Thanks for your reply John,
I don’t see the point of Aer Lingus setting up a so-called ‘Frequent Flyer Programme’ if you set restrictions to exclude and confuse your customers, which also requires them (me) to waste their time emailing you for clarification.
Furthermore, last year I took an Aer Lingus flight which I was not allowed to apply to my (practically useless) ‘Frequent Flyer Programme’ miles to, because it was booked through a third party. So what? I still put my bum on an Aer Lingus seat and paid the fare but was discriminated against as if I was a second class citizen, as compared to the other passengers who might have used your own site to book the flight.
You can give me all the explanations under the sun about how your programme is structured but the fact is this is the second time in a year that you have to reply to me telling me that ‘you can’t do this, or you can’t do that’ under the ridiculous terms of the programme.
One of the first rules of running a business is to avoid telling the customer ‘NO’ on too many occasions. By contrast Aer Lingus seem to delight in doing so.
I’m not surprised that Aer Lingus will be shortly out of business. I for one will definitely be taking my flights elsewhere as opposed to giving my custom to you only to be swindled out of any frequent flyer miles that I might have accumulated in good faith. I have already taken a frequent flyer flight on British Airways this year without any restriction, confusion or time-consuming requirement for clarification.
Nothing personal to you John, just terribly bad business management. This is 2013 not 1953 – Aer Lingus would do well to realise that.
Best Regards,
Adam Byrne.
Adam Byrne | @adamabyss 
We had the same problem with Lufthansa Frequent Flyer status – only they didn’t EVER bother to even glance at our applications! It just never happened – we never received our cards, never received any communication from them at all, and wasted time again and again filling out the paperwork, checking on it, trying to contact them…
Thanks for your comment Jennifer. It’s seems Aer Lingus and Lufthansa just do it to keep up with the Joneses then, but without any real appetite to reward their customers. At least I did get a flight from British Airways and I still have points with them which I expect will come in handy another time. They, and other airlines do it properly unlike the two we have discussed. Hope you and the family are well and have a good 2014.
Submitted to Aer Lingus through RED C satisfaction survey today:
I am very VERY unhappy with being on the Applicant list for the Gold Circle Club for a number of years now. I have taken numerous flights with Aer Lingus yet I assume that I have not been credited with them. WHY AM I STILL ON THE APPLICANT LIST AFTER ALL THIS TIME!? My membership number is 7777944841. Please add me to the Gold Circle Club or provide an explanation why I should continue to use Aer Lingus if you have no intention of admitting me. I think the policies and action of Aer Lingus in relation to the Gold Circle Club are very opaque, duplicitous, discriminatory and devious.
This is not the first time I’ve heard complaints about the so called “Gold Circle Club”. Aer Lingus needs to decide what kind of airline it is, as opposed to sitting on the fence between a no-frills and a top class airline. It left the Oneworld airline alliance in 2007 so maybe it’s now time to abandon its loyalty programme too.
Thanks for your comment Darragh. I wasn’t even aware that they were once in the One World Alliance but I’m not surprised they left given their attitude to their current frequent flyer clients.
I couldn’t abandon it though, even if I wanted to (which I would) because I am still on the ‘pending member status’ (or whatever they call it) which means I can keep adding the miles that I use (and I use a lot because my little girl lives near Washington DC) but I never get any credit for them, my membership does not get final approval and I will never actually be able to use any frequent flyer miles.
That’s the kind of attitude from them that puts companies out of business.
All the best, Adam.
Hi Adam,
I read your post with interest – only saw it this morning, sorry. I’ve been formerly an EI Gold (and whatever came above that…Silver perhaps) but via status matching with BMI before they were bought out a few years back. Before that, like yourself, I struggled to get on EI’s radar at all and stayed as an ‘applicant’ for a very long time previously.
Yes, it’s not the easiest laid-out, and I completely agree that calculating and assuring yourself of X amount of miles per flight is tricky if not impossible but I would say for them that, if you only fly Aer Lingus exclusively, then once you get onto a ‘tier’, they do tend to look after you and things are much better after that (until, in my case, you don’t earn enough miles and without any warning are dropped back to applicant again).
Could I suggest though, maybe apply for the British Airways Executive Club instead? You can also earn with Aer Lingus (plus all the other Oneworld airlines – actually, it reads like you have one already?) that way and while some of the miles earned are a bit less than Aer Lingus would give, I’ve found their transparency and crediting genuine miles far better and faster?
