BA booking and EI "Aer Space"
Dec 20, 2019, 4:32 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA, AF
Posts: 10,129
Maybe because EI doesn't want the cabin always filled up with BA longhaul pax, for which they likely get a small % only?
Dec 3, 2020, 2:34 am
#18
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Programs: Aer Lingus AerClub Concierge, BA Silver
Posts: 409
Just had a BA CE cancelled DUB-LHR and I’ve been rebooked onto EI. Will this be standard economy or AerSpace given the original booking was in business and it is connecting to a business flight?
Dec 3, 2020, 2:43 am
#19
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Programs: BA Gold, Mucci
Posts: 2,068
On the Aer Lingus A320, AerSpace consists of four seats - 1AC and 1DF - with the middle seat kept free. You also get to choose from the Bia menu for free, which has just been updated as they reintroduced food two days ago on 1 December 2020. It's not much of a menu compared to before - https://www.aerlingus.com/media/pdfs/bia.pdf
If your flight is on an A321neo or an A330, then you'll get the Aer Lingus long-haul flat bed business class seats in AerSpace, but that depends if your booking will allow it.
To answer your question, I don't know whether you will be seated in AerSpace, but I wouldn't think it is worth it. I'd personally take the money for the downgrade
.
Dec 3, 2020, 2:46 am
#20
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Programs: Aer Lingus AerClub Concierge, BA Silver
Posts: 409
It’s part of a connection so I don’t want to cancel the entire trip for the sake of a 50 min spin to LHR in economy. I’m asking about Aer Space because the return is on the A330 and I want those seats! I’ll give EI a call and chance my arm (I’m concierge with them).
Dec 3, 2020, 3:01 am
#21
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Programs: BA Gold, Mucci
Posts: 2,068
.
Dec 3, 2020, 4:11 am
#24
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Programs: BA Gold, Mucci
Posts: 2,068
Dec 3, 2020, 4:25 am
#25
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Belfast
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 379
If you fight hard enough (if you can be bothered) BA might give you some Avios as compensation. From my experience, keep in mind that if you take the EI service BA will deem you to have accepted a voluntary downgrade.
Dec 3, 2020, 4:56 am
#26
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Blue, EI Silver, Honours Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,209
The compensation should be 75% of the cost of the fare, on a pro-rate basis for distance, I think? To be pedantic AerSpace is an Economy product and even if you were rebooked into it, you have been downgraded.
In real terms there is not much difference between AerSpace and Club Europe, but Flyertalk is the home of pedantic comparisons!
In real terms there is not much difference between AerSpace and Club Europe, but Flyertalk is the home of pedantic comparisons!
Dec 3, 2020, 8:39 am
#27
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Programs: BA Gold, Mucci
Posts: 2,068
When it comes to meal service, drinks service, and service from the crew, BA are streets ahead. As it should be since one is business class and the other is economy with a seat beside you free and a free pick from the buy on board menu.
(To clarify, when I mean service from the crew, I am not saying BA crew are better than EI crew, just that BA crew will be more attentive to CE passengers due to the smaller cabin, dedicated crew member etc)
.
Dec 3, 2020, 9:18 am
#28
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: ±38,000 feet
Programs: LH HON, BA GGL, AF Plat, EK Plat
Posts: 6,428
The compensation should be 75% of the cost of the fare, on a pro-rate basis for distance, I think? To be pedantic AerSpace is an Economy product and even if you were rebooked into it, you have been downgraded.
In real terms there is not much difference between AerSpace and Club Europe, but Flyertalk is the home of pedantic comparisons!
In real terms there is not much difference between AerSpace and Club Europe, but Flyertalk is the home of pedantic comparisons!
Dec 3, 2020, 9:50 am
#29
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Blue, EI Silver, Honours Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,209
The OP mentions its a connection, if he is connecting for a destination more than 3500km then he would get 75%, I think. But there are so many interpretations and case law for each individual circumstance that it is terribly easy to get your wires crossed.
I accept what you are saying. Although from Today EI are reintroducing the BoB service and presumably the AerSpace service too. Given the current CE catering they are fairly similar. If you happen to be on the A330 or A321 then you will have a lie-flat seat and dedicated cabin. I do agree though and I would expect the BA service to be, overall, more polished and the food more attractively presented with crockery, meal trays, etc.
In terms of the seat, they are virtually identical.
When it comes to meal service, drinks service, and service from the crew, BA are streets ahead. As it should be since one is business class and the other is economy with a seat beside you free and a free pick from the buy on board menu.
(To clarify, when I mean service from the crew, I am not saying BA crew are better than EI crew, just that BA crew will be more attentive to CE passengers due to the smaller cabin, dedicated crew member etc)
.
When it comes to meal service, drinks service, and service from the crew, BA are streets ahead. As it should be since one is business class and the other is economy with a seat beside you free and a free pick from the buy on board menu.
(To clarify, when I mean service from the crew, I am not saying BA crew are better than EI crew, just that BA crew will be more attentive to CE passengers due to the smaller cabin, dedicated crew member etc)
.
Dec 3, 2020, 10:06 am
#30
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,963
The 2020 BA compensation thread: Your guide to Regulation EC261/2004