GoldCircle
Dec 6, 04, 9:36 am
Check-in and Lounge
Checked in for EI608 – Thursday November 25th - using the self-check-in kiosks at DUB. Almost feels more natural that using the GoldCircle check-in now. Myself and Mrs GC were burning up some TAB points for a T class award. The machine split us up and put us both down the back. Re-assigned us up front using the machine… why couldn’t it have put us together in the first place?. By the time we made it to the Gold Circle lounge, the flight had been delayed by 2 and a half hours. Freezing fog in Schipol. Ho hum. Spotted John Major in the lounge – much taller that I had thought. We eventually left 2 hours late, filled with beer, Jacob’s Choc Mallows and other lounge snacks.
Outbound flight
Upon boarding, the plane was instantly recognisable as one of the new A320 all Y configuration – everything was clean and bright. The lights were very bright; the emergency exit sign were like fog-lights, they were so bright. No dividing curtain. And Dambus’ leather seats (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=365986) – no more trying to read the Finnegan’s Wake text on the fabric – these babies were real leather in a mid-grey. I thought they were attractive; the back of the headrest is embossed with an “aerlingus O com” – the dot having a nice dried-out snot placed on it, presumably by a child, or perhaps a farmer. All I could think of was “Aerlingus snot com” :D . I thought the seats were very comfortable compared to their predecessors and I found the seat pitch perfectly adequate (I’m 6’0) – my knees didn’t touch the seat in front. This however deteriorated when the seat in front was reclined; though, the sudden proximity of the offending snot was even more shocking. :eek: Nonetheless, in reclining position the seat was very comfortable – and I LOVE the headrest – an adjustable jobby with wings on either side that can be bent in to shape, so you can sleep without ruining your neck.
There was a dreadful hand-baggage problem throughout. Some gob****e had a guitar in the overhead bin; I also spotted a violin. All placed lengthways. :mad: I Scratched about until I realised by small shoulder bag wasn’t going to fit. The helpful stewardess offered to tag my bag for me and place it in the hold. I suggested she tag the guitar instead and allow 5 more people put their bags up instead. She happily did so, but the musician (who was quite unwashed and shockingly smelly) kept glaring at me and shouting at the stewardess. She eventually put it in the forward toilet and he seemed happy enough. The co-pilot however needed some light relief a few minutes later and removed it and gave it back to the cabin manager and told her, quite loudly, to tag it. I grinned, the musician fumed.
The flight itself was smooth and uneventful. Quick take off from runway 10. The in-flight service was lightening fast with the usual selection of snacks, tea, coffee and chewy things, followed by in-flight shopping rounded off with a spot of total absence. I’m sure they had things to talk about, however, these new aircraft don’t have a full curtain to pull across the foreward galley, so they had to skulk at the back of the plane to discuss important matters such as the appointment of a new management teams at EI. ;)
Return Check-in and Lounge
Checked in at Schipol using KLM’s self-check-in machines. I changed my seat allocation and it asked if I wanted to move Mrs. GC along with me... I was tempted to leave her in 32F :) but she poked quite hard me in the back and made me re-assign her seat too! :D Pity the EI machines in DUB don’t offer to move companions too.
Interestingly, the KLM check-in machine was quite happy to recognise an EI flight number, but refused to allow me to enter an EI Gold Circle number - not even manually. The bored generic guy at the EI desk put it in for me.
We went up to the KLM lounge upstairs before the entrance to the D gates and sat in what I remembered as being the Royal Wing Lounge. It seemed shockingly run down – or more accurately – it hadn’t been done up since I was a KLM Royal Wing – and that’s at least 4 years ago. Poor selection of drinks, though a reasonable selection of snacks. Smoking still permitted (ugghg!) though Mrs GC was quite pleased.
Return flight
Another all Y configured A320 – bright, clean and this time snot-free . :) Small mercies, eh? Again, no room for hand baggage – and my bag ended up 10 rows behind me. Mental note to self about scowling at people who put their bags in the overhead bin at row 2 and then proceed to sit in 32F. As there is no C seating, pre-boarding according to status and seat row has been abandoned by EI – this is a retrograde step in my opinion. Due to the baggage problem and chaotic boarding – we were delayed by 15 minutes.
If that wasn’t bad enough we missed our slot and were thus packed off like a scolded school boy to the Polderbaan for take-off - for the unfamiliar, that’s the runway that’s a 15 minute taxi from the terminal. :( The flight was again uneventful, though somewhat windy approaching Dublin. We made it in only 10 minutes late which was good going. Given my bag was about ten rows behind me, I was practically last off the plane.
