u/brevit

TLDR: refuses to allow me to buy an upgrade because they didn’t have any meals left and feared reputational damage even though I said I had no problem with it.

I live in New York for a few years now and was just back home in Ireland for a few days. Today I was flying back from Dublin to New York on Aer Lingus. I usually fly Aer Lingus when I come back because they have the flight that lands at 4am in Dublin that means I can be in bed at my mum's house by 5.30 am and sleep right away. I'm a bit tired the first day but by day 2 basically no jetlag, and it can be very rough and last 5 days.

For reasons I won't delve into it's been a somewhat rough visit home. On top of that have to do some work on the plane before the end of the day. American companies you know how they are.

When I got to the airport, I had a feeling the flight wouldn't be superrr busy, so as I was checking in I asked the very nice person at the desk if there were any seats left in business class. I couldn't face a 7 hour flight in a cramped cabin not able to relax or get any rest.

She checked and told me there were 8 empty seats in business class. I asked how much it would cost for an upgrade then. She checked and said it would be €700 and she'd have to call her manager for approval. I thought about it for a moment and eventually told her I'd do it then.

She goes to call the manager, and when she hangs up she comes back over and tells me they couldn't upgrade me as there are no business class meals left.

I was a bit disappointed to hear that and as I was thinking, I realized I didn't really care about the meal I just wanted a bit of comfort and privacy. I said I'd still like to upgrade and I'll just eat my normal meal. I always bring 2 sandwiches on the plane as Aer Lingus food is absolutely shite and tiny portions and I'm always hungry by the end of the flight.

She said oh ok, let me just call my manager again to tell him you still want to upgrade. She calls again and is talking on the phone and starts looking a bit puzzled while. When she's done she comes back over looking a bit apprehensive and confirms that, no they will not upgrade me as there's no meal.

I reiterated that I understood that and it wasn't an issue. And she said said "yes, due to concerns of "reputational damage" they wouldn't upgrade me. I paused probs looking a perplexed and just said "oh ok, that's funny but no worries.".

Reputational damage:? Aer Lingus has progressively enshittified ever since they tried to copy Ryanair. Outside of the lovely staff and the way they say "remove the jacket from it's packet" in the safety demo, it's really a pretty basic experience. The food, the cabins, the movie options. You don't even get a free beer or wine with your meal anymore.

Before landing they used to give you a sandwich cut in triangles AND A SCONE with jam and butter with your tea or coffee. It was lovely.

Now you get a "muffin" which is actually a dry plain sponge cake loaded with chemicals that would survive nuclear annihilation and about 20ccs of concentrated orange juice. After 6 hours on the plane.

Even their business class which I've taken a couple of times is nowhere near most other airlines (don't hate me I never book business class tickets directly but only upgrade occasionally if there's a discount available at the last minute or book way in advance with credit card points I have to due to my American debtworthiness).

Anyways I get checked in, go through security - shout-out to T2 security for being the best damn airport security I've ever experienced! Always a breeze.

I stop by WH Smith for my 2 sandwiches... and two packets of Tayto and two Dairy Milk Turkish - which will be my 8th and 9th Dairy Milk Turkishes in 5 days. Chocolate in America is god awful and palm oil or not Irish is miles better.

Eventually I get on the plane and I swear there's

barely a sinner on it and I have 4 seats to myself and no one around me for 5 row. And yer man just gave me two cokes and two pretzels! So things are on the up (literally).

I don't really have a point but it struck me as bizarre and i have nothing else to do. Well, besides work... which I guess I should do now that I've procrastinated in the form of a Reddit post.

Ah sure look.

I’ve lived in New York for a few years now and was just back home in Ireland for a few days. Today I was flying back from Dublin to New York on Aer Lingus. I usually fly Aer Lingus when I come back because they have the flight that lands at 4am in Dublin that means I can be in bed at my mum's house by 5.30 am and sleep right away. I'm a bit tired the first day but by day 2 basically no jetlag, and it can be very rough and last 5 days.

For reasons I won't delve into it's been a somewhat rough visit home. On top of that have to do some work on the plane before the end of the day. American companies you know how they are.

When I got to the airport, I had a feeling the flight wouldn't be superrr busy, so as I was checking in I asked the very nice person at the desk if there were any seats left in business class. I couldn't face a 7 hour flight in a cramped cabin not able to relax or get any rest.

She checked and told me there were 8 empty seats in business class. I asked how much it would cost for an upgrade then. She checked and said it would be €700 and she'd have to call her manager for approval. I thought about it for a moment and eventually told her I'd do it then.

She goes to call the manager, and when she hangs up she comes back over and tells me they couldn't upgrade me as there are no business class meals left.

I was a bit disappointed to hear that and as I was thinking, I realized I didn't really care about the meal I just wanted a bit of comfort and privacy. I said I'd still like to upgrade and I'll just eat my normal meal. I always bring 2 sandwiches on the plane as Aer Lingus food is absolutely shite and tiny portions and I'm always hungry by the end of the flight.

She said oh ok, let me just call my manager again to tell him you still want to upgrade. She calls again and is talking on the phone and starts looking a bit puzzled while. When she's done she comes back over looking a bit apprehensive and confirms that, no they will not upgrade me as there's no meal.

I reiterated that I understood that and it wasn't an issue. And she said said "yes, due to concerns of "reputational damage" they wouldn't upgrade me. I paused probs looking a perplexed and just said "oh ok, that's funny but no worries.".

Reputational damage:? Aer Lingus has progressively enshittified ever since they tried to copy Ryanair. Outside of the lovely staff and the way they say "remove the jacket from it's packet" in the safety demo, it's really a pretty basic experience. The food, the cabins, the movie options. You don't even get a free beer or wine with your meal anymore.

Before landing they used to give you a sandwich cut in triangles AND A SCONE with jam and butter with your tea or coffee. It was lovely.

Now you get a "muffin" which is actually a dry plain sponge cake loaded with chemicals that would survive nuclear annihilation and about 20ccs of concentrated orange juice. After 6 hours on the plane.

Even their business class which I've taken a couple of times is nowhere near most other airlines (don't hate me I never book business class tickets directly but only upgrade occasionally if there's a discount available at the last minute or book way in advance with credit card points I have to due to my American debtworthiness).

Anyways I get checked in, go through security - shout-out to T2 security for being the best damn airport security I've ever experienced! Always a breeze.

I stop by WH Smith for my 2 sandwiches... and two packets of Tayto and two Dairy Milk Turkish - which will be my 8th and 9th Dairy Milk Turkishes in 5 days. Chocolate in America is god awful and palm oil or not Irish is miles better.

Eventually I get on the plane and I swear there's

barely a sinner on it and I have 4 seats to myself and no one around me for 5 row. And yer man just gave me two cokes and two pretzels! So things are on the up (literally).

I don't really have a point but it struck me as bizarre and i have nothing else to do. Well, besides work... which I guess I should do now that I've procrastinated in the form of a Reddit post.

Ah sure look.