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skysheriff
3rd Jan 2002, 23:52
This is the way Rynair treats its passengers :

le midi libre


Edition du 30 Décembre 2001

« Mes enfants ont été abandonnés par Ryanair »
« C'est tout simplement inadmissible ! Envisager de laisser deux
enfants de 8 et 18 ans sans assistance, pendant 24 heures, dans le hall d'un
aéroport étranger, c'est proprement révoltant ! ». Doris Mauguit ne décolère
pas. Et, après la mésaventure survenue à ses deux garçons, samedi dernier,
lors d'une escale à l'aéroport de Londres Stansted, alors qu'ils
effectuaient un trajet entre N'mes et Charleroi (Belgique), il y a,
semble-t-il, de quoi.
Samedi 22 au matin, Steve et son petit frère Baptiste embarquent donc,
normalement, sur le vol N'mes - Londres de 10 h 25, à Garons. L'avion
décolle avec une grosse demi-heure de retard et se pose à Stansted à 12 h
15, ce qui, a priori, ne met pas en péril leur correspondance, prévue à 12 h
45.
Pourtant, une panne du tapis à bagages de Stansted ne leur permet pas
de récupérer leurs valises. Qu'à cela ne tienne, les garçons se dirigent
vers le guichet d'embarquement. Mais, alors que l'avion pour Charleroi doit
décoller dix minutes plus tard, les employés de l'aéroport leur signalent qu
'il est trop tard pour embarquer. Et que la seule solution est d'attendre le
vol du lendemain, moyenne une rallonge de 800 F (121,96 E) ! Impossible,
pour les deux garçons de trouver un employé parlant français. Et les voici
donc, livrés à eux-mêmes, à l'étranger, dans un hall d'aéroport.
L'a'né, désemparé, appelle sa mère au téléphone. « Lorsque j'ai
entendu sa voix, j'ai compris que quelque chose n'allait pas. Le petit était
complètement terrorisé, explique Doris Mauguit. Aucun bureau de change n'
était ouvert, aucun employé de la compagnie ne les a aiguillés. Steve a
finalement réussi à changer 100 F à un passant, pour qu'ils puissent s'
acheter à manger ».
La maman, dans tous ses états, reste en contact heure par heure avec
ses enfants, qui ont élu domicile devant une cabine téléphonique. Et,
pendant ce temps, elle parvient à joindre au téléphone Denis Volilière,
directeur de la CCI de N'mes. « Il m'a tout de suite aidé, en me
communiquant des numéros de téléphone. Il a, lui même, tenté en vain de
joindre un employé de Ryanair, et finalement réussi à prévenir l'aéroport,
qui, vers 18 h 30, a retransmis un appel au micro, à l'attention de mes
enfants », poursuit la maman. Mais, entre temps, le père de Baptiste s'est
mis en route, depuis Charleroi, et atteindra Stansted en voiture, peu avant
22 heures, après avoir emprunté l'Eurostar. Les enfants arriveront en
Belgique, par la route, à 5 heures du matin.
Le lendemain, dimanche, Doris Mauguit se rend à l'aéroport de Garons,
une pancarte à la main, et placarde des affiches pour dénoncer aux voyageurs
le « laxisme » de la compagnie irlandaise. « A Garons, tout le monde était
scandalisé. Et le personnel m'a soutenu et a compris m'a colère », reprend
Doris Mauguit. Car le voyage, qui coûtait au départ 3 000 F au total, a vu
son prix multiplié par trois.
Pour la CCI, contactée vendredi, « cette mésaventure est tout à fait
déplorable. Nous n'avons réussi à joindre ni les commerciaux, ni les
techniciens de Ryanair. Une lettre a d'ailleurs été envoyée par nos soins à
la compagnie, afin de relater cet événement. » L'incident n'est donc pas
pris à la légère, même si, l'exploitant de l'aéroport concède que « les
termes du contrat passé avec Ryanair sont clairs : la compagnie n'engage sa
responsabilité que sur un trajet point par point. La gestion des
correspondances est donc toujours à la charge des passagers. Et ces
conditions sont presque toujours celles définies par les compagnies
"low-cost" (pratiquant des tarifs bas, NDLR) ».
A bon entendeur, salut. Et de là à ce que certains voyageurs ayant
choisi Ryanair pour un voyage avec escale, emportent quelques sandwichs et
un sac de couchage...

François ISAMBERT


Droits Réservés à Midi-Libre

Young Paul
4th Jan 2002, 00:23
A stream of consciousness reaction .....

