They do push their UK connections hard and have done very, very well at it since joining IAG ten years ago. However, IAG positions Aer Lingus to investors as the great value TATL business alternative to more full-service, white glove airlines. It's a fairly cheap and generally cheerful airline for people who just want a lie flat seat and are willing to sacrifice the extras like outstation lounges, fast track, all-aisle access etc etc, to get it for a good price (which Aer Lingus usually leads the competition on).

Aer Lingus have tried many times over the years to 'premiumise', but are repeatedly hit with the reality that Dublin is a brutally competitive market for both short haul and long haul, and they don't have fortress advantages like other flag carriers. No matter what they do, they have not been able to attract a revenue premium by offering a better product, so to maintain margins at a similar rate to the rest of the group they have to focus on cutting controllable costs as much as possible and being the stripped back value option.

As someone who flies with them weekly, I'd love for EI to be a more premium airline (Decent food in the lounges, Outstation fast track, Jet planes on regional routes), but that's not their strategy.