A simple story this but it was instructive. A three day trip to Dublin, so used LTN as my local field and FR. Outbound was fine, although CC a little surly.
The return ... got to DUB to find the desk closing. I enquired why the desk was closing an hour before the flight. I was told (with impolite tones) that the flight was departing in half an hour and that I should have known. I advised this lovely person that I had checked with the FR website the day before and checked the departure time was as originally listed. Since I booked online with FR, they had my email and mobile number but had not advised me of the change. She then allowed me to check in. I ran to the gate where boarding had started.
If I had been denied boarding, you can imagine how easy it would have been for me to prove that RF were in error.
Whatever other flight I might have caught, I would have been late for a friend to pick me up for a conference and the extra costs would have been unavoidable and irrecoverable.
No more FR for me, I shall pay more money up front and be a little more sure of getting better service. It is that simple. RyanAir will continue to make a lot of money and have many satisfied customers. They greatest risk is what happens when MoL leaves.