Aer Lingus transatlantic from Dublin in year two: the A330 and A321XLR flying, the US preclearance and what the Irish long haul is actually like

Aer Lingus, Dublin, seven years, and the Aer Lingus threads cover the base life and the recruitment. This is the transatlantic flying itself, because it is the reason people join and it is a specific kind of long haul that nobody else in Europe does quite this way.

The network

Dublin to Boston, New York (JFK and Newark), Chicago, Washington, Philadelphia, Orlando, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, and more, on the A330s and now the A321XLR for the thinner routes. Plus Shannon to a few. It is a North America network from a small European country, and the crew do a lot of it.

US preclearance

The thing that makes Aer Lingus transatlantic different: passengers clear US immigration in Dublin before boarding, so the flight lands as a domestic arrival in the US. For the crew it means the boarding is later and tighter (passengers come through preclearance in a wave), the paperwork is different, and the arrival is fast. It also means the crew clear US immigration in Dublin too, which is a routine you learn.

The pattern

Out in the afternoon, arrive in the US evening local time, a 24 hour layover, home the next evening arriving Dublin the morning after. Three days, two nights away, one of them in a US city. The A321XLR routes to the smaller cities have the same shape with a smaller crew and a smaller aircraft, which is a different feel.

The service

A business cabin with lie flat seats and a full service, and an economy cabin with a meal service and a buy on board component. Irish hospitality is the brand and the crew are hired for it: the chat, the warmth, the tea. American passengers respond to it and the crew who thrive are the ones who enjoy that conversation.

The layovers

American cities on a 24 hour pattern: Boston (the crew favourite, walkable, the Irish connection), New York (the hotel is the thing), Chicago (the lake in summer), Los Angeles (the drive to the beach), Orlando (the outlets, honestly). The crew have their routines in each and the layover threads cover the traps.

The A321XLR specifically

A narrow body doing seven hours across the Atlantic with a small crew. A different rhythm: more intimate, less galley space, a full service in a smaller cabin. Some crew love it for the crew size; some miss the A330's space. The XLR is the future of the thinner routes and the crew who are qualified on it have more variety in the bid.

The honest view

Aer Lingus long haul is a good job for someone who wants North America from Ireland with a proper contract and a friendly crew culture. The pay is Irish legacy pay, the network is North America and little else, and Dublin rent is the problem. The Boston layover in October is why people stay.