Ireland's Original Airline Aer Lingus

Founded in 1936, Aer Lingus was created by the Irish Government to accommodate a growing appetite for air travel. Only days after the company was registered, the first services commenced from Baldonnel Airfield in Dublin, bound for Bristol. These early flights carried only six passengers, but the acquisition of further planes later that year more than tripled passenger capacity and allowed for extensions of services to London Luton. The airline was appointed the national carrier before the year was out, while further planes were introduced before the onset of war in 1939.

When regular services resumed after the end of the second world war, this Irish airline truly began to come into its own. The carrier recommenced service with a flight from Dublin to London, with the introduction of flight attendants onto its routes for the first time. A succession of savvy business deals and development plans saw the airline emerge as an eminent service provider throughout the 1940s and 1950s, with a growing fleet and expansion into Europe and North America.

Modern-day Aer Lingus continues to prosper, with a fleet of more than 40 planes which serve more than 90 different routes. Based out of some of Ireland's biggest cities, including Dublin, Cork, Shannon and Belfast, the airline employs more than 3,000 people and carries more than 10 million passengers every year.

Flying with Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus offers a variety of fare types, allowing passengers to tailor tickets to their trips. For flights within Europe, the airline offers three main fares. Advantage Fares provide passengers with more flexibility, allowing last-minute changes up to two hours before departure time. With this fare type, there's no need to pay additional fees, while tickets are also refundable with smaller admin fees. A Plus Fare is another convenient option, providing advance seat selection, priority boarding and free checked baggage allowance. Saver Fares offer the cheapest option, with allocated seats, free check-in and cabin baggage allowance up to 10 kg.

Practical Info

Check-in: While passengers can check-in at bag drop-off desks, printing a boarding pass off at home or downloading a copy to their smartphone allows for a faster, fuss-free check-in once at the airport.

Luggage:

• 1 bag with a maximum size of 55 x 40 x 24 cm (L x W x H)
• One extra piece of smaller hand luggage is also allowed into the cabin, such as a laptop bag or handbag.
• Standard weight of hold luggage is 23 kg.
• For more information on baggage rules, please see [https://www.aerlingus.ie/travel-information/baggage-information/checked-baggage/]