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  About Washington

Washington DC, is the capital city of the United States of America. The city reflects the rich history of the United States with its neoclassical monuments and iconic locations. The place will keep you engaged with its compelling slew of tourist attractions. As the capital of the United States of America, Washington DC has many traditional attractions with important museums and monuments. Make sure to visit all the Smithsonian American museums as they shed light on various cultural and historical significance of America.

Best time to visit Washington DC

Washington DC's summers are the peak season for travel. However, to steer clear off all the touristy crowd and to engage in some real fun, it is best to opt for spring and autumn. Summers in Washington DC are from June to August when the city experiences sweltering heat and a tremendous tourist crowd. Some of the fun events and festivals hosted by the city during this period include Capital Pride Parade, National Mall Fourth of July Celebration and Summerfest DC. While they may seem like enjoyable activities to participate in, the exorbitant prices of surviving a trip might pull you back. Although many locals ring in summers in other parts of the US, tourists might find Washington DC to be a tad bit expensive during peak season. Even hotel rooms in Washington DC are expensive. The months leading up to summer, though, are quite pleasant and even easy on the pockets. Spring brings with it the season of blossoms as the month of March begins with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Watching the cherry blossoms bloom is a trip and definitely worth experiencing. The city also witnesses the National Memorial Day Parade, another interesting festival to be a part of.

Maybe not summer but the season following summer in Washington DC is just as favourable for tourists. The autumn season is just next to perfection and definitely something all tourists would enjoy. The weather is exquisite and calm as the brisk winter air starts to slowly take over the city. Booking a hotel in Washington DC becomes cheap and affordable too as the summer crowd takes away the expensive tags. However, as many business travellers make their way into the city, the hotel deals might still be a hard snag unless you make prior hotel bookings in Washington DC. The city witnesses the H Street festival and Library of Congress National Book Festival during autumn. The cultural festivals with their historical significance only add to the experience one might take in during a trip to Washington DC. If you want to downscale your budget further, then winter is the best time to visit for you. The city streets freeze up while the temperature ranges between 5 degree Celsius to 7 degree Celsius. The perks, though, are the slash in hotel room prices, which is a sweet deal if you want to experience winter in the city.

Places to visit in Washington DC

The first thing to check out would undoubtedly be the Lincoln Memorial. The location would make quite a postcard-worthy click with Honest Abe's memorial in the background. Next, you can visit Vietnam Veterans and Korean War Veterans Memorials, popularly referred to as 'the Wall', which has names of all the Americans who succumbed to the Vietnam War. Just around the Lincoln Memorial is the beautiful Tidal Basin, a must-visit, especially during spring. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is a treasure trove which celebrates exquisite aircraft, including Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega 5B and Wilbur and Orville Wright's 1903 Wright Flyer, to name a few. It is a fascinating place and would certainly pique your interest. The city also has the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum which showcases the atrocities faced during the World War II. Do not miss the National Gallery of Art and The White House and the Washington Monument.

Things to do in Washington DC

Majority of the things that you can do in the city pertain to some of the sightseeing. Washington DC is recognised to be the city with a plethora of historical monuments and a haven for American history. The city offers a peek into the country's history as well as important events. Aside from indulging in the past of the country, one of the things you should definitely do is get tickets to a show at The John F Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts. You can explore the US Capitol's Library of Congress to get more understanding of the politics. A picture next to Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial also sounds like a good thing to do. You can also take a break from all the history lessons and head to 9:30 Club to relish some live music. The club has hosted many big bands, including RHCP and Nirvana.

Food and Restaurants in Washington DC

Washington DC's food culture is as diverse as the capital can get. There is an abundance of succulent eateries spread across the city. From piquant Spanish delicacies to oyster shots, there are many ethnic and global restaurants that will get your attention. Check out H Street Northeast, in the Atlas District to get some of the ethnic action as there are Belgian, Japanese and many more cultural kitchens. To get the sophisticated gourmet experience at an upscale restaurant, you can visit José Andrés' hotels such as Zaytinya and Oyamel Cocina Mexicana. Old Ebbitt grill and 1789 are also some lovely places where you will get the high-end fine dining experience. However, if you are on a budget, then opt for some eateries such as Ben's Chili Bowl and Good Stuff Eatery. These places have some signature dishes that you shouldn't miss at any cost. From lip-smacking burgers to rice bowls, the two joints offer an interesting palette of flavours in their meals that is worth all the money shelled out. Good Stuff Eatery's burgers are famous as they have been curated by chef Spike Mendelsohn.

