A South Pacific Journey. Step one, getting to Hawaii - Manchester via Dublin to LAX with Aer Lingus, Business Class. March 2025

The beginning of my South Pacific adventure.

First destination the Islands of Hawaii. 

Manchester via Dublin to LAX with Aer Lingus, Business Class. March 2025

This holiday has been a dream of mine for a very long time, and I’m finally making it a reality—I’m going to explore some of the islands in the South Pacific. 
Stating with Hawaii, then French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Tonga, and ending in Fiji. Its a mix of flights and cruising. 

The first leg of my journey took me from Manchester Airport to Los Angeles (LAX), via Dublin, flying with Aer Lingus. Based on the reviews I’d read, I didn’t have high expectations and was even worried my luggage might not make it to LAX. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the entire experience.

At Manchester Airport, Aer Lingus aircraft hiding? 

Originally, my flight from Manchester to Dublin was scheduled for 08:55, as this would have been an early checking I booked a hotel at the airport for the night before. The departure time was later changed to 09:50.
28th March 2025
Using the airport’s skywalk - the travellators seem to have been broken since 2021 😁I made my way to Terminal One to check in for the Aer Lingus flight. The first segment, from Manchester to Dublin, was operated by Emerald Airlines on a small, propeller-driven ATR 72-600.
Check-in was quick and efficient, and security was a breeze—they were using the new scanners, so there was no need to remove items from my bag.
Although I was flying business class, at this point  lounge access at Manchester was not offered, and naturally, the ATR 72-600 didn’t have business class seating.

No Lounge no problem! not my normal airport breakfast--but its going to be a long day

The flight was punctual, and we arrived into a sunny Dublin. At Dublin Airport, I had access to the Aer Lingus Martello Lounge, but unfortunately, it was underwhelming. The breakfast selection consisted of a few cold items: yogurt, some cold pasta, and a few stale pastries. On the bright side, the hot water was actually boiling hot, so I could enjoy a decent cup of tea.

Dublin Airport also offers pre-clearance for U.S. Customs, which was a quick and efficient process. However, there was a hiccup: the customs officer showed me an image of a checked bag and asked if it was mine, saying it was unusually heavy (35kg) and possibly contained food. I could clearly see my actual suitcase behind the one he pointed at, but he wasn’t convinced. He told me to speak with ground staff to sort it out. Although I’d cleared U.S. customs, I was now stressed about my luggage possibly being held up.

Since no staff were immediately available, I waited in the 51st & Green Lounge. This lounge was a step up from the previous one, offering a modest cold spread—hummus, olives, sandwiches—and a couple of hot dishes. The bar limited you to two alcoholic drinks, and there was no champagne or Prosecco. That didn’t bother me much, though, as I was too worried about my bag to enjoy anything.

Once gate staff arrived, I asked again about my luggage. They reassured me it wasn’t marked for detention. Still, thanks to the tag I’d placed inside, I could see it was stuck in security and not yet loaded onto the plane. Once on the aircraft I asked a really helpful member of the cabin crew, who alerted the  ground crew, who then ensured my bag was placed on board.

Boarding the flight to LAX went smoothly. The cabin was clean, and the business class seats were spacious and reclined into full flat beds. The amenity kit included all the essentials: lip balm, earplugs, socks, and an eye mask.

The service on board was excellent. I started with a quality gin and enjoyed a well-prepared meal accompanied by wine. 

There was a second service with snacks and delicious cakes prior to landing. 

The free Wi-Fi worked well, the in-flight entertainment was solid, and the crew were attentive throughout. Overall, it was a great flight.

Now! I just had to work out how to get out of Los Angeles Airport and to the nearby hotel for the night. 

LAX

We eventually worked out that to get an Uber from LAX we had to get a dedicated Uber bus to an off airport site where all the Ubers and taxies were. 

We got a taxi for the very short ride to the Hyatt Place LA/ LAX/ Segundo where we spent out first night.