Ryanair Rant Coming Up.......

[old,not bold]

We're off for 10 days in the depth of the Polish forests and lakes, miles from any settlements, where the Internet is known about only vaguely, as something city folk waste a lot of time on. Mobiles ditto; there is no coverage within 25 miles.

We're using Ryanair from BRS to avoid driving to LHR and parking there. It's not my choice; Mrs ONB insists that it's better to suffer FR than to drive another 100 miles or so to use LHR. "It's also a lot cheaper", she adds.

"Will we never learn that nothing is worse than Ryanair, and you get what you pay for" I mutter, but I'm wasting my breath.

So I get to the point in the check-n process where I try to check in for the return flight as well as the outbound. Computer says NO.

I can, of course, if I want to pay the sum exacted for pre-booking a seat.

But I can only check-in without doing that from 4th of July, when I won't be able to. So I'll have to pre-book the seats, as though it makes any difference where you sit in their b****y cattletruck. This is, of course, exactly why Ryanair allows you to check-in without paying to pre-book up to 7 days before the flight and not before. They have carefully calculated that many people cannot check-in while away, just like us, and that nearly all trips are 7 days or longer.

It is being manipulated and jerked around like this that leaves me in a state of hatred about effing FR and all its doings. The endless attempts to get people to spend more on things they neither need nor want. The squawking, shouting bombardment from the cabin staff. The obvious contempt that Ryanair, its staff, and its agents, have for their customers.

So I'll arrive at the airport in a state of suppressed fury, and board in the same state.

Does Ryanair ever wonder why its customers occasionally get so frustrated and angry at the treatment they get that they lose some of their self-control?

[highflyer40]

I don't think RyanAir have planned this thinking that most people go away hiking in the mountains!! There are VERY few places where you will not be able to get signal for 7 days, and I would imagine less than 1% of RyanAir passengers would be afflicted with no signal for 7 days of their holiday

[caiman27]

Since the cost of pre-booking a seat is Euros 5.99 (£4.26) it is not exactly catastrophic. There is a larger issue which appears to have been missed. This being that pre-booking allows the passenger to book a window/aisle or whatever. Those that don't pre-book will end up crammed into a middle seat. By the way, British Airways does exactly the same with its short haul carry-on bag offering. Pay up to reserve a seat or get randomly allocated.

[highflyer40]

Is it it correct with BA hand baggage only fares that if you don't pay for a seat you will only get one at online checkin? Only allocated for you at the airport?

[fa2fi]

Every airline will have its quirks and annoying policies. I think FR are great. They do exactly what they say on the tin and they don't pretend to be something that they're not.

[El Bunto]

I don't think RyanAir have planned this thinking that most people go away hiking in the mountains!! There are VERY few places where you will not be able to get signal for 7 daysNothing Ryanair do is by chance; they are much too sophisticated and efficient for that.

Seven days is operationally a completely arbitrary window. It's not as if they're going to base the equipment selection on the number of checkers-in ( only have B738s and that one B737! ).

There's no reason it couldn't be 30 days, or 91 to put it the other side of a standard Visa waiver period. Except money-making; they will have very carefully scrutinised the average duration between booked sectors and subtracted one day.

Sit back, relax and enjoy your flight - and ultimately - your holiday!Difficult to relax wondering if one is going to be stung for 45 Euros x2 in order to return home. That's 10 hours of UK minimum-wage salary just for the privilege of checking-in.

[Heathrow Harry]

yes HF - you can only choose a BA seat 24 hrs in advance using on-line check-in if you haven't shelled out $$$$

If you go to the airport you get what they give you - but that was always the case anyway pre-internet days.....................

[caaardiff]

Can't you just get to the airport 2.5hrs before your return flight and use the airport's wifi in the terminal to check-in online via their free app? Or if you have an old Nokia, do as Caiman said, pay a fiver each, check-in in advance and get an extra hour in the pleasant Polish wilderness?

There's your answer. Download the App before you go. Get to the Airport a little earlier, check-in at the Airport before check-in closes. You'll probably be last to check-in and not get seats together..... same with BA and most Airlines these days!

You'll lose an hour in the wilderness, but at least you won't have to endure LHR and the M4 home.

