Aer Lingus: London to Shannon

The carrier: Aer Lingus

About

Ireland's legacy flag carrier Aer Lingus has been morphing over the course of the last several years into a low-cost airline. Flying to major airports across Europe, and as of recently North America and Dubai, Aer Lingus is dependable and well established. Fares can be quite low, though advance purchase fares don't quite compare to those offered by that other Irish low-cost carrier, Ryanair.

Upside

Airline is well established and serves major airports.

Downside

Connections beyond Europe are not very good, thus dulling one distinctive draw. Frequent delays and unhelpful staff are common complaints.

Baggage

* Carry-on: One bag up to 10 kg (7kg for regional flights), plus one personal item.
* Checked: €12 per bag booked online (€18 at airport). Max 9 bags with combined weight of 20 kg. Over 20 kgs, fees apply. No single bag over 32 kg (70 lbs) is allowed.

* Please visit Aer Lingus’s website for more information on its baggage policy.

Seating

You may select seats online at time of booking.

Check-in and Ticketing

Aer Lingus offers online-check in for most flights and is available from 30 hours in advance until 4 hours and 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time.  Times vary for US airports.  Checked baggage is accepted from passengers who check-in online.

Fun Fact

All Aer Lingus planes bear the name of an Irish saint.

Departure: London, United Kingdom - Gatwick (LGW)

Gatwick is London's (and the UK's) second-busiest airport and Europe's sixth-busiest. Gatwick is a major hub that sits roughly between London and Brighton, about 50 miles (30 km) south of London. Low-cost leader easyJet rules Gatwick along with British Airways. Many other budget and charter airlines fly into Gatwick, including Monarch and Thomsonfly. Location: Gatwick Airport is located 45 km (28 miles) south of London. Transport: - Rail: A free transit train connects Gatwick’s North and South terminals to the main rail station nearby. In the arrivals hall of both terminals there's a rail info desk where you can purchase tickets and obtain rail schedules. The Gatwick Express offers high-speed train shuttle service between Gatwick Airport and downtown London. The journey only takes half an hour. For more information, including time tables and cost, check out the Gatwick Express's Official Website. Express trains between Gatwick and Heathrow as well as Gatwick and Stansted are also available every 15 minutes. - Bus: The local bus service runs to and from both Gatwick terminals to various destinations including Crawley, Horley, Redhill and Horsham, as well as other local stops. The bus lines include: 'Fastway 10' every eight minutes with 24-hour service, 'Fastway 20' every 20 minutes, Route 100 every 20 minutes, and Gatwick Direct 200 every 30 minutes. There is also an express coach available between the airport and the London Victoria Coach station. For more information on the express coach consult the Official Website. Every 30 minutes, bus lines run between Gatwick and Heathrow and Gatwick and Stansted airports as well. - Taxi: Checker Cars is the taxi company that serves Gatwick Airport. They operate on a quoted fare system but cars may also be pre-booked with fares paid either in advance or after the journey. The Checker Cars booking office is located in the North Terminal Arrivals Hall. A taxi into the city will take approximately 65 minutes. Service:There are information desks in each airport terminal that are open 24-hours with multi-lingual staff available. Both terminals have a currency exchange as well as ATMs. In the South Terminal there is a 24-hour internet cafe and a post office. The airport also has wireless internet available, numerous bars, restaurants, and cafes as well as shops and duty-free outlets. Other facilities include baby changing rooms and showers, a children's play area, and a medical center that offers vaccinations.

Arrival: Shannon, Ireland (SNN)

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