Hi Andy, thanks a lot for your comment.
Yes I am already a member of the British Airways Executive Club and I have received a couple of free flights off them in the past two or three years so in future that’s what I’ll do.
I’m flying to Liverpool with Aer Lingus this weekend, then to the Isle of Man with them two weeks after that – then Berlin another two weeks after that.
I would have already entered my Aer Lingus (not active and useless) Frequent Flier number when booking those flights but I’ll try to change them to the Oneworld (or BA) number.
No doubt I’ll be told by Aer Lingus “NO YOU CAN’T DO THAT!” – more obstructionism and negative correspondence. I really think they are dishonest, ignorant and arrogant. The sooner they are bought out by IAG the better as far as I’m concerned.
Safe travels Andy.
Adam.
PS. However, doesn’t Darragh above say that Aer Lingus have actually left the One World Alliance?
Hi Adam,
Yes and Darragh’s dead right – but I think BA crediting EI-flying cardholders stems more from the sheer amount of business Aer Lingus passes BA for long-haul flights (especially before BA re-started their own flights to Dublin in the last few years). They also credit to Qantas, Cathay and United, which alliance-wise is all over the place.
Honestly, if I were you and if you have a physical BA Exec Club card (of any level), I’d just take it along and present it firmly at check-in/bag drop/anything before the gate and insist it was a mistake or some terrible oversight and could they change it to the BA number. That said…sorry to say you could be right and will get nowhere.
For example, I booked non-mileage flights by mistake once and offered to pay the difference to get into the mile-earning fare class as I badly needed the miles credited to stay in GC…i.e. give them more money for the same seat. No can do. Very odd I thought!
Cheers
Hi All,
I can only concurr with all your sentaments ref AL/G/C.
I fly with them 20/30 times a year and I still can’t become a GC member .
Would be fantastic if all us frequent flyiers got together and said to AL right reward us or were off to an airline that actually wants our custom .
It’s easier to pay the damm EU 25.00 to use the lounge in preference to putting up with the AL BULLXXXX and red tape .
Is there anybody in the same boat ?.
James Wells
Hi James,
Thanks for your comment, much appreciated.
Seeing as a few people have commented on here with similar experiences of the wretched ‘Gold Circle Club’ (I love the similarity of the name to a bunch of scammers at Anglo Irish Bank – from one bunch of Irish scammers to another!)…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo_Irish_Bank_hidden_loans_controversy#The_.22Golden_Circle.22
As I was saying, seeing as there have been a few comments, I decided last night to tweet my blog (again) directly to Aer Lingus. To be fair someone at the Social Media station in Aer Lingus did respond this morning but as usual they trotted out the party line of having to earn so many points in a 12 month period. I’ll insert a screenshot of that tweet at the bottom of the original blog post because I don’t think we can put images into replies.
Aer Lingus don’t seem to understand that people feel scammed and get fed up of hearing excuses when every other airline on the planet either 1. doesn’t have a frequent flyer club and is honest about it or 2. gives you the points and lets you use them as you wish without all sorts of restrictions which means you have to chase them up only to be met with constant negative answers.
We could contact the Consumer Show and ask them to look into it. Of course they are not doing anything illegal – it’s their company to do with as they wish but I would love for them to be exposed for the elitist, arrogant, ignorant, partly tax-payer-funded shower of mountebanks that they are. I told them to remove me from their precious ‘appliciant list’ and that they could find my applicant number in my original blog post above.
All the best to everyone, safe flying (not on Aer Lingus!).
I was an Elite member wanting to take my wife to the U.S. With me on business so I applied for the reward flight. I had to plan well ahead so I was there on specific dates but could be flexible on flight dates before and after when I needed to be there. The reply I got is that they couldn’t confirm my wife’s reward seat until 3 weeks before the departure date ! How the hell was I supposed to make the arrangements whether to plan for and include my wife a mere 3 weeks before ? In the end I told them to shove it where the sun don’t shine ! If this is what I get as an elite member what chance have lower tier members got ? I’ve have since been downgraded to Prestige so on that basis I’m just not going to waste my time and will choose another airline. Just wish Emirates flew from the UK to the States .. The real pity is the Aer lingus flight is great for clearing immigration in Dublin and the staff onboard are really great . Don’t know why they don’t just dump this ridiculously restricted club . Bob
Thanks for the comment Bob. Obviously there are a lot of ‘members’ who are not happy with how Aer Lingus are treating them in this regard so lets hope that they eventually sit up and take notice. Regards, Adam.