FR are great, if you just follow the procedures!
EZY do the same, they don't charge you, but if you waited until you got to the Airport to check-in chances are you'd be split up.

Otherwise use the money you saved by flying with FR instead of BA and pay the small amount for your seats.

It would be interesting to see how much the difference in price for the flight was

Unnecessary rant as far as I see.

[edi_local]

Ryanair are not the only airline to charge for seats. In their defence unless it's really necessary they won't change the seats as, like you say, they are all the same. They don't pander to disorganised families who are split up, they leave it to them to sort themselves out. Out of all the FR flights I have taken since they started charging for seats I have paid for a specific seat probably 99% of the time. I have never once had a seat change.

The legacy carriers, on euro-short haul routes, will quite happily change the configuration of the aircraft at the drop of a hat and even though you paid for 10ABC 4 months before your flight, you checked in 24 hours before the flight and got your boarding passes you could still turn up to the airport and find out you have been moved to 29DEF because a family needed seated together or, better yet, the seats you chose are now miraculously in business class and you had to be moved so the curtain could be slid back as they oversold the seats up front!

Ryanair may have started all these charges but they are no longer the only ones doing it. There is literally no difference on BA these days as they charge for all the same things, apart from onboard catering, but realistically, how long until they do that too?

It's no longer a case of you get what you pay for as they all offer the same thing now, only FR are still cheaper!

[old,not bold]

Yes well, many voices of moderation and reason, mostly missing the point that it's Ryanair's way of extracting money through manipulation and coercion that enrages me, not the amount involved, all of £11.98 for two booked seats.

And the fact that on departure from Modlin there will be the usual heaving mass of people packed into the small space between the outward passport check and the gate, for anything up to 45 minutes, where it makes no difference whatsoever to have paid for an allocated seat, "Speedy Boarding", or the like.

I have seen people almost in tears trying to force their way through this crowd because they paid for the privilege of "Speedy Boarding", and are faced with a wall of backs of people who have suddenly gone deaf, rather like the sole member of the handling staff who is supposed to supply what is laughingly called "customer service".

We do this trip, Mrs ONB 'n me, several times a year since half our family is in Poland. Hence my intimate knowledge of how awful it is. But the woman will never learn that price isn't everything.

I know all that stuff about Ryanair provides what it says on the tin, you get what you pay for, shut up and be grateful. But why do they have to make it so dreadful? They seem to take pride in treating people badly, just to prove they can.

[highflyer40]

It's not coercion or manipulation, other than the ticket price no other charges are mandatory, it's up to you.

My last trip with Ryan air was to Rome from UK for a family of 4, total cost all in door to door.... 89. For that I don't expect service, food, entertainment, well really j don't expect anything other than getting from A to B.

That is the same length of time as the train from Edinburgh to London, and that cost almost 300 the last time we did it.

[PAXboy]

ONB
They seem to take pride in treating people badly, just to prove they can.
Far be for me to suggest that people behave badly whilst scrabbling for the lowest price. FR knows it's audience.

[old,not bold]

Afterthought....someone said

There are VERY few places where you will not be able to get signal for 7 days, and I would imagine less than 1% of RyanAir passengers would be afflicted with no signal for 7 days of their holiday

Well, actually, there are huge swathes of the world's land surface where you will not get any form of mobile phone or internet connection. This applies to very large areas in the less populated regions of Europe, including the UK. Close to home in the UK, I could take you to a large village 2 miles away, near the coast of East Devon, where there is no phone signal on any network within 1 mile of the village centre.

Globally, I would suggest that mobile coverage is 5-10% of land surface. One of the best indicators is probably satellite pictures of the world at night; lit areas probably have coverage, unlit areas do not, as a working hypothesis.

Even the wildly optimistic maps published by the phone networks of UK coverage show areas where there is no signal.

So I think your assertion is quite mistaken. Ryanair probably agrees with me, which is why they have the 7-day rule. In any event, it isn't necessarily the signal that's the problem, it's the need to print a pass which defeats those who are not up to using smart phones, apps etc etc.

[SCHEDULING]

The wife's pre-booked seat on the 737NG was covered in greasy crumbs when she embarked last week. Perhaps another reason for dressing down (or at least, dressing Greaseproof) when you fly FR.

