I was recently well-surprised by the quality of service on my Aer Lingus flights. I may have flown them in the past, but on this latest leg they have proven that their quality exceeds the market standard in every area, a standard which I feel is only going down as prices inexplicably climb.

I even waited to write my review until I had taken my return flight, to make sure it hadn’t been a fluke. But a fluke it wasn’t.

I hadn’t previously looked at Aer Lingus for my transatlantic routes, but I took a look at their offers after they announced they would be offering a direct flight from Dublin to Cleveland, which would be the only current non-stop flight to Europe from my city. This route won’t begin until the summer, and I believe will only be seasonal. However, their Rome-Dublin-Chicago flight was the most economical route I could find for Christmas, so I took it.

You will notice a pattern here. It seems that I will be praising Aer Lingus for something simple, something that should be expected, something that used to be able to be taken for granted. But today, it is very rare in my experience to find an economy class that has attentive staff, comfort and care for an economy price. Instead, I am used to paying twice as much for less, including staff that cannot be bothered to be polite and zero amenities - apparently blankets on a ten-hour flight is reserved for business class on one major carrier. On Aer Lingus I felt like I was back in the golden age of flying.

The first thing I noticed was the incredibly kind staff at every step of the way. From the check-in desk to the flight attendants, everyone was ready to help you, answer a question, and even with a smile. I believe this is just the Irish way. I also got the feeling that the staff were genuine, and enjoyed their work. I don’t think they could be so friendly otherwise. Moreover, at the Dublin Airport, there were several young people employed in guiding passengers off the plane and through the airport, something I have never seen before. It was very nice, and seems a good way to offer more jobs to people who are ready to work.

I was then impressed walking onto the plane, which was incredibly modern and well-designed, with signature shades of green and ambient lighting. On both of my flights to the United States I had the row to myself and therefore was able to stretch out and really relax. My flights back to Europe right before New Year’s Eve were more crowded, but I still don’t remember feeling scrunched for space. Because these flights were full, the flight attendants even came around before the dining service to have everyone put their seats forward so that everyone could eat comfortably, a courtesy I have never, ever seen before.

*A very abundant and locally-sourced in-flight meal*

Speaking of the meal service, I was very content with the meals on Aer Lingus as well. I always order a vegetarian meal, and I found the dinner to be very tasty and satisfying, including a vegetarian chili, pasta salad, and bonus points for the lemon (!) mousse dessert. They are also using wood utensils instead of single-use plastics, which prompted me to look into their sustainability plan which includes efforts towards more efficient planes and the development of a Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

One of the best advantages to flying Aer Lingus from Ireland though has to be the ability to pass through US Customs while in Dublin Airport, which means that when you land in the US, you land in the domestic terminal and therefore do not need to collect your bags and go through US Customs along with hundreds of other people who have just landed from all over the world. The time- and hassle-saving benefits of this really cannot be overstated.

Overall, as you can tell, I was very happy with my journey on Aer Lingus. I think they have designed a customer experience that makes every flyer feel at home, no matter where they are going. Aer Lingus also offers the ability to book single-leg transatlantic flights at cost, something that is very hard-to-find but more accommodating for people who need to book open-ended tickets, or leave from a different airport that which they flew to.

I found all their staff genuinely helpful. And while all of this seems exceptional, in a way that makes me sad, because it shouldn’t need to be. These are basic standards of kindness and attention to detail, but unfortunately you just don’t find them anymore. Therefore kudos to Aer Lingus, for maintaining their standards while many others are letting them go by the wayside.

I would absolutely fly Aer Lingus again, and maybe next time take advantage of passing through Dublin to stop off and see more of the Emerald Isle.