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Artur Widak/PA Wire

Aer Lingus customers sleep overnight at Lisbon Airport due to cancelled flight

The flight is not expected to depart until 7.50pm this evening.

AER LINGUS HAS apologised to customers who remain at Lisbon Airport after their flight to Cork was cancelled last night.

Aer Lingus flight EI 891 from Lisbon to Cork Airport was due to depart last night at 10.45pm. 

Passengers had boarded the aircraft and remained on board until 1am when they were asked to disembark by crew as the flight would not be departing the airport due to a technical issue. 

One passenger told TheJournal.ie that passengers slept overnight at Lisbon Airport and that there had been little communication from Aer Lingus in relation to the situation. 

“We were on board until 1am when we were asked to disembark with the promise of a bus to a hotel but when we got off the ground staff company called Ground Force knew nothing about it,” said Ken Hickey.

Everyone slept on floors of airport and got nothing until 11.45am this morning when we got a lunch voucher.

A number of passengers have also taken to Twitter to vent frustration with the airline and what they say has been a lack of proper communication. Hickey said that many passengers are angry over the situation. 

New flight 

Aer Lingus text passengers this morning at 8.30am to advise them that their flight to Cork would depart today at 2pm.

The airline has since sent another text update this afternoon stating that as a result of “airport and Air Traffic Control slot restrictions” the flight will be further delayed, with departure now scheduled for 7.50pm tonight. 

The airline text passengers apologising for the “on-going disruption you are experiencing in Lisbon (LIS) airport”. Aer Lingus said it was “doing all we can to operate this flight as early as possible”.  

Passengers have been informed that there will be no catering service on the rescheduled flight and that their handling agent Groundforce would issue passengers with vouchers at check-in. 

In a statement, a spokesperson for Aer Lingus apologised for the delay and the fact that customers had to sleep overnight at the airport. 

“While our Guest Relations team sought to book hotel accommodation for disrupted guests, availability was extremely limited in the Lisbon region due to a large-scale event taking place there,” the spokesperson said. 

Regrettably some guests had to overnight at the airport – those guests who managed to secure their own accommodation will be reimbursed accordingly. 

“We sincerely apologise to guests for the inconvenience caused but we wish to assure them that our teams are doing all they can to resolve the situation as quickly as possible,” the spokesperson said. 

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64 Comments
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    Mute Lucille Ball
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:10 PM

    Whatever it is with Aer lingus they are gone to the dogs lately when it comes to correspondence with their passengers,
    Didn’t something like this happen recently enough? Or was it Ryanair?

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    Mute Peter Cavey
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:30 PM

    @Lucille Ball: if you have travel insurance, you can claim quite a bit of money.. about 800 Euro for an overnight stay in the airport.

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    Mute Squiddley Diddley
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    Jun 30th 2019, 3:03 PM

    @Lucille Ball: I wonder did they still call their passengers ‘guests’ in those text messages as they do normally now. Pretty silly term normalky but especially ironic term given the circumstances last night.

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    Mute Squiddley Diddley
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    Jun 30th 2019, 5:03 PM

    @Squiddley Diddley: I see the article has now been expanded with actual quotes from Aer Lingus using the term ‘guests’ as expected with absolutely no sense of irony.

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    Mute Scorpionvenomm
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    Jun 30th 2019, 5:17 PM

    @Peter Cavey: travel insurance don’t make me laugh. Biggest con ever.

    21
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    Mute Elaine Fagan
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    Jun 30th 2019, 5:24 PM

    @Lucille Ball: this is the third time in about a week I’ve read about problems like this with Aer Lingus.

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    Mute Roland D Hay
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    Jun 30th 2019, 7:54 PM

    @Peter Cavey: That is not true.

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    Mute Chin Feeyin
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    Jun 30th 2019, 8:54 PM

    @Roland D Hay: that depends on the policy.

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    Mute sue
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    Jun 30th 2019, 9:39 PM

    @Peter Cavey: pretty sure the airline has to fork out in that case. if a flight is delayed or cancelled you need to make sure the airline will email or hand you a copy of your rights. things changed after the volcanic eruption and passengers actually have a good few rights now. as far as I know airline has to find you accommodation or you can source it yourself and claim back from airline. anyone know if that’s right?