Verdict
All in all, I think Aer Lingus has improved greatly in the last year, since I effectively abandoned them for bmi. The EI lounge is cleaner and better stocked than of late. The new planes are comfortable. Service was Y – fast and friendly, and the staff no longer seem sullen and jaded. If they could sort out some rules on hand baggage, this could have been quite a good experience, all things considered. They're heading in the right direction, even if Premier class is gone. I'd say 7/10 - one mark lost for the hand baggage situation, one for no free food or drink and one for not being part of the *A. :D
Checked in for EI608 – Thursday November 25th - using the self-check-in kiosks at DUB. Almost feels more natural that using the GoldCircle check-in now. Myself and Mrs GC were burning up some TAB points for a T class award. The machine split us up and put us both down the back. Re-assigned us up front using the machine… why couldn’t it have put us together in the first place?. By the time we made it to the Gold Circle lounge, the flight had been delayed by 2 and a half hours. Freezing fog in Schipol. Ho hum. Spotted John Major in the lounge – much taller that I had thought. We eventually left 2 hours late, filled with beer, Jacob’s Choc Mallows and other lounge snacks.
Outbound flight
Upon boarding, the plane was instantly recognisable as one of the new A320 all Y configuration – everything was clean and bright. The lights were very bright; the emergency exit sign were like fog-lights, they were so bright. No dividing curtain. And Dambus’ leather seats (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=365986) – no more trying to read the Finnegan’s Wake text on the fabric – these babies were real leather in a mid-grey. I thought they were attractive; the back of the headrest is embossed with an “aerlingus O com” – the dot having a nice dried-out snot placed on it, presumably by a child, or perhaps a farmer. All I could think of was “Aerlingus snot com” :D . I thought the seats were very comfortable compared to their predecessors and I found the seat pitch perfectly adequate (I’m 6’0) – my knees didn’t touch the seat in front. This however deteriorated when the seat in front was reclined; though, the sudden proximity of the offending snot was even more shocking. :eek: Nonetheless, in reclining position the seat was very comfortable – and I LOVE the headrest – an adjustable jobby with wings on either side that can be bent in to shape, so you can sleep without ruining your neck.
There was a dreadful hand-baggage problem throughout. Some gob****e had a guitar in the overhead bin; I also spotted a violin. All placed lengthways. :mad: I Scratched about until I realised by small shoulder bag wasn’t going to fit. The helpful stewardess offered to tag my bag for me and place it in the hold. I suggested she tag the guitar instead and allow 5 more people put their bags up instead. She happily did so, but the musician (who was quite unwashed and shockingly smelly) kept glaring at me and shouting at the stewardess. She eventually put it in the forward toilet and he seemed happy enough. The co-pilot however needed some light relief a few minutes later and removed it and gave it back to the cabin manager and told her, quite loudly, to tag it. I grinned, the musician fumed.
The flight itself was smooth and uneventful. Quick take off from runway 10. The in-flight service was lightening fast with the usual selection of snacks, tea, coffee and chewy things, followed by in-flight shopping rounded off with a spot of total absence. I’m sure they had things to talk about, however, these new aircraft don’t have a full curtain to pull across the foreward galley, so they had to skulk at the back of the plane to discuss important matters such as the appointment of a new management teams at EI. ;)
Return Check-in and Lounge
Checked in at Schipol using KLM’s self-check-in machines. I changed my seat allocation and it asked if I wanted to move Mrs. GC along with me... I was tempted to leave her in 32F :) but she poked quite hard me in the back and made me re-assign her seat too! :D Pity the EI machines in DUB don’t offer to move companions too.
Interestingly, the KLM check-in machine was quite happy to recognise an EI flight number, but refused to allow me to enter an EI Gold Circle number - not even manually. The bored generic guy at the EI desk put it in for me.
We went up to the KLM lounge upstairs before the entrance to the D gates and sat in what I remembered as being the Royal Wing Lounge. It seemed shockingly run down – or more accurately – it hadn’t been done up since I was a KLM Royal Wing – and that’s at least 4 years ago. Poor selection of drinks, though a reasonable selection of snacks. Smoking still permitted (ugghg!) though Mrs GC was quite pleased.
Return flight
Another all Y configured A320 – bright, clean and this time snot-free . :) Small mercies, eh? Again, no room for hand baggage – and my bag ended up 10 rows behind me. Mental note to self about scowling at people who put their bags in the overhead bin at row 2 and then proceed to sit in 32F. As there is no C seating, pre-boarding according to status and seat row has been abandoned by EI – this is a retrograde step in my opinion. Due to the baggage problem and chaotic boarding – we were delayed by 15 minutes.
If that wasn’t bad enough we missed our slot and were thus packed off like a scolded school boy to the Polderbaan for take-off - for the unfamiliar, that’s the runway that’s a 15 minute taxi from the terminal. :( The flight was again uneventful, though somewhat windy approaching Dublin. We made it in only 10 minutes late which was good going. Given my bag was about ten rows behind me, I was practically last off the plane.
Verdict
All in all, I think Aer Lingus has improved greatly in the last year, since I effectively abandoned them for bmi. The EI lounge is cleaner and better stocked than of late. The new planes are comfortable. Service was Y – fast and friendly, and the staff no longer seem sullen and jaded. If they could sort out some rules on hand baggage, this could have been quite a good experience, all things considered. They're heading in the right direction, even if Premier class is gone. I'd say 7/10 - one mark lost for the hand baggage situation, one for no free food or drink and one for not being part of the *A. :D