Yes, most places you can get a signal but many of them you can't get a printer. oldnotbold is absolutely correct: just Ryanair squeezing more money out of their flock.

[PAXboy]

They are not 'squeezing' money. They are taking the same amount of money (or more or less) than other carriers but it is sliced and diced.

If FR can take you there and back safely and the OVERALL price is reasonable? If no other carrier is available on the route - or you choose not to use another carrier?

The ONLY price is the bottom line. I agree that those of us that grew up with inclusive pricing find the change uncomfortable at times but everybody does it now.

The UK govt is brilliant at slicing and dicing. Things that used to be 'inclusive' are not 'exclusive' e.g.: When you moved house, you sent in your driver's licence to get the new address and it was posted back for free. Now it is charged for. There are countless examples in all walks of life - from the plastic carrier bag onwards.

The UK, like many 'advanced' nations is a very expensive place to live. We want to pay ourselves nicely and have nice house and nice cars and nice holidays. So things cost more - that's the path of 'free market' that the UK has chosen. How we pay for them can also be chosen. I can shoose to use FR but I cannot choose to update my driver's licence - if I fail to do so I pay a HUGE fine.

Perhaps you should drop your wife off at BRS and then drive to Heathrow - meeting up at the other end. Each deals with the costs/convenience as each chooses. :p

[ExXB]

Printer? Why would you need a printer? Admit I haven't flown Ryanair for eons, but doesn't everyone give you your boarding card on your phone (and watch).

I betcha that even with the extra charges, BoB, etc it was still cheaoer, and much more convienient than London Thiefrow.

[Dont Hang Up]

They are not 'squeezing' money. They are taking the same amount of money (or more or less) than other carriers but it is sliced and diced.

No, that is a far too fair (inaccurate) statement on what they do.

I avoid Ryanair always, but was ultimately forced to venture onto their booking site because my daughter's school trip required participants to book flights individually - but they all had to be on the same Ryanair flight.

With much trepidation and cautiously feeling my way for all the trapdoors - still I found myself apparently paying for insurance. I backtracked but could not find the opt out. So I Googled and found the advice I needed then went back again.

Sure enough there it was. In the insurance option - a drop down menu to select country of residence. And there, alphabetically between Denmark and Finland was "Don't Insure Me".

I had a Victor Meldrew moment, followed shortly after by a serious John McEnroe moment.

I know that Mr O'leary and his legal team are a little thin skinned about the comments they truly deserve. Therefore I shall say just this. The man has no shame. And another thing he shall ever have is any more of my custom.

[PAXboy]

Dont Hang Up As far as I am aware - they have never made any secret of what they do. Yes, there are trap doors and yes other carriers have also introduced them. Yes, I also only use FR as a last resort.

BUT there is a reason their 'headline' prices are so low! No company can [say] transport people across 350 miles for £45 each way and make a profit. So they don't do that. They have to charge extra and they have proven that customers will go for [say] '£45 one way' and not '£175 all in'. if FR had not invented this way of doing business - someone else would have done.

[highflyer40]

Considering we are talking about Ryanair here, talking about worldwide network coverage is a bit of a leap. Add to that that most of FR's passengers are holiday makers I would say that my statement was bang on.

They have to get within network range on the way to the airport don't they?

If you think of FR as a bus service then you can't be disappointed, you wouldn't expect service with a smile and trolley fillets on a 6 hour coach trip from Plymouth to Edinburgh would you? You would pay your money and expect a seat and nothing else.

[VC10man]

I've recently used Ryanair to fly to Barcelona for my 8 day holiday. I booked seats, 5A &5B, checked in online for both flights, took 2 cases and they put our carry on in the hold for free (saves dragging it round the airport). They took off on time and landed on time on both flights.

The coffee was poor and expensive, but that's my fault, I could have done without. The legroom was better than ordinary seats on Thomson, Monarch or Thomas Cook and certainly better than Flybe.

Do some people feel so inferior that they need the flight staff to grovel at their feet and smile while they kick them?

Get over it, Ryanair do a fantastic job moving people from their local airport to where they want to go, safely and cheaply on newish planes with no previous owners.

[MrSnuggles]

I believe you are not entitled to complain if you fly Ryanair. That will cost you extra.

