Ryanair passenger seating pattern

[TFS]

Ryanair have a free-seating method of boarding passengers, but why, when the flight is only half-full, do they insist on restricting seating for take-off to the front and rear rows only, filling all 6 seats across, and leaving the entire mid-section empty? Aircraft trim? B737 take-off handling or loading peculiarity?

You are free to change your seat after take-off, but I have never seen this rule applied by other airlines....:confused:

[Virgin Boi]

Its a rule which we stick to at Virgin Atlantic too. I think it has something to do with weight distribution and balance...

[TightSlot]

The reason for this is likely to be aircraft weight/balance - the 737-800 is particularly sensitive, being quite long. Since FR probably carry fewer pax bags than some other carriers, the ability to use bags to balance may often be reduced.

Once the aircraft is airborne, it effectively trims itself and therefore passengers can re-seat themselves.

[Wycombe]

Must admit it always strikes me (and I can understand that it doesn't fit with their fast turn-around business models) that the lo-co's seem to usually fly with half-empty (or less) holds.

Flying with both RYR and EZY, I've rarely seen the rear holds being used, even when the pax load is high.

Isn't there a revenue opportunity they are missing out on by not carrying at least some freight/mail etc? (eg, small express parcels that could be loaded quickly by hand)

[Getoutofmygalley]

Wycombe

easyJet uses the rear hold as the primary hold on all of it's aircraft and we do on some routes carry BFPO or Royal Mail freight. It is purely route dependant so it won't be on all routes to all destinations.

[Flying_Frisbee]

I heard that Ryanair did investigate carrying cargo, but that ground handlers were not able to commit to load and unload within the timescales that FR insisted on.