whitewave

Ringlets any update? Did anyone ever answer?

Ringlets

Yes, thank you for asking WhiteWave.

I rang back at 5:15pm, reckoning that with people leaving work, starting dinner and dealing with kids' homework, the call volume would be lighter. I waited just over a hour, and finally got through to a professional sounding agent who got me booked.
Total wait time on hold: over 5 hours.

I never heard back from either my email or Facebook message.

whitewave

Ringlets that sounds about right, unfortunately. At one point, I was on hold on the US phone number line and my daughter was on hold on the Irleand phone line to see which one answered first (the US phone line was first… we had the international phone plan set up on our phones)

niallco

I've given up trying to call the Irish number after similar experiences. I usually call the German number if I need to speak to them and it's answered nearly right away

whitewave

In our case, not getting to select seats ended up in our favor as they gave us seats that would have cost about €50 each the night before.

But, yeah, I’m going to be happier with an airline where I can do more things online for myself.

stifle

I never understood the American hysteria about having a pre-assigned seat days or weeks before the flight. I nearly always get a seat assigned at check-in.

whitewave

It’s because us based airlines oversell flights and it gets very uncomfortable when they hold the boarding hostage until X amount of people agree to bump off, and if no one volunteers, they they go by who doesn’t have a seat assignment, etc. who was last to check in, who didn’t pay. (Which you probably already know).

I admit I haven’t seen this happen in a while but it was a common occurrence in the before times.

As I mentioned, in this instance it ended up in our favor.

And, yes, I was a bit cranky because this whole thing of her getting Covid in Ireland and with me having to go over there was mentally draining… and I had both knees replaced 1.5 years ago etc so my mobility is just coming back up to normal etc. I have severe sleep apnea and have to bring my cpap everywhere….

I have issues so knowing things like seat assignments takes some stress away…

AKBasqUkr

Stifle, I totally agree with Whitewave. I'd prefer to book seats when traveling with a companion on domestic flight in the US or Europe. But a TATL or out of country, it's a must. Not just to sit with my partner, but to ensure that I have an optimal experience for the next 10+ HOURS. I assume you generally travel frequently, alone...and within the same region for the most part. I think your comment is a bit off base. Particularly now when all hell has broke lose worldwide for any airline.

ROKNA

EI policy is to sit all on the same booking together, the online check in will ensure this as far as is feasible.

The deliberate separation of passengers as employed by another airline in these parts is not something EI do.

The US view is if I have a seat assignment I'm not getting bumped, we don't do the level of overselling and standby as employed in the US in Europe. For 9+ years I just check in online and take what seat I get, never been left behind and typically get 2C/D every time departing Dublin

whitewave

ROKNA yes, I was very relieved when another poster explained that EI doesn't oversell. I mean, how original, you know? They should all do this. As I mentioned somewhere, this was my first trip abroad (not counting Canada) so I guess experiencing non us airlines is like anything else with international travel… some things more convenient and some things less convenient.

Now that we are home and my daughter is well (it’s looking like a full Covid recovery) and I have had time to decompress and reflect, I feel neutral about Aer lingus. I don’t still feel “never again”….

ringingup

I was a victim of overbooking in AerSpace twice this weekend.

alserire

Overbooking AerSpace isn’t overbooking flights.

Never heard of that happening myself unless it was a change of aircraft.

irishguy28

From the other thread, it appears that the OP's original flight(s) were cancelled, and they were re-accommodated on a service on which the 4 AerSpace seats were already sold.

alserire

That's my point. That’s not overselling.

irishguy28

Agreed!