RYRnick. Each to there own.
You gave up a BA gold card for Ryanair? To qualify for the gold card you would have had to have flown more than once a fortnight or you paid top whack fully flexible club fares. If the latter then either somebody else picked up your fare or your circumstances have radically changed.
Personally I'll fly the most convienient and cheapest option I can and I pay my own ticket. I travel a twice a week from Ireland to the UK and back. I have used BA, Aer Lingus, BMI, BMIbaby, Aer Aran and Ryanair. Who would I not go back to.... Ryanair. Why? because they are not convienient (Stanstead) for my needs, not much cheaper when luggage is required and every experience has included rude and indifferent crew. The last time, travelling home from a holiday with my family, we were held back, with other young families, at the gate and told to wait until the end when we would be seated. When everyone had boarded I asked which seats we were to take, assuming some had been held for families, to be told 'any you can find like everyone else' I questioned why we were not allowed through earlier with everybody else and was told that young families take too long to board and hold up the process. When finally onboard the cabin crew at the door didn't say hello only 'you'll be lucky to find 5 seats near each other. My two youngest children were 3yrs and 5yrs and were not sitting alone. Whilst I tried to rearrange seating I was told I could be arrested if I didn't sit down straight away. Any help, answer 'not my problem' Sorry you can keep Ryanair at the top of your tree but I'd rather swim the Irish sea than give MOL and his cronies my cash.