Aer Lingus returns to full service today, with a side of flash sales Photo: Getty As Aer Lingus pivots from damage control to full service mode, the airline is running a “flash sale” aimed at getting passengers back booking flights. A sale running to July 18 offers up to 25pc off European flights, with fares to North America from €199 each-way, when booked as part of a return trip. Terms and conditions apply, of course, and sale fares provide varying value depending on the time and routes selected.
The offers on short-haul routes are valid for travel from July 20 to September 30, while the North American sale applies to flights from August 1 to October 6. Aer Lingus bookings tanked during an industrial relations dispute with pilots that saw more than 600 flights cancelled over several weeks. Aer Lingus pilots on an eight-hour strike at Dublin Airport on June 29 (Evan Treacy/PA) Following talks, the Labour Court issued recommendations including a 17.
75pc pay increase for pilots over a four-year period. Aer Lingus has said it would accept these, while Ialpa members start voting on the proposal tomorrow, with the ballot closing on July 23. On the airline’s website, a red travel disruption banner has been replaced by sale notices, and sunnier language in press releases promises “golden beaches in Faro, the Olympic games in Paris, stunning Santorini sunsets, vibrant nightlife in Palma, or exploring the Côte d'Azur in Nice”.
Aer Lingus now flies 19 North American rout.