Well, what did they expect? Ryanair is a no-frills airline.

Suppose two English kids flew with Air France from LHR to (say) Dallas via Paris, and missed their connection through CDG. How much English language support do you imagine they would receive? Whilst the English lack of foreign language is inexcusable, I really don't see that the family could have expected anything else.

Also, personally, I think parents who send UM's by air are crossing their fingers every time they do it. At 18 the lad ought to be able to look after himself - when I was 18, I went on Camp America, and had to sort out incorrect bookings travelling from LGA via Memphis to Jackson. Of course it's hassle - welcome to the grown-up world! (OK, Delta staff were a bit more helpful than Ryanair).

And travelling between two francophone countries via England on an Irish airline? Well, come on.

In short, I'm largely with the airline on this. I realise that the story will lose foreign nationals on domestic carriers, but if our carriers really cared about this, they'd do something about the language speaking situation.

The Guvnor
4th Jan 2002, 01:01
skysheriff - your use of the word "crooks" is libellous as it implies that all Ryanair employees are criminals which they demonstrably are not. I suggest you change it rapidly as it will potentially get you - and Danny - in expensive trouble.

If you think that's bad, pop over to the African Airlines forum where you can read about South African Airways losing an unaccompanied minor - for the second time! SAA is a full service airline and she was an official UM ... Ryanair, on the other hand, does not accept unaccompanies minors - it clearly says so on their website. Another thing that it makes very clear in its website is that connections are not guaranteed, either - and that they should not be relied upon.

The 18 year old should be more than capable of looking after the 8 year old; if he was unable to do so then why was the 8 year old left in his care in the first place?

Clearly, FR are not at fault in this case.

Incidentally, wouldn't it be easier to go by rail between Nimes and Brussels? <img src="eek.gif" border="0"> <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0"> <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

atr42
4th Jan 2002, 01:10
I completely agree with "Exile from Groggs". Where is the problem ?!?!

I frequently use a connection flight with easyJet at Luton and I always expect at least 2 hours between the two flights. The politics of european low-cost airlines is clear : it's a point to point flight. No connections guaranteed !
At 18 years old you are already a big big kid, isn't it ?? Most of big big babies like this french one work and some live alone.....
Even if the first flight had been ontime, I think that 1 hour to make a connection during christmas holidays in a country you don't know and where you don't speak the language is completely irresponsible !!!

Mon pauvre skysheriff, tu nous a vraiment déniché la famille SHADOKS type. J'espère que le Midi Libre a des histoires un peu plus intéressantes à raconter....

9Q-CLI
4th Jan 2002, 01:26
From the Ryanair website:

&lt;What about Connections?

Ryanair is strictly a 'point-to-point' airline whose priority is to offer all of its customers low fare air travel with the best on-time service. This is why Ryanair has been the No. 1 on-time airline for the last 5 years on the Dublin-London route. However, many factors such as weather, air traffic control delays, strikes, technical disruptions, late inbound aircraft etc all affect our adherence to published schedules. We therefore do not offer, and cannot facilitate, transfers for passengers or their baggage to other flights whether operated by Ryanair or other carriers. Ryanair accepts no responsibility for making connections and therefore will not be liable for any losses or expenses arising out of any failure to achieve a planned connection.&gt;

You can get it in french too.

Go Ryanair !

The Guvnor
4th Jan 2002, 01:49
I've just read the article again. These people are even bigger morons than I thought.

The inbound from Nimes arrives at 12.15 - assuming it's on time; and the pax were booked on a flight leaving at 12:45. As FR close their check-in 30 minutes prior to departure, there's absolutely no chance that they could have made the second flight!

All the more so since - again as it says very clearly on the website (in French as well!) - pax connecting with other flights will have to collect their luggage on arrival, go through customs and recheck them. I believe it says there that at least 90 minutes should be allowed for connecting flights.

Unfortunately, this is a perfect example of your average low cost airline pax.

Dan Winterland
4th Jan 2002, 03:24
Travel low cost, one should have low expectations. As with everything in life, you get what you pay for.

Steepclimb
4th Jan 2002, 07:10
I'm with Ryanair on this one, at 18 the 'kid' was old enough. The adventure was a grande folie on the part of the parents who presumably booked the tickets. It was a mission impossible from the start. Even if baggage was transferred by the airline it would be touch and go whether you would make the connecting flight. In my experience two hours is a minimum.

Interestingly the article quotes Ryanair in regard to being a point to point airline. There it is in black and white
Just another Ryanair bashing story. This time though with a touch of French colour. C'est la vie!