[Dont Hang Up]

Dont Hang Up As far as I am aware - they have never made any secret of what they do. Yes, there are trap doors and yes other carriers have also introduced them. Yes, I also only use FR as a last resort.

BUT there is a reason their 'headline' prices are so low! No company can [say] transport people across 350 miles for £45 each way and make a profit. So they don't do that. They have to charge extra and they have proven that customers will go for [say] '£45 one way' and not '£175 all in'....

Are you serious?

"Don't Insure Me" hidden between Denmark and Finland.

I have yet to come anywhere close to finding another 'reputable' business website near that level of deceitfulness.

They are in a league of their own! Any horrible to say, but I think they are proud of it.

[PAXboy]

Yes, they are in a league of their own and, as I understand it, have never apologised for anything. That is the nature of the company. And, I don't think that there are many of an age legally allowed to book tickets that don't know it.

Do I like them? No. Am I defending them? I don't think so.

[Dont Hang Up]

...do a fantastic job moving people from their local airport to where they want to go, safely and cheaply on newish planes with no previous owners.

We could rephrase that:

...do a grudging, ill-tempered job moving people from a small number of UK airports to some obscure place typically many miles from where they claim to be taking them (Frankfurt!?), with equivalent safety and price to many other airlines who actually behave as though they respect their customers...

If you like what they do I have no problem with that. Just accept that those of us who are forced unwillingly into their business space through lack of choice are allowed to call them out for what they are.

[PAXboy]

Many people call them out for what they are and many people book their product of choice. I agree that being left with Hobson's Choice is not nice and I have had that situation myself.

[John Eacott]

As a visitor to the northern hemisphere I can't see what the moans are about with Ryanair? I've been using them for all my travelling and will pop back to the UK on Friday, confident that I'll get a decent flight for a decent price: again.

I booked 4 trips when I was back in Oz, all using their Business Plus which is quite a bargain, IMO. Book your seat a month in advance, 20kg luggage (shared between pax if necessary), fast track boarding (which works well through the customs, and fine for me at the gate) plus no cost flight changes along with other benefits. Add those as an extra cost over the "normal" fare and you'd have cause for complaint, but as a bundle it is a minimal extra cost for a lot of extras.

I also get an extra legroom seat and guaranteed carry on, which eases any concerns when watching the amount of stuff that some pax try to take on board!!!

[kingston_toon]

Some people just like to complain for the sake of complaining. When I first started travelling, I flew all over Europe on Ryanair for 1p/£1/£10 and in somewhere close to 100 flights, never had a truly terrible experience. Y'know what... I'm not stupid so was capable of spotting "Don't Insure Me" right at the top of a drop down list (sneaky would be hiding it at the end). I also remembered to check-in online and, on the odd occasion I wasn't able to do so before leaving home, found somewhere while I was away to print out my boarding pass. Eastern Poland isn't in the middle of the desert / jungle. Yes, perhaps you're really really unlucky in that the exact spot you're staying doesn't have an internet connection, but if you're away for a week, visiting a nearby town or village for supplies (or indeed, just to check-in) isn't going to kill you. Many many places have wi-fi. I believe Ryanair even do mobile boarding passes these days, so you don't even need to find a printer!

Just what WAS the difference in price between flying from LHR and Ryanair anyway...?

[ExXB]

... However, when things go pear-shaped, FR will not take care of you. Admittedly, this happens very rarely, but when it does you are on your own. Good luck finding FR staff or ground handling company staff, and even if you do, they are not empowered to help you.

[Sober Lark]

Forget about the silly Ryanair rant, I want to know more about 'Old not bald' and his wife going on holiday to We're off for 10 days in the depth of the Polish forests and lakes, miles from any settlements, where the Internet is known about only vaguely, as something city folk waste a lot of time on. Mobiles ditto; there is no coverage within 25 miles.I can imagine them in darkest Poland playing out a clip from the Shining 'I'm home' so they can come back home from holidays totally refreshed and ready to enjoy life again until their next holiday.

[Phileas Fogg]

I think FR are great. They do exactly what they say on the tin

And the label on their tin says?

[PAXboy]

As of 15:02 BST today, their tin [website] says:

(alternating)

Low Fares From Manchester
Group Booking Made Simple
Lowest Fares from £9.99

:p

[El Bunto]

Get over it, Ryanair do a fantastic job moving people from their local airport to where they want to go, safely and cheaply on newish planes with no previous owners.What has that got to do with the OP's post? He didn't cast doubt on their ability to move people in aeroplanes.