Another major highlight to add to Washington DC's food culture are the farmer's markets in the city. Located in the District, a group of farmers huddle up to sell their fresh goods which come in all forms, colours and shapes. You'll find organic vegetables, healthy fruits and a colourful spread of goods at the market. It is a good place to get some of the fruity and healthy veggies action. Columbia Heights Farmers Market and FRESHFARM are two recognised markets that you should check out when in the city. Interestingly, the city also has lovely breweries and brewpubs, which came into existence in the recent past. However, the best way to enjoy the DC spirit would be to indulge in some brunch options. Tabard Inn, Kafe Leopold, Equinox, Cava Mezze, Juniper, Cafe Milano, to name a few, would be the best places to start your brunch rendezvous

How to reach Washington DC

Flight connectivity to Washington DC from India is quite decent but overpriced. There are no direct flights to Washington DC from India and layovers are the only way to reach the capital city. The demand for flights to Washington DC are not as much as for New York City or Chicago. Hence, the connectivity is also quite poor. There are only a handful of airlines that operate from India to Washington. Airlines such as United Airlines, Air Canada, Emirates, All Nippon Airways, to name a few, are the only ones that have flight services to Washington DC from India. There are no nonstop or flights to Washington DC from India, and usually, a layover or connecting flight is the only way to go. The United Airlines has flight connectivity to Washington DC from Newark. Many of the flights use the international route of Newark to reach Washington DC. Emirates is the only other airline that stops at Dubai for a layover before flying to Washington DC. Cathay Pacific also has flights to Washington DC from Delhi. Mostly, the connectivity is only from the Dubai and Newark international routes to reach Washington DC. The popular route to Washington DC often chosen by travellers is from Newark

Travellers require a transit visa to enter the USA and to reach Washington DC. Since the flights have connectivity from Newark, the non-immigrants are required to show a transit visa to let the authorities know that you are just taking a connecting flight to a different destination. A transit visa is a type 'C' visa where basically, you need to show at the Newark airport that you are just taking a connecting flight to Washington DC. To acquire these, you could apply for them at the American embassy, or you can do it online. The provisions are faster online and would be beneficial to you. The flight duration to Washington DC from India is approximately 17 hours, which is subject to change depending on the availability of flights. Do not expect cheap flight tickets to Washington DC. Not only is the capital expensive but even flight tickets to Washington DC is quite exorbitant. Even the accommodation is high-priced, and it would be best to make flight and hotel bookings to Washington DC well in advance to avoid expensive rates.

  About Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus is which means 'air fleet', is the national flag carrier of Ireland. The airline was founded in 1936 by the Irish government. The airline was privatised for a decade from 2006 to 2015. Following this, Aer Lingus became a wholly-owned subsidiary of International Airlines Group (IAG). The airline's headquarters is located on the grounds of Dublin Airport in Cloghran in County Dublin. Aer Lingus was also once part of the Oneworld airline alliance. However, the airline walked out of the airline alliance in 2007. It was believed that with International Airlines Group's takeover, Aer Lingus might rejoin Oneworld. However, addressing these claims, Aer Lingus' then CEO Stephen Kavanagh announced that the airline has no plans in the pipeline to join Oneworld anytime soon. Interestingly though, the airline does have codeshare agreements with Oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance members. Along with this, Aer Lingus is also involved in interline agreements with United Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Etihad Airways. As a company that follows a hybrid business model, Aer Lingus accommodates a mixed fare service on its European routes. At the same time, they have full service along with several cabin class flights on the transatlantic routes.

Before International Airlines Group intervened and eventually took over the whole company, Ryanair had some shares in Aer Lingus with 29 per cent of stocks. Meanwhile, the Irish state held 25 per cent of shares before the airline was bought over by IAG. Back in 2006, the Irish government had about 85 per cent of shares in the airline. However, they proposed the idea to float Aer Lingus on the Dublin and London stock exchanges. Other companies related to Aer Lingus namely Aer Lingus Limited, Dirnan Insurance Company Limited, Aer Lingus Beachey Limited and Aer Lingus (Ireland) Limited were listed on the market. These companies are currently wholly owned by IAG, along with Aer Lingus. The government of Ireland did not give in to the negotiations of International Airlines Group as they wanted to retain their 25 per cent stakes in the airline. But after much persuasions and negotiations, the government finally caved and agreed to give away its 25 per cent stakes in Aer Lingus, in 2015. Meanwhile, Ryanair, which held about 30 per cent stakes, opted to sell them to IAG in the same year at the cost of €2.55 per share. With all parties in agreement, the transfer of ownership was officially made with IAG becoming the sole owner of Aer Lingus.

Over the years, Aer Lingus has expanded significantly by acquiring many international routes and domestic routes as part of its operations. In 2007, the airline stated that it plans on establishing its first base at Belfast International Airport, located in Northern Ireland and outside the Republic of Ireland. Operations from the Belfast International Airport commenced the same year. Meanwhile, the airline started to accommodate and renew its fleet for better aircraft. In 2008, they had three Airbus A320 aircraft that was dedicated to serving eleven European destinations.

Further, routes to get a direct connection to London's Heathrow Airport were also initiated as Aer Lingus cooperated with its codeshare partner British Airways, to accommodate a Belfast - London route. Despite its profitability, the airline discontinued its Shannon-London route, owing to a political controversy which took place in the west of Ireland. Once the concern was resolved, Aer Lingus once again reinstated its popular route of Shannon to Heathrow. Following years, the airline brought forth several new services that would connect to more destinations.

