AER LINGUS HAS taken a pop at both Donald Trump and the US comedy show Saturday Night Live after a questionable sketch about the airline featured on last night’s episode.

The skit features Irish actress Saoirse Ronan and SNL cast member Cecily Strong as Aer Lingus cabin crew, who are explaining to passengers why there’s a delay.

It hasn’t received the warmest response – people have criticised the use of clichés such as Irish people wearing Aran jumpers and potatoes being the only thing on the menu.

Source: 🥃Donald Clarke🎬/Twitter

I think Saoirse Ronan is great- brilliant actress and seems bang on. The "Welcome to Hell" bit on SNL was 👌 But the Aer Lingus sketch was *awful*. Aran jumpers, potato jokes, Americans doing stage Oirish accents? Definitely expected more from SNL than that old shtick.

— Nicola Brennan (@nnibhraonain) December 3, 2017

Source: Nicola Brennan/Twitter

Many people were also perplexed why a pack of dogs invaded the plane at one point, and was the reason for the delay. As the DailyEdge wrote earlier today:

“…the sketch centres on a gag about the plane being full of dogs. Is that an Irish thing? Did something happen with dogs on an Aer Lingus flight that none of us know about?”

In response to what’s been criticised as a poor attempt at a satire, the airline sent out this tweet this afternoon, mimicking US President Donald Trump’s previous criticism of the show:

Just tried watching Saturday Night Live – unwatchable! Totally biased, not funny and the Ronan impersonation just can’t get any worse. Sad.

Just tried watching Saturday Night Live - unwatchable! Totally biased, not funny and the Ronan impersonation just can't get any worse. Sad

— Aer Lingus (@AerLingus) December 3, 2017

Source: Aer Lingus/Twitter

Alec Baldwin did a sketch on SNL in 2016 which poked fun at President Trump and provoked a response from him.

I have to laugh at some people who don't seem to get the joke. 😁 pic.twitter.com/umOcrLA7bp

— Cian Ormond (@cianormo88) December 3, 2017

Source: Cian Ormond/Twitter

Although the majority of Twitter users seem to agree that the airline sketch didn’t quite land with either Irish or American audiences, the reaction to the Aer Lingus tweet has itself been mixed.

Loving your work 👍🏻

— Roisin Ingle (@roisiningle) December 3, 2017

Source: Roisin Ingle/Twitter

Source: Richard Chambers🎙/Twitter

It’s not the first fiesty social media message sent by Aer Lingus either – the airline has been involved in a few spats with Ryanair on Twitter before.

Read: People are disappointed with a sketch about Aer Lingus that Saoirse Ronan did on SNL