What’s the Aer Lingus experience within Europe like in 2019?

What have the Irish been doing over the past few years? Apart from enjoying full employment, they have been receiving an Aer Lingus experience that continues to improve all the time.

Recent additions include mood lighting across the European fleet, which you can see at the top of this post. It certainly adds a pleasant ambiance on board that was lacking previously.

Dublin Airport

Fast-track security at Dublin Airport is always just that and as I had no baggage whatsoever I sailed straight through. With no lounge access either, I had arrived at the airport relatively close to departure.

After a wander around the pier, I sat down near the gate and waited for boarding to commence. It started earlier than the 5:50am time on the boarding passes. People with priority boarding are asked to board first, and I was the second person on board as a result.

EI602 – Dublin to Amsterdam (DUB-AMS)
22 May 2019
Airbus A320 – EI-EDP – St. Albert
Seat: Economy 3A
Departure: 06:15 Arrival: 08:55

After showing my mobile boarding pass at the door, I smiled as I noticed the blue mood lighting, which I think looks gorgeous! Naturally I took a picture before everyone boarded and then took my seat.

The Aer Lingus Experience

There is plenty of room for your legs on this version of the Airbus A320 at Aer Lingus. The literature is all at the top of the seat, which adds to the space at knee level.

Once everyone is on board, one of our two female pilots made a welcome announcement. This was in stark contrast to my return flight, where there was zero communication from the two men up front. Next we had the safety demonstration and headed up into the morning sky. Shortly after take-off, the cabin crew swing into action and I ordered the Irish Breakfast. This costs €10.00, includes a hot drink of your choice and you can pay by cash or card. My card payment was taken promptly and I elected to have a Latte to drink. A box arrives which contains the meal. Inside is a cup of Orange Juice, two slices of brown Wholewheat bread, butter, orange Marmalade, and the breakfast. The breakfast is two sausages, a slice of bacon, a tomato, black pudding, white pudding and potato medallions. Also you get a packet with a knife, fork, spoon, waste bag, salt, pepper, sugar, milk, a napkin and a moist cleansing towel.

Step Back In Time

The saying goes that familiarity breeds contempt, but I don’t feel this way. Part of the whole Aer Lingus experience for me is having an Irish breakfast and it’s been the same for a long time. Here’s the proof!

Apart from the addition of a cardboard box and slight branding differences, it’s exactly the same. I would argue that the stupidly wasteful box it now comes in is a step backwards. It takes up far too much room on the pull down tray and just adds to the rubbish being disposed of at the end of the flight.

Getting A Little Saucy With Aer Lingus

For years I have craved some goddamned tomato ketchup or tomato sauce with the Irish Breakfast on Aer Lingus. This time I finally remembered to snag some sachets and bring them with me. Hallelujah and praise the lord! The very tasty breakfast has been elevated to new heights with the addition of the sauce!

Aer Lingus, please have this available, even on request. Who doesn’t have sauce with breakfast? Like seriously now! After eating everything in front of me, plus drinking the pretty delicious latte (which tastes better with two sugars and two of the milk sachets added!), the crew collected the rubbish and we descended and landed into Amsterdam pretty much on time.

Overall Thoughts

On this trip I was heading to Amsterdam for a job interview and wanted a relaxing morning experience. Therefore, instead of paying €50 return on Ryanair, I paid €150 for my Aer Lingus flights. I did not want to have Ryanair’s boarding experience and surly cabin crew irritating me before the interview. It is money well spent in my opinion.

Loved the mood lighting, thought the crew were fantastic and happy in their work, plus the food quality is fantastic. That latte is also quite good!

My only quibbles are the box the breakfast comes in. It’s such a waste and I would have had a hard time with it had the seat beside me not been free. I used the middle table to help spread the mess, so I think going back to the boxless version would be better. Of course, tomato sauce would be nice too! Otherwise, full marks all round.

What do you think of this Aer Lingus experience? Have you flown with Aer Lingus before within Europe and what did you think? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

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