Aer Lingus and United Airlines have today announced an expansion to their code share agreement, which began between Ireland and the United States in October 2008.

Aer Lingus will codeshare on United Airlines year-round service between Dublin and Washington Dulles and seasonal non-stop service between Shannon Airport and Chicago/O’Hare, which will operate between 7th June and 27th August 2013.

The codeshare agreement has also been expanded to include Aer Lingus-operated flights between Dublin and Manchester and Dublin and Birmingham and United Airlines has recently expanded its code sharing to include selected Aer Lingus-operated flights between Shannon and London Heathrow.

Aer Lingus already codeshares on selected United-operated flights to 51 cities within the US and Canada.  United codeshares on Aer Lingus-operated flights from Dublin, Cork, Belfast and Shannon to London Heathrow, which offer convenient connections to and from United-operated flights between Heathrow and its US hubs, Chicago O’Hare, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles.

From 1 April 2013 Aer Lingus business class customers travelling via Chicago and beyond on Aer Lingus codeshare flights will have access to 21 United Club lounges at airports including Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Minneapolis.

United BusinessFirst customers departing on United flights from Dublin to Newark and Washington Dulles will have access to Aer Lingus’ Gold Circle Lounge at Dublin Airport.

Aer Lingus Chief Commercial officer Stephen Kavanagh said “Our partnership with United Airlines has gone from strength to strength over the past five years. In addition to increased frequency on our services to Chicago and Boston, these enhancements add to the seamless travel options we can now offer customers travelling to and from the United States and Canada.”

United Airlines Vice chairman & Chief Revenue Officer Jim Compton said “We are delighted to enhance our relationship with Aer Lingus to create additional benefits for United customers travelling between Ireland and the US, from smoother connections to improved lounge facilities. Our 18 peak-season departures per day to the US from London Heathrow, where the majority of our operations are co-located with Aer Lingus in Terminal 1,connect well with Aer Lingus flights from the island of Ireland.”

Irish Aviation Research Institute © 27th March 2013 All Rights Reserved.