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Hey folks,
I’m sure this has been answered, but search is returning zero results for anything and no luck on Google…
I’m flying Aer Lingus next week LHR to Shannon, booked through corporate travel system. I’ve attached by BA Club number which is BA Gold.
I believe, even on a saver ticket, I’m entitled to a free checked bag, however it’s not showing up on the booking. Do I just go to the check in desk to claim? Also, EI now have a £12.99 fee to take your 10kg bag on board with you… I’m assuming BA Gold doesn’t get me out of that if I want to go that route?
Thanks!
Can you not check in the cabin bag for free if you’re taking hold luggage and need to collect that anyway? This is what we did last year, though that was an avios booking so we had 20 kg each regardless of status. I was gold, though, so I’m wondering if that didn’t actually entitle us to baggage, as we were definitely relying on the avios terms.
You’ll probably find the answer on Flyertalk, if @BlairWaldorfSalad isn’t around to help, though I’ve seen a few reports of agents not knowing the rules (which are not at all straightforward with EI), and not allowing things that are actually permitted.
https://www.headforpoints.com/2024/11/22/british-airways-elite-benefits-flying-aer-lingus/
Looks like you do get a 23kg bag, this was introduced a few days before we flew which is probably why it wasn’t fully on my radar!
You should probably take a copy of the rules with you, though.
It is not straightforward, and very frustrating. I’m also BA gold, and if I book on BA.com with a BA flight number, you cannot pick a seat and the luggage is unclear. Sometimes if you ring, you can get some useful info, seat selection etc.
Can you not check in the cabin bag for free if you’re taking hold luggage and need to collect that anyway? This is what we did last year, though that was an avios booking so we had 20 kg each regardless of status. I was gold, though, so I’m wondering if that didn’t actually entitle us to baggage, as we were definitely relying on the avios terms.
Yeh, that’s the backup plan, and certainly can do it out to Shannon. Although, flying back to Heathrow I’ll tempted to just pay it to avoid the ~30m-60m wait for bags (although, maybe T2 is better than T5 for luggage delivery times!)
I’ll post over on FlyerTalk too. I think the main question is: “is it normal that I can’t see my free bag anywhere on the booking”
No free checked bag on a saver fare. You’ll be OK with your 10kg carry on bag
The BA page says:
“Silver members will get one additional bag at 23kg when travelling on Aer Lingus-operated flights in economy, excluding EI Saver Fares.
Gold members will get one additional bag at 23kg when travelling in any cabin on Aer Lingus-operated flights. For EI Business class, an additional piece up to 32kg is allowed but the combined weight must not exceed 96kg.”
So unless the wording is wrong, golds do get the allowance on Saver flights.
Apologies if I have misunderstood the OP.
EI don’t offer free checked luggage on saver fare for their elites. I’m saying that as concierge member so not sure what why a BA gold would have a free checked bag on a saver fare.
If I book am EI Plus, Aantage or Aer Space fare a free checked bag comes as standard and if I wish I can have the EI concierge team manually add a 2nd checked bag for for of charge.
For info, SNN has an amazing display of model aircraft in both departures and arrivals area. It is well worth a look if you have the time.
You’ll get through security is less than 5 mins. I’ll usually arrive 60mins before departure and head straight for the gate (probably gate 8 or 9 if you are on EI388). The EI ground crew at SNN are fantastic.
Apologies if I have misunderstood the OP.
EI don’t offer free checked luggage on saver fare for their elites. I’m saying that as concierge member so not sure what why a BA gold would have a free checked bag on a saver fare.
If I book am EI Plus, Aantage or Aer Space fare a free checked bag comes as standard and if I wish I can have the EI concierge team manually add a 2nd checked bag for for of charge.
For info, SNN has an amazing display of model aircraft in both departures and arrivals area. It is well worth a look if you have the time.
You’ll get through security is less than 5 mins. I’ll usually arrive 60mins before departure and head straight for the gate (probably gate 8 or 9 if you are on EI388). The EI ground crew at SNN are fantastic.
This is also my understanding of the luggage allowance; that BA Silvers and Golds do not somehow get a free checked bag on Saver fares. Usually in airline speak “additional free bag” means in addition to the initial bag included with your fare type
Also the EI operation at LHR is slick, efficient and very much a throwback in that ground staff are empowered to make decisions. Thus I’d be stunned if they refused to check in your 10kg cabin bag for free what with you being BA Gold.
The BA info, as quoted by HFP, must be misleadingly worded then. It states that Saver fares are excluded for silver pax, but makes no mention of this exception for gold pax. This is possibly what OP was relying on to start with?
But doesn’t the cabin bag go in the hold free in any case, or has that stopped now? We managed to check 4 bags on our avios booking last year – 2 x 20kg of hold baggage and 2 x 10kg cabin bags.
Reward bookings do seem to be a better deal!
*The operation at MAN appeared more chaotic than the LHR one sounds but we got from A to B.
The BA info, as quoted by HFP, must be misleadingly worded then. It states that Saver fares are excluded for silver pax, but makes no mention of this exception for gold pax. This is possibly what OP was relying on to start with?
But doesn’t the cabin bag go in the hold free in any case, or has that stopped now? We managed to check 4 bags on our avios booking last year – 2 x 20kg of hold baggage and 2 x 10kg cabin bags.
Reward bookings do seem to be a better deal!
*The operation at MAN appeared more chaotic than the LHR one sounds but we got from A to B.
The MAN operation is by the same Menzies staff who do BA. Need we say more!
The cabin bag going free in the hold is an odd one. It specifically carves out AerClub elites, who must carry their bag on board. It’s written in a sort of “whether you like it or not” manner but in practice I have found the staff open to my preferences. Though YMMV
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