Anyway, back on point, even that we-want-to-be-MOL's-children outfit Jet2 offer online check-in 28 days prior to the flight.

Wizz's window is 30 days.

Easyjet's is also 30 days.

Ryanair's seven days is farcical.

The only airline I can find that is worse is the bottom-scraper known as Spirit Airlines with whom you have a check-in window of 23.5 hours prior to departure.... correction, 23 hours

Online check-in begins 24 hours prior to departure and ends an hour prior to your flight's scheduled departure.

[west lakes]

The only airline I can find that is worse is the bottom-scraper known as Spirit Airlines

BA's free online check in is 24 hours

Longer than that and you have to pay for seat reservation

[edi_local]

I think almost any other airline I've flown on is 24 hours. DL, EK, LX, LH, SN, SK, RO, B2, LO, VS, BE were all opened at that time and that's just off the top do my head. I think BD used to be the same too. There may be some variation between if you pay for seats or not before then, but the actual check in doesn't open until much closer to the flight than Ryanair. Yes, they don't charge to do airport check in (Yet!) but it's still a short time frame when compared to some low cost carriers.

[ExXB]

Network airlines, who sell on-line and interline tickets, check-in processes are much more complex than point to point airlines.

It's usually 24 hours before the first flight, connecting flights can be later.

[Phileas Fogg]

Only this morning I received an email from Cebu Pacific Air advertising Cebu to Hong Kong, a 2hr 35min sector, for PHP1,500.00 (20 quid).

I needed an onward or return ticket to re-enter Philippines on 13 July so I booked Cebu to Hong Kong for a date during November and the price I saw was the price I paid ... PHP1,500.00 (20 quid) including all the add on's.

[dc9-32]

Change the wife and go BA :rolleyes:

[Phileas Fogg]

Who are BA?

[SCHEDULING]

The wife's pre-booked seat on the 737NG was covered in greasy crumbs

A former poster here has just told me that was the in-flight meal. Funny, I usually find that on the floor.

[Phileas Fogg]

You'd never have got greasy crumbs on a 737 Classic ... That's progress for you!

[Mr Oleo Strut]

With a discreet cough the immaculately uniformed ground representative reminded us that it was time to finish off our complimentary Rhubarb and Dandelion Calming Juice Balm and make our way to the gate where boarding would take place in just a few minutes. Oh, and do feel free to take that complimentary copy of 'Your airline really does love you' with you, Sir! So, slipping into the comfortable seats on the very smooth electric travelator we were off and enjoying the soft music and cheerful birdsong. Soon we arrived at our departure gate, where our electronic ID tags permitted us to seamlessly access the short covered walkway to our aircraft, without further ado. On board a smiling and well-turned out cabin-staffer bid us welcome and pointed out our pre-booked seats. After stowing our hand-gear in the ample overhead locker we eased into our commodious seats, adjusted our head and foot-rests, and stretched out, looking forward to the pleasure of our complimentary Captain's Jet Cocktail and Nut-free Mini Bagel with Sparkles. This was going to be the start of a wonderful experience, I thought. What a good thing those new owners had taken over the previous lot, whatever their name was....do you know I've really forgotten all about them already!

[VC10man]

When I went to Barcelona, El Prat not Barcelona Torremolinos!, in June I went for 8 days and checked in for both flights before i went. What is this about 7 days? Flybe are less than 7 days.

Ryanair are making good profits so people must use them. They are cheap and cheerful, as everyone knows. I have my own insurance and I don't usually buy any "refreshments" on board. They are usually on time and I've found the staff perfectly alright. I don't expect them to fawn all over me, if I wanted that I would use a top notch carrier.

What I particularly like about Ryanair is that they fly from my local airport EMA. It only takes me 30 minutes to get there and it is easier to go through than a bigger airport. I also wish easyJet had stayed, I liked them as well!

About 25 years ago I wanted to fly to Nice, I had to go from LHR on BA. It was very good, free drink and plenty of room. The staff were great as well. But it cost about £350. I can now go from a local airport for a lot less money and inconvenience and I feel better without all that free booze.

