. Ryanair and most if all other airlines would have done the same.
 
It was an expensive way to learn this, but all of the flight times on the Aer Lingus website are in 24 hour format. It seems that airlines can charge what they like when something like this happens, but it's fair that there should be some charge as it was your mistake, not theirs. I do sympathise with you, though, as it was a very, very costly mistake.
 
Sunny said:
You missed the flight because you didn't pay attention. Sorry but not sure what you are complaining about. Ryanair and most if all other airlines would have done the same.
Click to expand...

Sunny, you must have the same problem reading as I have......
I am not complaining......I am letting off steam and feel a bit better now.
 
Celtwytch said:
It was an expensive way to learn this, but all of the flight times on the Aer Lingus website are in 24 hour format.
Click to expand...
It certainly was an expensive lesson. Yet the pilot told us it was 5 minutes to 10 when we were approaching the runway!!! Should he not have said 21:55 hours!!!
 
Are Lingus are just Ryan Air in green. The pity is that they still think they are a quality airline (like BA) and have the attitude to go with it.
 
MaryBM said:
Sunny, you must have the same problem reading as I have......
I am not complaining......I am letting off steam and feel a bit better now.
Click to expand...

Well you were suggesting that you would think twice about travelling Aer Lingus again. But they didn't do anything that anyother airline wouldn't.

By the way I did it once myself years ago in Bali when the flight to Sydney was at 00.10 on the 22-01-05 or whatever. Of course being in holiday mood I turned up my flight on the night of the 22nd instead of the 21st!
 
Sunny said:
By the way I did it once myself years ago in Bali when the flight to Sydney was at 00.10 on the 22-01-05 or whatever. Of course being in holiday mood I turned up my flight on the night of the 22nd instead of the 21st!
Click to expand...

What was the outcome expense wise?
 
MaryBM said:
What was the outcome expense wise?
Click to expand...

I was lucky in that my ticket was an around the world ticket so was flexible and could be changed without charge so I guess it doesn't compare to your experience! Just trying to make you feel better that these things happen!
 
Had same experience last October flying from London to Dublin with Aer Lingus

We (4 adults and 4 kids) arrived at the boarding gate just as the flight closed (we actually saw the last person board the plane from the other end of the corridor but still weren't allowed on). They hadn't even removed the gangway when we were there.

Aer Lingus wanted STG£200 each for the flight but eventually my wife got them down to STG£400 overall - there was extra security in Heathrow that day for some reason which contributed.

We had a bit of a laugh though because after Aer Lingus took our luggage off the original flight the ground crew couldn't get the luggage hold to close and the flight was delayed for 90 mins with everybody on board!

We eventually got home just 30 mins after our original flight landed

I've no problem with charging for missed flights but £200 each is a bit extortionate IMO
 
I missed an Aer Lingus flight last week. I was 3 minutes late to the check-in desk (my own bad). Anyway, Aer Lingus charged me €70 to change my ticket which I thought wasn't ~too~ bad.
 
I misread a flight back from Birmingham last October - cost me 248 sterling to get home. turned up a day late.
 
I don't know if I should tell you a happier story. It goes back to the days before Irish Ferries adopted the Ryanair hard-nosed approach.

I phoned them to tell them of a problem with a crossing I had booked to France the previous day.

"What was the problem?" they asked.
"I wasn't on it. Something came up, and I couldn't leave home."
"Do you still want to go to France, and can you make tomorrow's sailing?"
"Yes and yes"
"Okay, I'll change your booking."
"How much do I owe you?"
"No charge."
 
In the early days of Ryanair I got to the airport late on three occasions. Twice I was put on the next flight - gratis. The third time I was charged for the single part of my ticket - £35 I think, out of either Luton or Stanstead. When I tell this to people now they find it hard to believe. On two occasions being late for Aer Lingus I had to pay through the nose for the next flight.
 
I always read my flight details very carefully and always make sure I am at the airport in time.
Still the huge charges for the next flight are extortionate and totally out of order.I missed a ryanair flight...due to an M25 crash about 5 years ago and got the next flight for£20 when I explained myself at the ryanair desk.
Still what do people expect from aer lingus.....they use to charge £200 25 years ago when there was no ryanair competition.
What one could do is get on to the web and book another flight for the following day if necessary.....bound to be cheaper than £200.
 
I always thought that the expensive flights help pay for the cheap flights.
I can't see how an airline could possibly afford to operate if all flights were €5 all the time. How would they make money doing this?

How much per mile does it really cost to fly someone somewhere?
 
Few years ago I was flying Aer Arann Cork-Dublin-Cork in one day. Finished early in Dublin so arrived in time for flight an hour before the one I was booked on. Asked at desk any chance of getting on that flight, no problem was told, plenty of availability. So I (naively) said grand so. Then was asked for €57. For what says I. For the cost of the seat on the earlier flight says she. But I said, you have loads of availability and my seat on the original flight leaves availability on that flight for someone else if needed. Well its €57 says she. So I said, grand, I'll sit & read my paper for an hour and get the regular flight I was booked on. She seemed shocked, you don't want it? I was quite happy to sit there for an hour, have a browse round and arrive home at regular time.
 
I am fed up all this " but Aer Linhgus is our national airline" rubbish and should be protected. The facts are that despite all the cosetting it got from the Government over the years they are no competing with Ryanair and have adopted the same practices as regards customer service.
While I don't believe that passengers who misread tickets should get another flight free of charge it is a bit severe to charge what the contributor above was charged.
There obviously was capacity on the plane which they could use. Impose some penalty but no need to crucify passengers
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top