Whilst there are loads of problems with the Gold Circle Club, and it is in dire need of an overhaul (this has been on the cards a while and has been stated by Aer Lingus at corporate level over the last year or so), I don’t think it is fair to refer to it as a scam.
In terms of registering for the programme, it is pretty clear through the Gold Circle section of the website that you must first register as an applicant, accumulate 2,400 points in a 12-month period, at which point you will become a member and receive your Gold Circle card. If becoming a Gold Circle Member was just a case of filling out a form, wouldn’t everyone join, thereby rendering the programme useless?
In terms of earning points, ‘low/economy’ fares often don’t accumulate Gold Circle points. Again, it is clear on the Gold Circle website which fare classes do and do not qualify for Gold Circle Points (W, Z, A, U & T don’t qualify). If you are making a booking which falls into one of those fare classes, you can still earn GC points by paying the ‘Plus’ fare, which includes checked baggage, so at times it doesn’t work out to be much less. If you are paying €100 return to somewhere like Heathrow for instance, it’s safe to say that is the lowest fare class and you won’t get points credited to your account (you can always check yourself before booking by looking at the booking T&C which will show the current fare class). If you are paying €220 return to Heathrow however, you most likely will by traveling in a qualifying fare class. Where some people get caught out is if they do the majority of their traveling on a low-revenue route, meaning most bookings aren’t eligible for GC points, leaving the only option being paying the ‘Plus’ far to get points credited.
I’ve heard others saying similar things about building points not being clear, but I have to say that if you take the time to read the info on the website, it is quite straightforward and I have found that it works exactly as expected. Most people’s complaints about the GCC aren’t so much about becoming a member; more so about the benefits upon achieving membership, which aside from lounge access, priority boarding, fast-track (where available), isn’t all that great.
Thanks for your comment James.
I’m clear on what the points requirements are to actually become a ‘member’ of the Gold Circle Club as Aer Lingus have reminded me with gusto on many occasions by now.
The main point I’m trying to make I guess, is that I take lots of flights with Aer Lingus (although I always look for a second option now, given the fact that I don’t actually earn any air miles with them) and I’d like to get some sort of credit for that in line with what I get from other airlines who I also use frequently – that’s all.
They can make up all the different ‘fare classes’ that they want – to try and avoid actually having a useful frequent flyer program (it seems to me), but these rules are not set in stone and I think it would be much better PR for them to overhaul the current system (as you mentioned) and bring in something far more friendly. I think it’s very detrimental to them to carry on with the current half-hearted effort – just look at the comments on this somewhat obscure blog post!
We’ll see what happens.
Thank you now I know I m not crazy this is a screwed up system they have in place
Thanks a lot for your comment Mr. Trump. There are many people who are very disappointed with the nature of the so-called Gold Circle Club scheme (scam) run by Aer Lingus.
Do feel free to share more details of your bad experiences with this scheme and good luck in the forthcoming US election campaign!
PS. You could also send the URL of this blog, with your comment, to Aer Lingus on Twitter – address it to @aerlingus and use the hashtag #aerlingus – that usually gets a stock response from them about ‘it’s our policy to blah, blah, blah’ and makes them look ever worse – but at least it keeps reminding them of how crap they are.
All the best, Adam.
glad to see your comments, I posted a question to their gold circle email account on their new web page and this is the response i go back….
Delivery has failed to these recipients or groups:
goldcircleusa@aerlingus.com
The e-mail address you entered couldn’t be found. Please check the recipient’s e-mail address and try to resend the message. If the problem continues, please contact your helpdesk.
enough said!!
Awful service. Thanks very much for the update Edmund.
Hi all,
I have been travelling to and from Dublin and the UK every week for over 2 years now with the occasional midweek trip to the continent, and have been coming up against the machine that is the Gold Circle club. I got all the usual ‘your fares don’t qualify etc etc’ so I am stuck being an applicant. In an effort to clarify the situation I made a formal complaint to the advertising standards authority in Ireland. The nature of my complaint was that the AL GC club opening line states ‘The Gold Circle Club is the Aer Lingus Frequent Flyer Programme’ – so I said if its a frequent flyer programme, how does someone who travels every week not qualify (I was trying to get around the whole fares W, Z, A, U & T don’t qualify). Guess what, The ASAI upheld my complaint and told Aer Lingus to change the wording on the website. (Copy of letter from ASAI available if required). A victory for the small man you would think?? Aer Lingus informed the ASAI that they are mounting a legal challenge and that their lawyers would be in touch. There’s good customer service for you. If I had any option other than to use Aer Lingus I would. I am officially giving up, my 4500 applicant points will live in Ethernet limbo forever………
Excellent information Liam and well done for pushing them. I can’t believe they are mounting a legal challenge – what planet are these guys on? Please keep us posted and feel free to use any of my comments on this blog to back up your case (if they will help). Regards, Adam.
