Is Aer Lingus blocking Avios redemption flights within 60 days of departure?

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• Gill says:

  9 Nov9 November 10:23

  What is also extremely frustrating is that on the BHX-DUB-BHX route which has 4/5 flights per day, there is only *1* seat available on daytime flights and *8* on the last flight of each day. This is not because seats have already been booked, it’s across the whole schedule. This is a recent change implemented during the last week in October. More seats were available on 21 Oct, but by 29 Oct they had vanished

• apbj says:

  9 Nov9 November 10:37

  I could understand the problem if BAEC members are earning tier points and Avios on cash BA flights then piling into cheaper redemptions on EI. But the easiest way to fix that would be to properly align Aer Space with business class (it’s perfectly adequate for a basic short haul business product) and tier point earning on all routes. I’d pay cash.

• Stu_N says:

  9 Nov9 November 10:51

  Hopefully a temp thing if it is fraud related, was always a useful option from EDI to DUB despite lack of RFS.

  Cathay did similar several years ago (maybe 2018?). That was a shorter period pre-departure (maybe 14 or 30 days) and was due to fraudulent bookings originating in mainland China. There was a temporary workaround that you could call BAEC to book then I think it was resolved so online bookings came back in the end. There was a huge thread on FlyerTalk about it at the time.

• BJ says:

  9 Nov9 November 12:06

  I’m not convinced that this should be described as strange or singled out for discussions. ‘Strange’ things with avsilability are nothing new or exclusive to Aer Lingus. It might be more reasonable to state that ‘strange’ things are more common across a number of airlines in recent times than in the past. For example, we have this, we have BA restricting avios seats to some partners, we have Qatar with their 2x avios seats, we have Finnair blocking direct flighrs to tgdir mist popular destinations for the whole of July and August until the other week, and we have Cathay, MAS and SriLankan releasing less seats than in the past. Some may say that sears are released and snapped up but generally I believe volumes and patterns of reward seat releases have been reduced and become more eratic.

  • Mikeact says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:38

    Not forgetting the major recent Delta changes…and so it goes on. We ought to have a separate forum on here…FFP Gripes… (including the others, Hotels, Car Rentals etc. )

• Chris W says:

  9 Nov9 November 12:45

  I rarely hear anything positive about Aer Lingus. Is there something I’m missing about how desirable it is to redeem Avios on?

  • Damian says:

    9 Nov9 November 14:31

    My wife and I went to Cork for Christmas in 2021. The cash flights for both of us on Aer Lingus were £1215. Flights on Ryanair £900. We paid 18000 Avios and £212 in taxes. Definitely some benefit to using Avios with them at times.

  • NorthernLass says:

    9 Nov9 November 15:29

    It would be better if there were ever any J reward seats from MAN!

  • Gill says:

    9 Nov9 November 17:23

    I went from DUB-ORD in Sept in business. It was an excellent flight and so much easier to get to DUB rather than having to get to LHR. Added bonus of preclearance in Dublin arriving ORD as domestic passenger. For me it’s a no brainer

  • Relaxo says:

    9 Nov9 November 18:53

    It’s f***** awful on long distance flights or at least the Toronto- Dublin sector. Worst economy seat pitch , non existent service, no free drinks, food even my dog would reject. Even business class was bare minimum standards.

• Kevin says:

  9 Nov9 November 13:12

  I wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out this is an IT technical error. Avios/IAG/EI/BA should be embarrassed with that website. Through in the usual BA IT issues and by the time you search and book, you could walk quicker!

  If EI have actually made this 60 day rule, then I agree with above. EI are known for making silly decisions.

• Niall says:

  9 Nov9 November 13:48

  I have been in dialogue with both Aer CLub and Avios on this very topic since October and was getting stonewalled with completely incorrect replies. I had been booking LHR – Dub on Avios / Aer Lingus a lot for the last 2 years always with good availability up to 24 hours in advance. This then changed abruptly at the end of Sept to the 60 day in advance policy. Both AerClub and Avios tried to say that this had always been the case but fortunately I had printouts of searches to prove my point. Avios say they are taking it up with Aer Lingus, but still have not got to the bottom of whether this is temporary error issue or the new permanent policy. I completely agree that if it stays with the 60 day policy it makes Avios / Aer Club reward flights a but of a joke.

  • ADS says:

    9 Nov9 November 16:07

    Aer Lingus claiming the 60 days rule has always been the case is a joke!

    I have examples of bookings I’ve made just over 24 hours before departure!!

• Damian says:

  9 Nov9 November 14:35

  I flew to Cork last weekend last minute for a funeral where cash prices were very high on the outgoing flight. There were no Avios seats available, when I would normally expect at least one. This was on the late flight too at 2200 hours.

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