Sir, - As a fairly frequent business traveller I find the Aer Lingus special offers of cheap flights to the Continent and the new £119 for two to London acutely painful. I have just travelled to the Netherlands at six days notice and midweek for the cheapest available rate of £470, including tax. The people beside me on the flight had paid £270 for fare and three nights accommodation, coincidentally in the same hotel in Amsterdam.
Earlier this year I paid approximately £560 for a seat to Brussels and home via Stanstead. But, at least, on that occasion I was given the limited benefit of a seat in business class. Again I would have been happy to accept economy, but I had to up-grade to get flexibility - or something like that.
This time I asked at the desk if I was in business class and was advised that I was in upper economy. I asked if that simply meant that I paid more than anyone else in economy. The answer was very softly murmured.
I don't really begrudge cheap flights to people who help to fill empty seats or to the thousands of Aer Lingus employees and their extended families, but I believe the national airline should have more regard for the goose that lays its golden eggs. I was conscious that I could have flown for £100 less via London with British Midland, but do Irish business travellers really want to do that?
Let me just say that I have laid several golden eggs for Aer Lingus in recent times and I have to seriously review my situation. - Yours, etc.,
Ballsbridge,
Dublin 4.