info@simplyairlines.com

• Aer Lingus
  www.aerlingus.com
  Airline Info

  Aer Lingus

   

  Aer Lingus is the national carrier for Ireland, with its headquarters based at Dublin airport. The airline began operating in 1936 and only recently celebrated its 75th anniversary. After the Second World War, Aer Lingus began to open up new routes in Europe and later in the USA,with the result that the airline began to increase in size. In recent years, the airline has followed the path of offering higher and low cost fare options to compete with other carriers. Due to the effects of the recent global financial crisis, Aer Lingus began to suffer losses in trading,with the result that the airline had to contend with two separate takeover bids from its rival airline Ryanair,which it declined and continued as an independent airline. Aer Lingus managed to agree with its union members on a cost cutting restructuring,with the result that the airline is back in profits again.

  Aer Lingus has a small aircraft fleet of 44 planes( Dec 2011) and travelling to over 80 destinations. The safety record of the airline is good in recent years with no record of incidents recorded to date. There are two ticket categories available - Business and Economy Class on flights,although on short haul flights, Economy Class is only available. The cabin service and conditions are a good standard, with high passenger approval. On short haul flights inflight entertainment is not available,while on long haul flights it is, with individual TV monitors,giving access to a selection of videos on demand,TV programmes,music options and interactive games. The airline website is user friendly and easy to make a booking.

  Aer Lingus provides travellers with a good standard of air travel for long haul flights and good value airfares for short haul flights and is worth considering when making a flight booking.

• Cityjet
  www.cityjet.com
  Airline Info

  Cityjet

   

  Cityjet is an Irish regional airline, with its headquarters based in Swords,County Dublin. The airline began operating in 1994 and is owned by the airline group Air France - KLM. Cityjet has routes to regional airports in Europe with London City,Paris Charles De Gaulle being the main hub airports. In 2007 Cityjet tookover the Belgian airline VLM and increased its route network and aircraft fleet. Flights are mostlly short haul flights and attractive to business travellers for reaching business centres like London easily, via the central London City airport.

  Cityjet is considered a 3 star airline with an aircraft fleet of 36 planes ( Nov 2011) and travelling to 15 destinations. The safety record is very good, with no incidents or accidents recorded to date. There are two categories of ticket available - Premium Economy and Economy Class on flights. The cabin service and conditions are a good standard.As flights are mostly short haul inflight entertainment is not available.The airline's website is user friendly and easy to make a flight booking.

  Cityjet provides business travellers with an alternative option to the larger airlines to access airports like London City and regional airports. For any traveller Cityjet is an airline worth considering when planning a flight.

• Ryanair
  www.ryanair.com
  Airline Info

  Ryanair

   

  Ryanair is an Irish budget airline, with headquarters based at Dublin airport.The airline began operating in 1985 and has now become one of the most successful low cost airlines in Europe. Ryanair has made large profits by the use of a low cost model,having a quick turn-around of planes, flying to regional airports rather than the main city airports and the use of a standard plane - Boeing 737-800,which makes savings on maintainance of these planes. Online booking was also brought in to make savings on the administration side and copied by many other airlines. These methods were introduced by the current Chief Executive Michael O'Leary,who has become the leading force of this airline,with the clever use of the media to promote Ryanair. The 'no frills' approach has seen the rapid expansion in size of this airline. Ryanair,however has been criticised for the lack of good customer service available and the additional charges that can add up on the airfare.

  Ryanair is considered a 3 star airline with a large aircraft fleet of 289 new planes and travelling to 165 destinations.The airline has a good safety record with only two recent minor incidents on record. In Nov 2008 a flight landing at Rome(Ciampino Airport) suffered a multiple bird strike damaging both engines.The plane due to the skill of the pilots landed safely but 10 people on board had minor injuries requiring hospital treatment. There is only one ticket category available -Economy Class on flights. The cabin service is basic on this budget airline but having the latest planes, the seat comfort provided is good. Being a low cost airline the inflight entertainment is limited and catering is on a buy on board basis.

  Ryanair has provided travellers in the past with low airfares,which was very attractive for someone on a limited budget. For travellers not interested in air travel comfort and service but for just to arriving at their destination at an attractive price, then this is the airline to consider when making a booking.

= Recommended Airline

• Cork
  No guide available
• Dublin
  Visit Dublin City Guide
• Galway
  No guide available