Aer Lingus possibly fully joining Oneworld in Q2 2025
 

Its being rumoured that Aer Lingus is going to become a full member of Oneworld from Q2 2025 . Lets see if it becomes reality . Would be great news for all of us if true .

Would be great! Although would probably mean higher tier credit levels or a change up of benefits to AerClub… do you reckon there’s weight to the rumours this time around?

Fantastic if true but nothing from either EI or OW

Unless something drastically changes I think this is pretty legit as its being talked about by more then just the usual rumour gang.

Could there a change of terminal at Heathrow to t3 or t5 as I think this is where other ow carriers operate from

I don't think so... one of the reasons EI is in T2 is because of their high frequency service to Ireland. From what I understand getting to and from the runway is really convenient from T2, if not the most convenient, which helps their schedule.

On another forum, someone posted some text from "another platform" stating the news and the posts were removed. That never happens, so I agree with DELLAS that this looks like it could be legit. If so, I imagine something is under embargo and we will hear very soon.

To be fair I can understand the skepticism becuase EI seem to have been doing the hokey-pokey with OW… if you Google it you get all the different times it was touted over the past 20 years 😂

For EI to join OW it requires a total IT system migration as thats the reason they left originally, they didn't want to pay the money to upgrade ASTRAL. EI sat back and watched other airlines spend a fortune on IT and watched them burn regularly, ASTRAL costs something like 50¢ a PNR, FLY used by BA is something more like $5

For the TATL JV ASTRAL should be able to survive and thats probably whats afoot here for AA/BA/IB/AY

Technology has moved on a lot since 2007 when Aer Lingus left, so arguably with today's connectivity, it is probably much easier to integrate. A lot of the Oneworld airlines use the same systems, which makes any integration somewhat easier.

EI would be mad to ditch ASTRAL with those cost savings they currently enjoy, even if they have to keep spending to upgrade it. I'm sure someone has done the cost/benefit analysis here and it's come down on the side of joining the alliance again. If the information seeping out is true, of course!

T2 has great runway access. Especially late in the evening. Works wonders for keeping to time.

I do hope any OW alliance doesn’t alter things too icy from a tier credits and benefits point of view. Without handy AerSpace fares keeping silver will be the best I’ll do. Anything changes that then my loyalty will be tested.

For me the ability to earn TP's from various OW carriers especially BA / IB and lounge benefits it will be a major upgrade not to mention the free seating and extra baggage which Aer Lingus will have to offer .

Very doubtful there would be a terminal change, only T2 and T5 have gates that are suitable for arrivals from Ireland where you miss immigration and enter international baggage claim. There are more of these in T2 - A221R-26 all can accomodate EI though it tends to only regularly be A221R-221L (which can also be used if you look at the markings as a single stand - A21 for an A380 but I doubt it ever has been). If all EI services moved to T5 it would almost certainly mean a sigificant number of remote stands and I don't think any of us want that!

I've been waiting 8 years (!!!) for BA to "switch on" Tier Point earning on EI flights.

If this is what it takes for that to happen - or, more likely for me personally, for Aer Club to become my oneworld FFP of choice - then bring it on!!!!

I've been waiting since 1 April 2007 for that to happen!

When I moved to Ireland, one of the pluses in my head was that they had a oneworld airline. Two years later they left. It's been a long wait, if it's actually true! In the meantime I switched to BA and fly BA almost all the time for the Tier Points, meaning almost all my trips are via London to Europe. I fly EI way less than I would if they were in the alliance.

Whether I'd switch from BA to EI as my programme of choice is another matter, because BA have the lifetime Tier Points and I have a good few. That being said, I did switch from QF and I have a bunch of lifetime credits there I'll never get to take advantage of, so it's much of a muchness.

I think IAG buying EI was probably a more likely spur for BA to start doing that, rather than the date you moved to Ireland ;-)

But hopefully we'll all get what we want in the...not too (?) distant future.

After all...what's another 2 years? :D :D :D