Should I fly Aer Lingus Dublin - Dubai

[anotherglassofwine]

I'm planing a holiday to Dubai in early April and have discovered that the new Aer Lingus route is pretty cheap compared to anyone else connecting via London. However, having flown with Aer Lingus to JFK a couple of months back, I'm not sure the inflight experience is worth the couple of hundred Euro savings - the food was dreadful and the TV that I had best view of 3 seats over my head, stopped working 50 minutes into the movie.
From what I've read EI are putting the A330's on the Dubai route - but am I right in saying that all of the A330's in their fleet have the old TV-in-roof things as opposed to the seatback PTV's?Any chance they will lease aircraft with decent passenger entertainment for the 8 hour flight? - or should I spent an extra hundred quid and connect through London where I can pass the time watching some decent movies?
What would you do?

[manintheback]

buy a personal DVD player and some decent food for the flight.

Connecting takes too long and has too many risks. And in seat IFE isnt as reliable as you might think

[840]

They won't have new planes anyway. I would expect the food etc. to be the same as on the JFK route, although it could be the same as the Orlando route where you have to pay - Can anyone else advise?

Mind you, their in-flight offering in short-haul has improved vastly since they've had to have it to a quality where it will actually sell.

As for what to do... I would probably book the Aer Lingus ticket, but that's partially because I'm tight and partially because I'm one-world sapphire.


BTW As you've flown to JFK, I assume that you are familiar with the horror that is a connection in Dublin.

[anotherglassofwine]

yea normally take my laptop with me and watch a DVD on that, but battery life isn't great - have the personal DVD's players a decent life or can you just watch one movie with them?

I live in Dublin and travel to Europe regularly and I have to say over the past few weeks it's improved a lot, security is much better and the changes to pier A are welcome so don't mind that bit - changed in LHR loads of times and that is pretty bad too.
I just like having lots of channels and entertainment on a long haul - was hoping someone would tell me Aer Lingus were going to lease some new airplanes for that route with decent IFE!

[840]

I didn't realise that you were starting your journey in Dublin. Definitely Aer Lingus then. I'd go Ryanair of it was a direct flight.

[EI-CFC]

I just like having lots of channels and entertainment on a long haul - was hoping someone would tell me Aer Lingus were going to lease some new airplanes for that route with decent IFE!

AFAIK they are covering this route with their existing fleet, so it's quite likely to be overhead TV's.

The food wont be like Orlando (as it was technically a charter service which is why they did the "pay for your food" option), but will be pretty much the same as the standard EI food, just like JFK, ORD, LAX etc.

[MarkD]

anotherglass

isn't QR (whoops - actually GF! thanks Flame) starting DUB? Could connect there. IIRC the aircraft which serves LAX is the one for DXB and that one has IFE.

[Flame]

Aer Lingus are expected to use their A330-200's on this service, these are slightly newer models than the -300's used to JFK, BOS & ORD. So seat back IFE should be the norm

having said that, the EI experience is dreadfull and I personally would only use it as a last resort, for my money even with a stopover, I would book GF to Bahrain and with a connection onto Dubai. I did it last year and its painfree

[anotherglassofwine]

Thanks for the replies - didn't think of Gulf Air - so might look into that.
840 - As far as I am concerned if I am on an aircraft for over 8 hours I need a degree of comfort, whatever class I have paid for.
I'm a fan of locos on less than 3 hours trips, but anything longer no way.
If my experieces to the United States with Aer Lingus are indicative of what is to expect on the Dubai route, then I will certainly look elsewhere. It is a pity.
Any opinions on KLM on this route via Ams ? They have pretty good fares at present.

[hafez]

EI only have one plane with IFE and that usually goes to boston and la i think. Would they ever cop on and do what everyone else is doing rather than being typically IRISH :mad:

[MarkD]

hafez

the existing 330-301s are weight restricted so IFE would cause problems sending a 333 to ORD. The newer 333s have higher MTOWs but EI will probably end up waiting for the 359 or 773.

New 359s or 773ERs would be able to operate LAX/SFO/CPT with more seats, crew rest (a condition of new routes agreed with the crews) and IFE.

The problem is - no privatisation, no new fleet. So sez DM.

[bear11]

A suggestion for an alternative from my own experience - try Emirates through Birmingham or Manchester, it's usually cheaper than going with them through Heathrow, and the transfer is soo much less painful (probably an A330 rather than the 777s ex Heathrow, which are uncomfortable with the amount of seats they jam into cattle class). A transfer through Bahrain with Gulf wouldn't be very painful, either.

[stoney69]

dublin-dubai ?? ei dont fly here !

[exmax]

Stoney69 - Check the EI website http://www.aerlingus.com, I think you'll find there are plans to operate dub-dxb starting a 3 weekly service on 28 March 2006.

[NASTYNAS]

You could always go via Glasgow with EK. They will be using the 777-300ER which are very nice even in economy

[Flame]

Hafez...

EI Operate 3 A330-200's, with EI-DAA being the newest..and as best I know, and I stand to be corrected, all 3 have IFE..the older 300's use Tv screens

If I was going to DXB, from what I hear EK is excellent

[hafez]

EI-DAA is the only A330 with PTV's ;)