Aer Lingus upselling gets short shrift from Skift

THE captains of Irish tourism were out in force to showcase the country at a major global launch last week. Online behemoth Skift was in Dublin, a brand that has somehow managed to make data mining sexy, analysing consumer and industry trends in airlines, hotels, cities and restaurants.

The capital was one of 10 cities globally to be chosen to launch Skift’s ‘Megatrends’ for the coming year, with co-founder Rafat Ali attending the event at the Epic museum. It was a night full of lifestyle ‘experiences’, and dream ‘co-creation’ by consumer and vendor.

But Ali had a first-hand experience of notso-dreamy travel, revealing: “I was checking in for Aer Lingus going to Paris ... they upsell the hell out of you in the whole process.”

Cue an embarrassed hush in the room at the Ryanair-style sales push by the national carrier. “Needless to say, I didn’t buy any extras because it’s only an hour-long flight.”

IRISH pubs have undergone a massive transformation over the past 15 years with the smoking ban (in 2004) and the crackdown on drink-driving totally transforming what we expect from our bars. Many pubs have turned to food to pull in the punters. The latest in a raft of long-established Dublin pubs planning to liven up its pub grub is Frank Ryan’s in Smithfield. Once food there meant a toasted cheese sandwich but it is now seeking planning for a pizza oven and overhaul of its kitchen which will no doubt appeal to hipster tastes.