Aer Lingus: Lyon to Dublin

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: Lyon, France - Saint-Exupéry International Airport (LYS)

Saint-Exupéry International Airport or "Aéroport Lyon Saint-Exupéry," formerly known as "Lyon Satolas Airport," is named after the French writer and pilot Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a native of Lyon. This airport is an important transport facility for the entire Rhône-Alpes region.

Location: Saint-Exupéry International Airport is located in Colombier-Saugnieu, 20 kilometers (12 miles) to the east of Lyon.

Transport:

- Rail: Trains run from the airport’s TGV station and serve some 15 cities in France and northern Italy daily. For detailed information on rates and times (for trains within France), check the official rail Web site.

- Bus: Several buses, operated by charter company Altibus, offer transportation to and from 34 mountain resorts in the region. Visit the airport’s shuttle information Web site for more info.

- Taxi: A taxi station is located in front of Terminal 1. The taxis operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fare information can be found at this Web site.

Services: Airport facilities include an exchange office and a post office in the central building. Bars, restaurants and many shops are also located in the central area. This airport also features a wide variety of services including a pharmacy, baby changing room, places of worship, a 24-hour medical center, a dry cleaning service, an electronic equipment recharging station, Internet access and even showers.

Arrival: Dublin, Ireland (DUB)

In Brief: Dublin Airport is located 10 km (about 6 miles) north of the city. It's a major base for both Aer Lingus and Ryanair, and also handles several Centralwings routes. In terms of sheer numbers, it's one of the most budget airline-friendly airports around. Transportation: Public buses cost between €1.60 and €1.90 to traverse the distance between central Dublin and the airport, depending on how far the journey in question is. Airlink buses, which travel to Dublin's Central Bus Station, cost €6.