Sue Davis

We are flying Business Class BOS-EDI in June 2023. The best flight option seems to be on Aer Lingus through Dublin. Right now on Aer Lingus's site each ticket is around $3500 but we can book the same flight on BA.com for around $2500. Is there anything we need to be concerned about if we book through BA instead of Aer Lingus? It does look look like we can't select the seats on BA.com whereas we can when booking on Aer Lingus. Is there a way to still pre-select the seats? Maybe calling after we make the booking? Will there be a charge? Any pros/cons would be appreciated! Thank you!

mccartje

If it is the same exact flights, go for it! Sounds like you've found a deal with a gap in the system (good to know).
All Aer Lingus business tickets come with free seat selection (unlike ba where it is extortion to select them). You should be able to ring up Aer Lingus and select seats for free after booking.
Not sure if the dub-edi leg will automatically get an Aer space seat at the front though if booking through BA but as it is a short hop it would not bother me personally, certainly not for 1k price difference!!!
​​​​​​

irishguy28

Bear in mind that you can travel on all-BA services for just a few dollars more - see below. It involves an earlier start, but it's an all-daylight flight and will help you beat jetlag by getting you to EDI at a time when you can go straight to bed.

On the DUB-EDI and EDI-DUB legs, you will be travelling in standard economy. No free drinks/snacks. On BA operated LHR-EDI and EDI-LHR legs, however, you would be in business class for all sectors.

As you say, you won't be able to select seats if you book a BA-issued EI ticket.

Only Aer Lingus-issued tickets (053 stock) can put you in AerSpace. Tickets sold by other airlines (whether BA, United, or anybody else) can only seat their customers in regular economy on the shorthaul legs.

Sue Davis

Thank you for your response!

Unfortunately due to some of our work restrictions we need to take an evening flight out of BOS. There are later BA flights with the same price as the one you mention, but ultimately the only one that is likely to be on the new Club Suite business configuration doesn't get us into EDI until 13:30 and then the return gets us home fairly late in BOS too. We have considered it even still but we are leaning towards just going with Aer Lingus because I don't really trust that a) all the BA 777s will be updated by their current schedule and b) even if they are, the plane won't be changed leaving us in the really really crappy old BA configuration.


The DUB-EDI and revise legs are Emerald Air on a turboprop. I don't think there even are AerSpace seats. But we decided the flight is so short it doesn't really matter.

Thank you!

Mordac

Correct, no AerSpace on the Aer Lingus Regional ATRs. Also keep in mind they have much smaller lockers so cabin bags must be smaller to fit. Otherwise they'll be gate-checked. The last time I had this happen my mate got hers back on the tarmac, but not sure how consistent that practice is. Also the planes board from the rear door so keep that in mind when selecting seats.