[ 04 January 2002: Message edited by: Steepclimb ]</p>

access all areas
4th Jan 2002, 11:00
Why anyone would want to fly with these cowboys, escapes me...Cheap no-frills means cack no-care...
Give me a real airline, anyday..

Greg Baddeley
4th Jan 2002, 16:59
Well, you pays yer money......caveat emptor and all that stuff! If you want a cheap seat you accept what goes with it - my son flew with FR on a standby ticket when he was 18, involving four flights, with no problems until the final one (DUB-STN)where he was not able to get a seat. He had the common sense to call me at home, and between us we got him into Birmingham instead. At 18 you ain't a kid anymore! Some people just want the world on a plate and aren't prepared to pay for it.

Big Tudor
4th Jan 2002, 17:26
access all areas

cheap no-frills does not mean cack don't care. I've flown with FR on a number of occassions and have found the flights on-time, the crew polite, the aircraft clean and the announcements from the flight deck to be light-hearted and informative.

On the other hand I have also flown with BA and found flights late (+3hrs short-haul), cabin crew complaining to pax about the company, rubbish on the seats and not even a welcome PA from the flight deck. And all for four times as much as FR or EZY. But then again I did get a grotty lunch box with BA. Well worth the extra 300 quid !!!!!!

Mishandled
4th Jan 2002, 17:56
I note that skysherrif has not responded. Perhaps he/she is embarrased about posting such cobblers. and as for the name of the thread.......... <img src="mad.gif" border="0">

sgt.culpepper
4th Jan 2002, 20:33
Nopaxthanx, the final line of your post "some people want the world ....and are not prepared to pay for it etc...." just about sums up Michael o'Leary.
Big Tudor re your experience with BA ,how about this from last sundays Sunday Times (Irish edition)
"Two Irish travel executives got more than they expected from no frills airline Ryanair recently on an early morning flight from Dublin to Bristol.at the top of the climb out,an overhead panel fell down narrowly missing one of the executives. After a while a flight attendant came down and slapped the panel back into position without comment or apology.The two executives returned to Dublin on a Ryanair flight from Cardiff and again the exact same thing happened, the panel fell down narrowly missing the executive."
Which begs the question , does the Ryanair 25minute turnaround so often quoted by Mo'L as an example of operational efficiency, not allow time for log inspections and corrective action?.Makes you think !

MarkD
4th Jan 2002, 23:30
Sgt. C

Had the roof locker opposite me pop open on an EI 735 DUB-ORK during takeoff roll, if capt. had had to bank sharp right I could have had a locker full of duty free down on my head.

I reached up myself during climb and shut it and advised FA when they came down with trolley.

Sh!t happens. Have flown EI since without a qualm. [I work in IT and therefore bugs are no stranger to me :) ]

flyblue
5th Jan 2002, 00:21
Dear Exile from Grogg

had the theoretic English-speaking kids traveled AF from LHR to DFW, they would have received not only full language support, but an airline employee taking care of them for all the time needed for the connection. If the stop in Paris is long, there is a play room for kids. If there is a long delay or any other problem, they are taken in full charge. During flight, F/A are instructed to keep an eye on them. In holiday periods (Xmas, Easter, Summer) there are extra crew (hired and trained for that purpose) just to take care of kids and families.
While I agree that I would NEVER send even a theoretic kid anywhere with Ryanair, I would certainly use AF, and this because I know first hand what I am talking about.

Regards
The English-language-speaking-supportive
Flyblue

[ 04 January 2002: Message edited by: flyblue ]</p>

Young Paul
5th Jan 2002, 01:18
An eighteen-year-old?! Well, you know better than me.

Actually, come to think of it, I did say "two English kids". In theory, the same service would be extended to UM's on most non-low-cost airlines.

[ 04 January 2002: Message edited by: Exile from Groggs ]</p>

whatshouldiuse
5th Jan 2002, 03:09
To all;


Please don't slam low-cost airlines. Southwest and JetBlue in the U.S provide uniformially excellent service. Service which is far better than United, Delta, UsAir, American etc.


You actually can fly your kids from point A to point B (I know this is true as I've sat next to a number of them) and assure they will actually arrive. If Ryanair has problems, let's not smear the whole "low-cost" industry with the same brush.


The real problem is not getting what you pay for as many people say, but rather the commitment of the airline to take care of your dependants. The 2 low-cost airlines I mentioned do that very well. Ticket cost does not come into the equation.


Thanks

Whatshouldiuse

[ 04 January 2002: Message edited by: whatshouldiuse ]</p>