This is funny – from the Irish Independent today:
“A new frequent-flyer scheme to replace the airline’s popular Gold Circle Club will also be revealed in the coming weeks, called ‘Aer Club’.
It will be a distinct Aer Lingus programme, as opposed to an IAG plan. It will provide more redemption opportunities with IAG’s other airlines and partners through a new common currency.”
http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/aer-lingus-to-fly-three-new-routes-to-us-34120488.html
“the airline’s popular Gold Circle Club” – yes sure Aer Lingus, whatever you say.
At least it might be replaced by a more functional program, but I’ll bet that anyone who is still at ‘applicant status’ for the Gold Circle Club will not be able to transfer their previously accumulated miles to the new scheme – and Aer Lingus will most likely take great pleasure in telling us that.
More information here:
Aer Lingus is set to call time on its business flyer ‘Gold Circle Club’
Sarah McCabe calls the Gold Circle Club “one of the country’s best-loved loyalty schemes”.
As a previous participant and indeed victim of this ludicrous club it doesn’t get any better.
2 months ago tried to use my points for 2 flights to Dublin but as they still wanted to charge us for bags and seat selection it was going to cost me £40 less to pay for them instead. Complained by e mail , acknowledged but no response
Prior to that tried to book 2 seats to Chicago , the reply was ” we will come back to you to confirm ” well 4 months later I’m still waiting ! Has anybody contacted their chief exec about this joke of a club ? Or indeed the travel writers association ? The ” ever popular” gold circle club is only popular with Aer lingus themselves as it costs them nothing !
Yes, that’s the crux of the matter.
I am going to tweet this blog post to Aer Lingus one more time.
Thanks for your comment Bob. and thanks to all the other commenters too.
“Good” news for Gold Circle applicants:
Points earned by an applicant Gold Circle member will not convert to Aer Club.
Hello Roman,
Thanks for letting us know about this. Well it’s not really a surprise is it chaps?
What a disgusting company.
Regards,
Adam.
I have been travelling with Aer Lingus since 1972, including at least 60 or more transatlantic return flights, including some on Business Class. I built up a lot of points in OnePass, their earliest attempt, in cooperation with Eastern, which went bust and we couldn’t transfer our points to the Tara Club, nor could you transfer points from Tara to Gold Circle. For 44 years of flying with Aer Lingus, I have 850 points which means i am still an “applicant”. I have access to the Gold Circle lounge with my Bank of Ireland Gold Visa Card – no thanks to Aer Lingus there. My advice is to book your Aer Lingus tickets through British Airways and get decent redeemable points that way. This has to be the worst airline Rewards Scheme i have ever come across.
Hello Whyte’s,
Thank you very much for your comment – much appreciated.
You have echoed much of what has been said on here by other travelers but have taken it to a whole new level insofar as you have been traveling for 44 years with Aer Lingus and are still being treated in this matter – that’s an absolute disgrace.
I will be taking a transatlantic flight myself with Aer Lingus in June, and also visiting Germany (from Ireland) in early July using Aer Lingus again – it was simply the most convenient in terms of routing for me and my young daughter but I have long given up any hope of being treated fairly or respectfuly by Aer Lingus when it comes to the total scam that they parade as a rewards scheme.
I certainly will try to book through British Airways next time – someone mentioned that option on this blog before but I forgot it due to my busy schedule. I have plenty of points with British Airways and have received numerous free flights from them.
Best wishes from sunny Antigua!
Adam.
This new aer club is going to be worse than gold circle, but is that possible?
Thanks for your comment Amy.
We shall see but it wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if it does turn out to be worse.
They don’t really care about their customers. This is the attitude that will eventually put them out of business.
Gold Circle was set up in the 80s and nothing has been done to update the program in the interim. Aer Lingus are launching a new FFP program in 2016 “AerClub” which will be spend based. Your previous feedback such “do not qualify“ ““cannot be purchased“ will no longer apply and in theory your loyalty will now be rewarded and recognised!
