[PatJordan]

DUB – LGW – DUB (Economy )

Booking and check in

http://www.aerlingus.com is a very user friendly website, and selecting a flight for our preferred dates for our trip to LGW was no trouble. Three fare types are currently available: Fully flexible, Plus and Low. For this particular trip, chose the Plus fare option, which includes complimentary seat selection, one checked bag and Gold Circle points.

As we were spending our first night in London at the sumptuous St.Ermin’s Hotel, LGW was the most convenient airport to use. I took the time to sign up to “My Gatwick” which offers a range of discounts and more importantly, SMS notification in the event of delays to our flight ex-Gatwick.

A few days before departure, I used the on-line check in facility, selected our seats (6A & 6B) on both flights, and printed boarding passes. These were clearly marked “Priority Boarding”.

We booked our parking with Dublin Airport Authority, opting for the surface car park beside T2. It is a few steps to the terminal building, and very convenient for Aer Lingus passengers. And very good value at 60euro for five nights.

We arrived at Dublin Airport Terminal 2 @ 08.00am for our 10.50am flight. Having checked in already, all that remained was to drop off luggage. Aer Lingus have installed an automated bag tag and drop system:

• Place bag on scales and scan boarding card.

• Attach the tag which prints within seconds

• Bring the bag to the belt, the tag is electronically read and a receipt issued.

The entire process took barely a couple of minutes and for a middle aged technophobe was incredibly easy to use.

One of my favourite benefits of Gold Circle membership is the use of the Fast track security lane. Dublin Airport Security staff are very efficient, very thorough yet very pleasant. We were airside within a couple of minutes. Large screens give expected time to clear security which is very helpful.

There is a good range of shops and restaurants airside, and we had a browse before making our way to the Gold Circle Lounge.

Lounge (Dublin)

The Gold Circle Lounge in Dublin T2 is a large two storey area with large windows giving good views of the apron

Lounge staff are always very welcoming, and a wifi code is available at reception.

There is a water feature which extends over two floors, and is impressive. Upstairs is a quiet area, where shower suites are located.

There are numerous power points for charging mobile devices, and a couple of computers with printing facilities for those wishing to work.

Short Haul flights are not called from the lounge, but there are several flight information screens.

The food on offer consisted of:

• Fresh fruit
• Cereals
• Breads, scones, pastries
• Yogurts
• Cheese, crackers
• Biscuits,
• Savoury nibbles

Aer Lingus now display allergen information beside all food products.

A full range of soft & alcoholic drinks is available along with fruit juices, tea and coffee. We had a decent continental breakfast and about 10am, a tureen of goulash soup was added to the self service counter. I had a bowl, and found it to be pleasantly spicy with plenty of meat & vegetables.

The flight information screens advised “go to gate” shortly after10.10am.

Boarding & In Flight

When we arrived at the gate, there was quite a crowd waiting to board. However, the “priority boarding” lane was clearly marked, and we were soon on the airbridge.

Cabin crew warmly welcomed passengers on board

All Aer Lingus short haul aircraft are economy class and seats are configured 3-3. The Airbus was immaculate, with seats upholstered dark blue leather with adjustable headrests.

The Captain introduced himself, welcomed passengers on board, and outlined our and expected flight time. This was followed by a safety briefing. We departed a few minutes early, thus giving an earlier than expected arrival time.

Once we had reached cruising altitude the inflight service began. Unfortunately pre-order meals are no longer available, but there is still a menu of drinks, food and snacks available to purchase. I opted for a sausage and bacon baguette: this was a fresh and crispy baguette with a generous filling. With a cup of good quality Java Republic coffee, this was a reasonable 7.50euro.

Arrivals

We landed ahead of time at Gatwick, and advised to remain in our seats with seatbelts securely fastened as the aircraft could not complete the final few yards due to an electronic systems failure in the terminal building. This was followed by the news of a small oil spillage where the aircraft wheel would be parked: a cleaning crew was on the way to deal with this!

While we were sitting on the apron, a miniature traffic jam of vehicles which could not cross where we stood began to build up. After 15 minutes, we were underway, and the final few yards of the journey completed.

We deplaned via an airbridge, descended a few flights of stairs, and were guided outside to two buses. Surely it would have been simpler (and quicker) to wheel stairs to the front and rear doors to transfer passengers to the waiting buses?

The arrivals area is less than welcoming, and nowhere near as pleasant as Gatwick’s competitor, London Heathrow. Perhaps LGW Management might consider improving the arrival experience for Dublin passengers. A further delay of 20 minutes before baggage began to descend on to the belt was somewhat annoying, especially as the majority of passengers on this flight. Given the efforts of Gatwick management to attract passengers, the succession of blunders we experienced were not exactly the welcome one would expect.

Train from Gatwick to London

Gatwick Express and Southern Railways operate trains to London Victoria. The sole advantage of GE is that it is non-stop and has enhanced luggage space. The Southern Railways service makes two stops, takes a few minutes longer, and can be much more crowded. However a single fare of £8 one way using Oyster Card is a persuasive argument.

Check in Gatwick

Menzies are Aer Lingus handling agents in Gatwick. The gentleman who checked us in was one of the friendliest and most helpful we have encountered. On seeing that we had two pieces of hand luggage, we were offered the opportunity to check in one of these at no charge. I guessed (correctly as it turned out) that it must be a very full flight with cabin storage at a premium. I gratefully accepted the offer, which made our trek through security that little bit easier.

I was unsure whether Gold Circle status entitled us to fast track security at Gatwick, but the self service scanner accepted our boarding passes, and we proceeded through security in a matter of minutes.

As with the majority of airports, exiting security leads one to a shopping area, and in truth the duty free prices on fragrance were substantially less than high street shops. With the current Euro/Sterling exchange rates, this is even more favourable for Irish passengers.

Lounge Gatwick:

Aer Lingus Gold Circle passengers currently use No.1 Traveller lounge. This was a large bright room with good views of the runway, and lots of natural light. There was a very good range of newspapers and magazines, complimentary wi-fi, and a good range of seat types. There were also a couple of secluded areas for those wishing to have quiet time. Plenty of power points were provided.

In keeping with other No.1 Traveller lounges, the bar is staffed, and most drinks are complimentary. A glass of prosecco is a reasonable £4. The self service food was limited to traybakes, cookies, nuts and fruit. There was a choice of prepared to order meals on the menu, and we both chose Lamb Hotpot which was very good.
During the course of our stay, I received an email from “my Gatwick” informing me of a delay of 30 minutes to our flight.

We duly proceeded to our gate, and as with Dublin airport, a clearly signed “priority boarding” lane was in operation. The gate staff asked all passengers if they would like to check in hand baggage as it was a very full flight. I took this offer, and gave up my carry on case.

BOARDING

As always, Aer Lingus cabin crew welcomed passengers on board. Given the delay, and the large numbers of people boarding, the operation was carried out remarkably swiftly and efficiently.

After the usual flight information and safety briefings, we were soon airborne and on our way to Dublin.

The inflight catering was restricted on this flight, with no hot items available. A little disappointing, but not the end of the world. My wife enjoyed a glass of white wine, while I had a scone and coffee.

When we deplaned in Dublin, I was pleased to find that we were at a gate close to the arrivals hall, thus reducing the time it takes to reach passport control.

Our bags arrived after a few minutes, and we proceeded to the car park, which is a very short walk from T2.

Conclusion

This was a very pleasant flight, and as usual Aer Lingus service is exemplary.

I was less pleased with the arrivals experience at Gatwick, however. In contrast, arriving at Dublin was much more efficient, particularly baggage collection.

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