Aer Arann’s first commercial flight took to the skies in 1970. The airline was originally established to provide services to the 1,000 islanders living on Inis Mór, off the west coast of Ireland. In 2002, Aer Arann launched its first UK flight with the establishment of the Cork to Birmingham route – it was a phenomenal success.
In 2004, cheap flights from Aer Arann were introduced to the Route de Lorient in France, flying from Galway, Waterford and Cork airports. From a little-known domestic carrier, Aer Arann is now a premier regional airline, offering customers exciting, sun-filled European holidays. Today Aer Arann operates nearly 400 weekly flights and provides an Isle of Man to London service as well as flights from Kerry to Manchester and from Donegal to Glasgow. Aer Arann has an aircraft agreement with ATR, a company within the Airbus family. Their fleet is made up mainly of ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft.
Check-In
Passengers may check in online from 72 hours up to three hours prior to departure. Check-in desks close 30 minutes before flights depart and passengers are advised to arrive two hours before flights.
Baggage
One free item of cabin baggage is permitted. The checked baggage allowance for domestic flights is 15kgs and 20kgs for UK and French flights. A bag fee of €8 or £8 applies if booked online. When booked at the airport the fee is €12 or £12. The Isle of Man to London route permits 20kg free.
Seating
The latest Aer Arann information reveals that Aer Arann flights offer a seat pitch of 30 inches and online passengers may select their seats and print out their boarding passes.
Frequent Flyer Programme
There is no frequent flyer programme, but there is a Silver Club where members can relax in business lounges, change air tickets free of charge and enjoy a baggage allowance of 25kg.
Additional Information
Aer Arann has been recognised for its excellence in customer service by being presented with the Palme D’Or European Regions Airline Association award for sustained excellence. This is further proof that the once tiny airline of Aer Arann is almost certainly becoming a serious player in the industry.