Aer Lingus is an Irish airline and its name is derived from an anglicised version of the Gaelic term for 'air fleet', aerloingeas. The company formed in 1936 and its first flight was from Dublin to Bristol using a six-seater de Havilland DH.84 Dragon biplane.
Aer Lingus was privatised between 2006 and 2015. It is now a subsidiary of the International Airlines Group. The headquarters of Aer Lingus reside at Dublin Airport, which is a few miles from the capital city of Ireland. Aer Lingus expanded considerably during the post-war years and began offering flights to many major European cities, such as Brussels, Rome and Amsterdam. By the 1970s, many transatlantic flights from Shannon to New York were in operation. Today, Aer Lingus has a fleet of 50 planes, including 34 Airbus A320-200 and 8 Airbus A300-300. The livery is silver grey with emerald green and a shamrock on the tailfin. Since 2015, it has been the official airline of the national Irish rugby Team and several of its planes sport a special green Rugby Team livery.
Aer Lingus is the flag-bearing airline of Ireland and is the country's second-largest airline; Ryanair is currently the largest. In many ways, it is comparable to British Airways in size and the nature of its services. Aer Lingus flights operate from 13 British airports, mainly from Belfast City Airport. In 2016, Aer Lingus was awarded the accolade of being the most punctual airline leaving Belfast City Airport. Aer Lingus was also one of the most punctual airlines to depart from London- Heathrow and Birmingham.
Passengers on an Aer Lingus flight can enjoy a range of in-flight services. Passengers can watch films or selected TV shows from individual seatback entertainment systems, which include shows suitable for children. Aer Lingus meals are generally held to be good quality. Onboard WiFi is available for a fee - either by the hour or a one-off fee for the entire flight. Passengers of transatlantic flights can either enjoy a complimentary meal or pay a bit more for one of the pre-order options which include a choice of fillet steak, chicken or a salmon fillet. Passengers on European flights can buy food from the Bia menu which contains a generous selection of pre-packaged snacks and drinks. Aer Lingus also has its own complimentary magazine, Cara, which is offered to passengers on all its flights.
Regular flyers with Aer Lingus are invited to take part in its frequent flyer programme, AerClub, which rewards customers with Avios Points. These points can be redeemed on a variety of things, such as flights and hotels and can also be collected by using other airlines, such as Iberia Express.