Hello Lenard,
Thanks for your comment (do you work for Aer Lingus?!).
As you said ‘in theory’ my so-called ‘loyalty’ will be rewarded but when it comes to Aer Lingus I will have to see it to believe it.
Currently I am still at ‘Applicant Status’ for membership of the Gold Circle Club – this is a situation that has persisted for many years and all the points that I have accumulated taking dozens of flights on Aer Lingus during this time are completely useless and worthless (see my original post).
Indeed, I arrived to Dublin on Aer Lingus in June from Washington DC. In early August I flew to Budapest and back on Aer Lingus, while on Sunday I am due to take my return flight to Washington DC. None of the points that I should have been entitled to for these flights will have been credited to me – because I am in limbo as a perpetual applicant for membership.
In future I’m booking my flights to and from Washington DC (and elsewhere) through the British Airways portal as was advised by another person who posted a commment to my blog post (I was so busy that I forgot to do this for the last Washington DC – Dublin return flights) – at least with British Airways I always get my due credit and I have been able to use the accumulated frequent flyer points I already have with British Airways on a couple of occasions to take flights.
Regards,
Adam.
Hi Adam,
No I don’t work for Aer Lingus and I am not trying to defend them at all. Their Gold Circle program is fairly useless for the casual flyer or at least not for the flyer taking under 10 or so flights a year. I have experience flying in the US with United and they award on spend on “every” ticket you purchase regardless of class or cabin.
I see Aer Lingus are due to move to this model sometime in the near future and will be issuing Avios as the currency. Friend of mine is in the BA executive club and recommends it highly therefore there may be hope for the new program after all especially with BA buying Aer Lingus.
Anyways like you said time will tell so we’ll see.
Regards
Lenard
Just spoke to AER LINGUS today and was informed that the will be starting to give avois points on aer lingus flights and was therefore advise to enter in my BA CLUB MEMBERSHIP Number.when booking .At least avois points work ! a friend of mine had to recently change his USA ticket date and travelling with BA, and used his AVOIS points to reduce the price of his new ticket by nearly £168 to the USA. at least avois points are genuine !
Hello chandru, thanks for your comment. Yes most people have advised the same and I will certainly be doing that for any future flights because I don’t trust Aer Lingus in the slightest. Safe travels to you.
Just returned from Nice where we discovered that Aer Lingus AerClub or Gold Circle membership no longer admits you to the lounge there (apparently since 5 June 2017). Yet another AL cutback, without notice and embarrassing their members who are refused entry.
This on top of changing the morning flight to Nice from around 11am to 5.55am (another money saver for the company but not the unfortunate passengers). And Aer Lingus lounge is not open at that ungodly hour.
AL are just keeping marginally above Ryanair in their treatment of their customers.
I thing i will try Air France next time, even with a stop over in Paris
Ian Whyte
Thanks for the follow up Ian. They are getting worse not better – that’s for sure. Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan even called them #chancers the other day on Twitter. I have been putting on my Aer Lingus frequent flyer miles onto my British Airways frequent flyer account since I found out I could. I always get something back for that as opposed to nothing with a dose of rude and ignorant treatment. I don’t expect Aer Lingus to be around in 5 to 10 years and good riddance to them. Regards, Adam.
You are, unfortunately right about the demise of Aer Lingus, which is a great pity as they were once a great airline for such a small country. I have fond memories of boarding the ‘plane after a hard week of business (and pleasure!) in New York and feeling i was almost home. Sadly no longer.
Ian Whyte
Aer Lingus are apart of one of the biggest Airline groups in the world (IAG) and have been profitable year on year now for a while. They won’t be going anywhere for the next 50 years so don’t hold your breath.
Thanks for your latest update Adam. I too have flown several times in the past couple of months with their Lyngaas from Shannon to Boston and it was almost appear that with the new wear club it’s backwards you go each time you fly, where points and tiers are concerned it definitely seems that way. I’ve spoken to them in the air club section and get nowhere.
Thanks for your latest update Adam. I too have flown several times in the past couple of months with Aer Lingus from Shannon to Boston and it would almost appear that with the new Aer club it’s backwards you go each time you fly, where points and tiers are concerned it definitely seems that way. I’ve spoken to them in the aer club section and get nowhere.
Hi adam
Completly sick of aer lingus for last 10 years. I am taking this further. looking for some more information to back up my case.
Best of luck with that Liam, it’ll be hard to get anywhere I’d say though – Aer Lingus don’t care a jot about their customers.