Aer Lingus

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In the face of intense competition from Ryanair, especially for flights between London and Dublin, Aer Lingus have had to cut costs dramatically, being one of the first European "legacy" airlines to stop giving out free drinks and snacks on shorthaul flights. Additionally, Aer Lingus have also been trying to push their customers towards direct booking via their aerlingus.com website, and consequently, many of their best deals on flights within Europe are not always available through internet travel agents such as Expedia or Ebookers.

The airline's fortunes were dramatically turned around by former chief executive Willie Walsh, who then moved on to tackle the British Airways unions. Prices on Aer Lingus flights to Ireland have become extremely competitive with Ryanair. Although Ryanair might always offer cutthroat competition during times when demand is low, it should never be assumed they will always be cheaper. In cities such as Glasgow and London, Aer Lingus offer the considerable advantage of using major airports which are closer to the city centre, and on other routes Aer Lingus offer a higher frequency of service.

Aer Lingus' long-haul route network is focused almost solely on transatlantic flights, with an unsurprising focus on cities with a large Irish population such as Boston and New York. Flights to the USA with Aer Lingus offer the huge advantage of being able to clear US immigration at Dublin airport, although this is often counterbalanced by the fact that many of these flights involve a time-consuming stop in Shannon.