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    Mute GerryCummins
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    Jun 30th 2019, 9:49 PM

    @Scorpionvenomm: don’t break a leg or any other apoendage in the US so! Or anywhere outside the EU. Even then your E111 will only take you so far..it wont’t get you repatriated on your stretcher! Dont buy private travel insurance at your own peril! As lors have discovered!

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    Mute Dave Reddy
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    Jul 1st 2019, 2:47 AM

    @Lucille Ball: I pretty much only fly Aer Lingus and only had one problem. I booked a seat with extra legroom, paid extra, didn’t get the seat. I sent them a Direct Message on Twitter from the plane and had my refund 3 days later.

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    Mute Finn H. Schoyen
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    Jul 2nd 2019, 9:36 PM

    @Peter Cavey: That’s a lot more useful than a mere apology, but I believe the compensation should be coming out of Aer Lingus’ coffers, rather than the various travel insurance providers, as it’s Aer Lingus that’s answering to their customers for all of this.

    The only right thing here would be to organise bus and hotel for the stranded passengers straight away. Since nothing was available nearby, only one option left: find something a bit further away, deal with the necessary logistics, and keep the customers at least reasonably satisfied.

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    Mute Jimmy Kinsella
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:59 PM

    I fly a lot with AL and the service is rapidly going down hill. They used to organize a hotel and alternative flights when ever there were issues, now you are left to your own devices. How to run down a great brand and must be demoralizing for the great staff they have.

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    Mute John Horan
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    Jun 30th 2019, 5:34 PM

    @Jimmy Kinsella: yes and do you remember the old prices too?

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    Mute SC
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:22 PM

    Twitter is really useful for complaints. Nobody listens when you phone customer service but if you publicly disgrace them they react.

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    Mute Cynical
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    Jun 30th 2019, 8:08 PM

    @SC: Complaining is the Twitter ethos.

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    Mute Squiddley Diddley
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:48 PM

    PLEASE BE AWARE THAT AER LINGUS CUSTOMER CARE IS A PREMIUM RATE NUMBER. When I had to use it recently it woukd cut off after 10 mins. That’s 8 mins waiting 2 mins talking. Unable to resolve the issue each time. Agent refused to take my number so he could call me back. Got a bill for around a hundred euro. Be careful. Cheaper to go to the airport and talk to them.

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    Mute Ian Breathnach
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    Jun 30th 2019, 3:02 PM

    @Squiddley Diddley: That’s madness. Did you call their 1890 number from a mobile? Those charges are outrageous. Aer Lingus have an ordinary customer care number 01-8868505.

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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jun 30th 2019, 3:19 PM

    @Ian Breathnach: Madness…is being kind…

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    Mute Squiddley Diddley
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    Jun 30th 2019, 3:29 PM

    @Ian Breathnach: Was last September I think, woukd have been a number from their website. Was from a work mobile which resulted in a few raised eyebrows a month later when the bill came in. I was trying to resolve an error I made with a booking, if it was their error I’d have gone to war over those costs, as it was I put it down to experience. Worked out roughly 30euro per call as I remember. The interesting thing was the first 3 calls all cut off within a second of the same length. During the fourth I gave up and drove to the airport. Was frustrated at the calls terminating. Had no idea then of the cost. Imagine these passengers back from Lisbon today calling the same number to complain with no idea they coukd end up paying more than the cost of their flight to complain.

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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jun 30th 2019, 3:45 PM

    @Squiddley Diddley: No, the coukd* not. Flight confirmations provide emergency/complaint numbers and contact information.

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    Mute Squiddley Diddley
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    Jun 30th 2019, 3:54 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: What point are you making?

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    Mute Declan Moran
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    Jun 30th 2019, 5:18 PM

    @Squiddley Diddley: 1890 and 0818 numbers should be banned. Such a rip off when you’re trying to get something sorted out

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    Mute Al Madzer
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    Jun 30th 2019, 10:51 PM

    @Squiddley Diddley: if you dialled that number from your landline instead of mobile, MASSIVE difference. The mobile networks are milking the 1890 numbers!

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    Mute Fear Uisce
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:25 PM

    hopefully the passengers get the full euro600 compensation under EU regs

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    Mute Patrick Agnew
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:15 PM

    I can’t understand this. There isn’t exactly a shortage of hotel in Lisbon

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    Mute Conrad Shields
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:52 PM

    @Patrick Agnew: May have been sufficient rooms in total, but likely spread out over several hotels across the city. Logistically takes time to identify those hotels with capacity, types of rooms needed (i.e. for families) & organising transport to those venues. And if they go thru all that trouble getting people into hotels 2-3 in the morning, there is always possibility that issue could be resolved overnight & plane could be ready early next morning, but will be delayed getting out as you need to get all those people back to the airport.

