asnovici

Appears that A3 flights to Dublin are all coach, is this normal? Does A3 operate all coach flights? Looking at first days of September and no J is even loaded, as it's all Y configuration.

Are DUB flights always like that and why?

Knobbgb

It's because it's primarily a tourist route with very little business demand. It did have C class for the first year (I used one of my upgrade vouchers on it).

Other all Y routes include EDI, MAN, BHX, TLS, BOD, TLL - and a few more, those are just the ones I'm familiar with.

KLouis

Add HER to/from CDG, MUC, FCO and a few more (non-stops).

Jma12

I flew to BOD and it was all Y. At first I was surprised they allow me to select 3D for my seat.

vangelisd

I meant to send email to Aegean Custom relations about that but haven't found the time yet.

I took the same flight to DUB last summer and this summer. Last summer I have managed to get upgrade voucher on C class in one row configuration and the experience/service was great.

This year round :

- Flight runs on Economy class only
- No priority Star Alliance Gold check in counter at Dublin
- No lounge access at Dublin
- No priority Star Alliance boarding at Dublin

I had to literally walk in front of a very very long queue and ask the service desk why they don't have a priority check in counter. The guys didn't pay much attention but after 10 mins of me standing at the empty third checkin desk a guys moved from the first one to check me in and then moved back. No signs, or different queues or anything.

The Dublin lounge was completely shut when I went there, apparently it did close at 19:30. The flight was scheduled to leave around at 23:15 I think.

Last summer when A3 were running a C class the lounge was open until at least 22:30 (which is also the official open hours in their website).

Flying A3 for *A G offered very very little benefits so I would prefer to go back flying LH or TR on the DUB-SKG route that I mostly take every few months.

Knobbgb

They REALLY should offer at least lounge access. I will be flying that route in October so I will also contact customer services to confirm what lounge access I will get. Maybe a few preemptive complaints will help change things. I used the Escape Lounge last time I flew from DUB (on SAS) and it was actually OK for a contract lounge - nothing special but nothing to complain about. Indeed, checking the airport website - the lounge in T1 is only open until 21:00. the lounge in T2 is open until 22:30. Are the two terminals linked and accessible?

vangelisd

Please do, if it will be then it is the DAA Executive Lounge on Terminal 1.

I don't believe there's an airside link but i may be wrong. I wasn't expecting to cross to T2 last time round so I didn't make an effort to research.

There's definitely a walkway but I'm pretty sure i have done it when i've landed.

Curious to see what Aegean have to say.

[QUOTE=
They REALLY should offer at least lounge access. I will be flying that route in October so I will also contact customer services to confirm what lounge access I will get. Maybe a few preemptive complaints will help change things. I used the Escape Lounge last time I flew from DUB (on SAS) and it was actually OK for a contract lounge - nothing special but nothing to complain about. Indeed, checking the airport website - the lounge in T1 is only open until 21:00. the lounge in T2 is open until 22:30. Are the two terminals linked and accessible?]

Knobbgb

Aegean have replied - pretty quickly - almost exactly 24hrs.

So basically, no, and no apology really either.

KLouis

Well, "apologising" would certainly have been polite but given that this is completely out of their hands (i.e. no lounge available to be used by their customers) an apology is not necessarily expected: different strokes for different folks.

As to They REALLY should offer at least lounge access , imagine how much money they would loose if they were to keep the third party lounge open for a couple go *Gs. If were person responsible at Ae3, I'd fire whoever proposed such a thing.

DELLAS

DUB is more a bucket and spade route in Summer with diaspora also using it. During the Winter this switches to more diaspora heading back and some outbound Irish tourists for a few days Athens breaks and Greeks doing the same to Dublin. There is sadly no demand for J even just to satisfy FT's wanting to do MR's and use their coupons

vangelisd

That's true DELLAS about the target market for that route.

For me i'm one of the few that I travel to DUB every few months and since my home aiport is SKG i try to find a reason to prefer Aegan vs Turkish or Lufthansa or some other *A carrier (SAS sometimes).

I was lucky last summer where i've used an upgrade to Business with vouchers on both outbound and return journeys. The configuration was just 1 row assigned to business class and I was the only one traveling both ways.

Aegean staff were quite poor managing the tourists returning from their vacation. At one point when I had to use the bathroom at the front of the cabin I had to wait in queue, and while I was waiting the guy from 2D jumped off and was begging me to go in front and use the bathroom first (obviously he had one too many). Aegean staff did not even blink an eye.

DELLAS

It is a shame that the A3 crew did not enforce the cabin dividers with regards to the use of the forward toilet. You can understand a few once off instances where the back is exceptionally busy and someone really needs to use it.

I do feel that these ultra light 1 row flights with J do sometimes suffer from a lack of consistency.

For me out of DUB when not flying A3 I like LX and TK in that order.

mrow

It's similar with EDI. No lounges at the airport are open late enough to cover the flight.

hermes1

I can't speak for DUB, EDI, BHX, but Manchester?

I cannot understand this. It's in the centre of the Northern Power House for the UK. It feeds into Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield etc. Direct flights to China, Singapore, The US, Hong Kong, The Gulf. 95,000 students in Manchester alone. Hospitals, financial, legal and manufacturing sectors. Media City?

Thousands of Greek professional there, too. I don't see why LIS or CPH are more profitable for Aegean as business destinations.

I have to fly this route several times a year and I don't see the bucket and spade brigade. It's a real shame! I'm sure if a daily, reliable service was offered with a couple of J rows it would be very popular.

TK for me on this route unless I'm lucky with dates.

Knobbgb

Manchester is my former home city so I always watch closely what's going on there (although I never fly that route) and I would tend to agree with you. Somewhat...

While you make very good points, the route isn't even daily, even in the summer. It's popular with ex-pats rather than bucket and spade people and although the North West is huge in terms of population, culture etc. I really don't see much business class demand within Europe. The long haul routes are somewhat different although, they often struggle to be truly profitable (they have been on and off for many years) which will be more down to lack of demand in premium classes than in economy.

I'd like to see A3 try out a C class to MAN and, out of all the Y-only flights, I think MAN would be the next candidate for this. I can just see lots of voucher-burning and not much extra profit. The Y class is usually very full (my friends tell me) and the tickets are quite expensive so maybe they just don't see the benefit for swapping 12 high fare Y class seats for 8 C class with the extra costs that incurs.