Fleet size of Aer Lingus

As of 2020, Aer Lingus collectively holds a fleet of 56 aircraft. The aircraft that are part of the fleet includes 34 Airbus A320-200s, three Airbus A321-200s, four Airbus A321LRs, five Airbus A3302-200s and ten Airbus A330-900s. Aer Lingus is also expecting orders of Airbus A321XLR and its first Airbus A350-900 to join the fleet in the near future. They have placed the orders for four Airbus A321LR,s six Airbus A321XLR and five Airbus A350-900s. In 2017, the airline announced that they intended to finalise on their order of seven A321LR twinjets with a view to developing thinner transatlantic routes. The idea to bring forth such a change in the fleet was to operate profitable flights on the transatlantic routes. Using A330 didn't yield as many profits as the airline speculated, leading them to opt for an affordable and revenue-making aircraft. At the Paris Air Show in 2019, the International Airlines Group signed the deal to purchase 14 Airbus A321XLR aircraft, eight of which would be reserved for Iberia and six to Aer Lingus. With the inclusion of Airbus A321XLR, the airline plans to replace their Boeing 757-200s.

Baggage Allowance

The baggage allowance policy of Aer Lingus differs from continents and destinations. For checked baggage allowance, the airline has specified 20 kg for one bag, 25 kg for larger bags and 40 kg for two bags. For transatlantic routes, Aer Lingus follows the same baggage allowance where economy class passengers are allowed 23 kg per checked baggage. It cannot exceed the specified weight unless passengers opt to purchase additional baggage. As for business class passengers, the airline allows three pieces of checked baggage that should weigh a total of 69 kg. Passengers who are part of some of the airline's mileage programmes can get additional benefits in terms of baggage quantity. The weight is also altered depending on the type of ticket and the cabin class. While the weight can be varied, the baggage dimensions should not exceed 158 cm. It is essential that passengers follow the said requirement with their baggage as it would be easier for the airline to accommodate checked baggage. As for carry-on baggage, the airline allows a maximum weight of 10 kg along with an accessory bag.

In-flight services

Aer Lingus offers exquisite in-flight services for their short-haul, medium-haul and long haul flights. The seats installed in the aircraft are extremely comfortable and also recline to a convenient degree. Passengers can also request for assistance with respect to accommodating baggage in the overhead bins. The flight attendants have been trained to be available for any in-flight requirements. The seats are also equipped with personal entertainment systems in the long-haul flights. Not to mention how the in-flight meal services are definitely worth snagging.

Popular routes and top cities for Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus operates a total of 93 destinations spread across 24 countries, predominantly in Europe, the Canary Islands, North America and a few portions of Turkey. Much of its domestic routes and a handful of international routes of the United Kingdom and France are operated under the airline's regional airline franchise, Aer Lingus Regional. The airline is managed by Stobart Air. Additionally, with codeshare agreements, the airline further caters to about 100 destinations in the world. Aer Lingus has also signed interline agreements with Alaska Airlines, Etihad Airways, KLM, Air Canada, United Airlines and JetBlue. Some of the top cities for Aer Lingus include Toronto, Brussels, Paris, Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Dublin, Amsterdam, Warsaw, Lisbon, Barcelona, Geneva, Zurich, Birmingham, London, Boston, Chicago and New York City - JFK. A majority of Aer Lingus' presence is prevalent in countries such as Canada, Germany, Austria, Poland, Croatia, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Italy, Greece, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Why travel by Aer Lingus?

Aer Lingus is one of the few airlines that has sustained its prominence in the aviation sector. As an airline that is fairly old, Aer Lingus has consistently worked towards broadening its facilities and services to accommodate the efficiency and satisfaction of its customers. Over the years, the airline has expanded its reach from mere destinations in the United Kingdom and Europe to North America and Canada. They have better connectivity and newer international routes and domestic routes.

To keep up with the facilities offered by competitors, Aer Lingus has also upgraded its services. These include provisions for web check-ins. Passengers need to wait in long lines at the airport's check-in counter anymore as web check-ins and personalised kiosks are available at airports. Similarly, Aer Lingus' official website also has updates on flight status and flight schedules. Depending on the ticket type and cabin class, the in-flight services and baggage allowances are also shared with the passengers. Booking an Aer Lingus flight ticket online is also easier as the website has slots available. The ticket type also comes with benefits such as choosing seats and raking in other such benefits.

The airline has also introduced many mileage programmes as part of the International Airlines Group. Although in the past, when Aer Lingus was part of Oneworld alliance, it did have more benefits with respect to miles that passengers could earn not just from Aer Lingus but other airlines too. But the association of the airlines with IAG is also quite beneficial as it enables passengers to rake in miles from British Airways and Iberia too. In fact, passengers can also receive airport lounge access as part of the flight ticket.