    Ideally, should have central body that records the available rooms each evening, so people can be despatched to those locations quickly.
    I’m sure they hoped to get the plane up & running, but they knew before 1am that it wasn’t going to happen.

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    Mute Elaine Fagan
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    Jun 30th 2019, 5:26 PM

    @Conrad Shields: no excuse for not providing refreshments for your passengers though.

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    Mute Liam Doran
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    Jul 2nd 2019, 12:38 AM

    @Conrad Shields: U might get a short novel out of that comment although I fell asleep half way through it

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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Jun 30th 2019, 3:00 PM

    I’ve heard so many people complaining about Aer Lingus and their treatment of people. This event is sadly no surprise.

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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jun 30th 2019, 3:12 PM

    Aer Lingus has gone to the dogs when it comes to looking after customers.

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    Mute Theresa O Brien
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    Jun 30th 2019, 3:42 PM

    Same thing happened to us in March this year . There was no flight to Dublin even thought we had our print out . We ended up going to cork . Then taxi to Dublin . Filled in relevant forms as we were to do by their staff . Still awaiting refund not even apology. Not good customer service .

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    Mute Squiddley Diddley
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    Jun 30th 2019, 3:49 PM

    @Theresa O Brien: I think we need some kind of Customer Service Ombudsman.

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Jun 30th 2019, 4:15 PM

    @Theresa O Brien: You got a taxi from Cork to Dublin when there is 24 hour bus service?

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    Mute Nigel Barlow
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    Jun 30th 2019, 5:47 PM

    @Theresa O Brien: small claims court? Less paperwork to complete and if judgement not satisfied you could seek a petition/ order to have the company wound up!

    11
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    Mute Barry Zuckerkorn
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    Jun 30th 2019, 3:08 PM

    Typical Aer Lingus always delayed, yet Ryanair gets the bad rep

    93
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    Mute Louise Tracey
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:07 PM

    I would have thought Aer Lingus would have been required to provide accommodation? What a crap end to your holiday

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Jun 30th 2019, 11:03 PM

    Complete failure of hospitality by the sound of this. Surely they know better.

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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:33 PM

    Over 36,000 aircraft use European airspace, every day – so these types of problems are inevitable.

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    Mute Squiddley Diddley
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:53 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: How passengers are treated is the issue.

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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jun 30th 2019, 3:10 PM

    @Squiddley Diddley: also the causes…

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    Mute Terry Cahill
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    Jun 30th 2019, 6:07 PM

    @Alonzo Margate: wow ! Any idea what that has to do with the issue being discussed !

    5
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    Mute Alonzo Margate
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    Jul 1st 2019, 7:42 AM

    @Terry Cahill: Obvious m8. Skies are becoming crowded – therefore more problems and delays. Keep up.

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    Mute Malachy
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:17 PM

    Get off the plane it’s broken. Sounds like effective communication.

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    Mute Dan
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    Jun 30th 2019, 4:24 PM

    @Malachy: get off the plane is broken, si we have a plane booked for 8pm to take you home. People with kids please contact xxxx regarding beds as they are foremost in our mind. We are looking for alternative accommodation. We have organised food and water in the mean time……..that sounds a bit better

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    Mute Kevin50
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    Jun 30th 2019, 5:48 PM

    Aer Lingus gonna have one massive legal bill on this one under Regulation EC261/2004 Gonna be in serious trouble with EU passenger regulator and will face massive fine. Anyone who has flown out of Lisbon will know that it is the most comfortable of airports, what Aer Lingus did to their customers was shameful and whom ever was in charge should consider their position

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    Mute Kevin50
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    Jun 30th 2019, 5:49 PM

    @Kevin50: correction Lisbon Not the most comfortable of airports

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    Mute GerryCummins
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    Jun 30th 2019, 9:53 PM

    @Kevin50: “EU Passenger regulator” any links to them?

