Aer Lingus follows Ryanair in introducing baggage charges

Cesare · Post by **Cesare** » 02 Aug 2006, 11:59

Aer Lingus follows Ryanair in introducing baggage charges

Irish State airline Aer Lingus is to charge passengers for checked-in baggage on short haul routes as it moves in the wake of Ryanair in encouraging passengers to use its web check-in facility.

A fee of €4 per bag will apply if booked in advance online, while a fee of €8 per bag will apply if checked in at the airport. The fees will be effective for bookings made after August 8th for travel after September 5th.

For European routes, Aer Lingus is fashioning itself into a low-fares airline to compete with Ryanair, and allows passengers to check in online up to 24 hours in advance.
Aer Lingus Commercial Director Enda Corneille said, "Our baggage policy will enable the airline to save costs as a result of lower handling-fees at airports."
Ireland's Minister for Transport Martin Cullen has appointed corporate advisers to handle the stockmarket flotation of Aer Lingus, expected for end-September. easybourse.com

First to introduce baggage tax is Flybe, then Ryanair and now AerLingus.
Who will be the next?

chunk · Post by **chunk** » 02 Aug 2006, 12:04

Ah yes another crap Irish airline introducing more charges. Yet we will all still fly on them cos they are cheap. WHo's the idiot here? Not them for sure...I wonder where the cut off point is htat passengers just say f*ck it - it ain;t worth it anymore. I am close to it after my Charleroi experience in June but still look up the costs of Ryanair to Paris. BA (who I really dislike) are 50 quid more so they got my business. One, because I don't need to drive to Prestick (£50 in fuel, £25 in parking) and two because at least they get me there! In short I have almost hit the wall with Ryanair....where is the wall for other people?

Just like Ireland itself - great place and always have a good time there but they tax the ARSE off you there. Example. In the UK we have the TV licence and that pays for the BBC to broadcast without commercials - which is great (queue mortar fire from the anti BBC brigade on here...). In Ireland they have a TV licence....but have commercials anyway!!!!

Not off topic as it is suggesting that Aer Lingus are just following Irish institutions!

Post by **speedbird1** » 02 Aug 2006, 12:39

Good points Chunk. I'm getting close to the break off point with airlines, as I have said in posts before, passengers are check in agents now due to the pressure to use the self check in machines, we have to carry as much bagage as we can, turning us into baggage handlers and no food on some airlines, making us into caterers. Are these Lo-Cost carriers much cheaper unless you book 2 years in advance for 1 cent, with is actually about 50 Euro when the tax, fees, charges, admin charges, fuel tax, airport tax, credit card fees are wopped on the end... here endeth the lesson! rrrhhh!

Emirates

iechist · Post by **iechist** » 02 Aug 2006, 13:46

I can't help but think this is a short-sighted move by Aer Lingus. I know people who have chosen to fly with them in recent months to avoid the hassle (never mind the cost) of Ryanair's baggage charge.

I also wonder how it will affect code share arrangements with BA and KLM.

As an exiled Irishman, I understand the points about taxation in Ireland. However, I could point out that in the UK the cost of public transport in Ireland is way lower than the UK (the cost of a train ticket from London to Stansted is about the same as one from Dublin to Cork) and even then Ireland is certainly not a cheap country for rail fares. When we go abroad, we tend to notice what's more expensive - the price of public transport in the UK, the price of beer in Paris, the price of petrol in The Netherlands.

airazurxtror · Post by **airazurxtror** » 02 Aug 2006, 17:37

Air transport is slowly becoming an ordinary means of transport, like the train or the coach.
On a train, you have to haul yourself your baggage; if you have more baggage than becoming, you have to pay a supplement; you also have to pay if you want a drink or a meal. You can buy your ticket on the net or at automats at the station, with a reserved seat when applicable.
On a train, everybody finds it quite normal - why would it be anathema on a plane ? L'aviation de papa , aviation for the happy few, is fortunately over !
On the other hand, why should baggageless passengers pay the handling of other passenger's hold luggage ?

chunk · Post by **chunk** » 02 Aug 2006, 17:42

I take your point on the public transport thing but i don;t think using a train that runs to an airport is a fair comparison either as they are notoriously more expensive than regular rail fares. Also - I looked up the cost of trains from Dublin to Cork once and was horrified at the price! I know in the south of the UK rail is not good value but up here it isn't too bad. If you can book alittle ahead of time it is way more cost effective to take the train from say Aberdeen to Glasgow. Admittedly it depends on how many are travelling.

I don;t blame anyone for not taking a holiday in the UK as i think we do rip people off. Hotels are expensive and often crap, food can be expensive and is often crap (if you don;t know where you are going), drink and clubs are not cheap either. That said - every time I go to Ireland I come back feeling even more robbed - especially in Dublin!!!

earthman · Post by **earthman** » 03 Aug 2006, 09:08

Oh, but everybody must have been to London at least once in their life!

Although it was better when the Concorde was still flying, saw quite a few of them flying over, what a sight.

Post by **speedbird1** » 03 Aug 2006, 09:44

London... Get yourself to the North into proper England!

Emirates