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    Mute Michael Wynne
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    Jun 30th 2019, 4:46 PM

    Did you know Aer Lingus are a 4 star airline??
    I’m not sure how,unless 4 is the lowest star whoever “awarded” this “rating” deems 4 to be the lowest level.

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    Mute Nurse on call
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:10 PM

    Bullshit.. happened to us last month in Lanzarote too. Flight was meant to leave at 8pm. I had my 2 year old and 4 year old children. No food, nothing open. They offered us a flight to cork instead so jumped at the chance to get home, we got on it at 12am. Bussed to Shannon at 4am. Heard from a good source our flight to Shannon was overbooked so they played us knowing well some would take the cork flight. Our original plane magically made a recovery at 1am and left for Shannon.

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    Mute Noel Falkhall
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    Jun 30th 2019, 2:45 PM

    @Nurse on call: I’m sure you meant mechanically recovered rather than magically as they’d been working on it for 5 hrs just like a doctor didn’t magically remove the appendix they surgically removed it but as a nurse on call you know that already.

    Still Aer Lingus have gone down hill on all aspects of Customer Service over the years.

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    Mute Isabel Oliveira
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    Jun 30th 2019, 5:02 PM

    There will be no catering on the substitution flight ? In other words they’ve leased a charter plane but are to stingy to pay for the catering service . Plenty of central and available hotels in Lisbon this weekend as well .

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    Mute William O' Connor
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    Jun 30th 2019, 5:45 PM

    I wonder if this was the same plane that had fuel issues last week! Flight was delayed 1.5 hrs as engineers had to manually check the fuel tanks!!

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    Mute Nigel Barlow
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    Jun 30th 2019, 5:48 PM

    @William O’ Connor: where?

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    Mute giles murray
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    Jun 30th 2019, 11:14 PM

    Had the same problem with aer lingus in Bulgaria. 21 hours in the airport offered a roll and bottle of water for the hassle. 17 of us trying to sleep on their ergonomic seating. Joke

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    Mute Terry Cahill
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    Jun 30th 2019, 6:13 PM

    Look at who owns Aer Lingus .. nuff said . If it was tech issue they must pay .. and unless you are a complete ludramaan you will figure out how to get them to pay the legally binding compensation. You might do well out of it ,but it takes time .

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    Mute Seriously stunned
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    Jun 30th 2019, 6:24 PM

    @Terry Cahill: enough.

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    Mute M
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    Jun 30th 2019, 9:07 PM

    I use them every week, uncomplicated flights to Europe and ive encountered few problems, but I have noticed a degree of unprofessionalism creeping in and male flight attendants chiefly to blame.

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    Mute Declan Hayes
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    Jun 30th 2019, 8:15 PM

    Dreadful service by Aer Lingus. I’ve always found them to be quite decent. I’m actually more appalled at the standard of English in this article! You simply cannot use the word ‘text’ in the way the author has if you want to be taken seriously as a journalist.

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    Mute Padraigh O'Shea
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    Jul 1st 2019, 2:06 PM

    I am a Aerclub member with Aer Lingus and flew pretty often with them in the past. However the last 6-12 months or so it is going downhill fast. Delays are now a rule and not an exception. Communication or follow up after an incident is non-existent . As a result I am flying now more with the likes of KLM, Cityjet and even Ryanair.

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    Mute M
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    Jun 30th 2019, 9:08 PM

    Social media, uprooting to the USA and the departure of Willie. That’s when the rot set in in terms of how they communicate, etc.

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    Mute Michael Treacy
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    Jul 1st 2019, 11:21 AM

    This foreign airline masquerading as our national airline is showing its “low fares airline” true colours. The sooner people stop showing blind loyalty to this foreign owned airline the better, the fantastic service Aer Lingus gave it’s customers over the years died with the sale of the airline to AIG.

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    Mute Michael Treacy
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    Jul 1st 2019, 11:13 AM

    We all must bear in mind that blind loyalty to a foreign airline masquerading as our national airline is foolhardy. Aer Lingus is no longer an Irish Airline, time to use alternatives. The expectations of the fantastic service Aer Lingus gave it’s customers over the years died with the sale of the airline to AIG.

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    Mute Tommy Roddy 2024 Galway Local Election Candidate
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    Jul 1st 2019, 6:05 PM

    Just saw the people on VMTV News who were affected by this delay.
    Isn’t it well for some people who can complain after having a relaxing holiday.
    There was none of this mullarkey in my day.

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