[El Bunto]

What is this about 7 days?


Dunno, perhaps check Ryanair.com?

https://www.ryanair.com/en/need-to-know/online-checkin/

'You can check-in from 7 days to 2 hours before each departing flight'


Flybe are less than 7 days.


FlyBE also offer staffed and self-service check-in at the airport, for free, so if you can't check-in online then it's not a problem. Ryanair charge 45 Euros at the airport.

[Doors to Automatic]

The usual moral of the story holds true here, namely if you want any sort of "frills" pay the extra and fly with a better quality carrier - even easyJet leaves ryanair standing with its quality of service.

Personally I cannot stand FR and will do anything possible to avoid flying with them. Cheap and nasty, with horrible aircraft that can't seem to land with anything less than 3G of force and run by arrogant, unpleasant people - especially the No 2 who is one of the most obnoxious people I have ever met in the industry. I only fly with them under duress when others have made the booking......

BUT

They are cheap, efficient with professional and friendly crew - and the food and drink offering is reasonable and you will get to your destination safely and usually on time.

You get exactly what you pay for with Ryanair!

[VC10man]

I see it now, I paid extra for my seat and can check in 30 days before. If you don't it is 7 days. Thanks.

[Phileas Fogg]

I really can't be bothered any longer but there's more to life than being tight-assed sitting in cramped cabins in seats that don't recline faced with gawdy colours and advertising whilst offered a selection of overpriced stale sandwiches and warm beer.

One can't take the money with one when one goes, try a search engine or few, often the legacy carriers can work out cheaper.

[Hotel Tango]

there's more to life than being tight-assed sitting in cramped cabins in seats that don't recline

often the legacy carriers can work out cheaper.

Totally agree. And no seat pocket to put your little odds and ends in either. Also some so-called LCCs provide a much better product at equally competitive fares. Although I don't, and never will fly RYR, I do however appreciate their existence. They have contributed to bringing legacy fares to more realistic levels. The only nightmare I have is that the day may come when the dastardly RYR will have taken over the world and I won't have a choice anymore. :eek:

[Heathrow Harry]

"tight-assed sitting in cramped cabins in seats that don't recline"

better get used to it - all airlines are lookign at cramming in more punters and lowering weight - the new shorthaul BA seats are really uncomfortable

[Hotel Tango]

all airlines are looking at cramming in more punters and lowering weight

Damn, does this mean I will have to diet? :}

[alserire]

Never a truer word spoken re: money. And legacy carriers. Often find very good fares with LH/LX from DUB through FRA/MUC/ZRH that match and sometimes beat EI and FR and that's before you add in bags/seats etc.

[VC10man]

It's OK for you Southerners saying go on the fancy airlines, but us plebs from up North would have to go to Heathrow. No thanks I would rather go to EMA or BHX or MAN and slum it without reclining my seat, which I really like as the bloke in front can't recline his onto my lap. Nothing is worse in economy class when people recline their seats.

On a short haul flight is there any reason people want to eat and drink? Just sit there and think how convenient and cheap the flight is. Maybe read a book! I agree the colours aren't very nice but Ryanair have removed the adverts and thank God they don't play that daft tune when they land early.

There is more seat space on Ryanair than Thomson or Monarch.

[Phileas Fogg]

VC10man,

You are very much mistaken, for a number of years my local airport was BHX, I regularly flew from BHX with the likes of KLM, Lufty, Swiss, AF & SAS and, normally, on very competitive fares.

You say you're from up north, are you suggesting that the likes of MAN, NCL, EDI & GLA don't offer such legacy feeder routes as BHX offers?

I'm a Londoner by birth, I'll avoid it's airports as if they were the plague ... and very successfully I did so.

[Hotel Tango]

I still am a regular in and out of BHX. I generally fly on what was previously a Lufthansa service operated by Eurowings and which is now Germanwings but still operated by Eurowings. The CRJ-900s are comfortable and have ample seat pitch. There are three fare options, all of which are good value for what is included. My other carrier of choice is Brussels Airlines which basically offers the same product as GWI. I have also on occasions used KLM, again at very competitive fares.

[Phileas Fogg]

HT,

In my day it was Lufty CRJ-500's thru DUS, loved DUS airport, all in one terminal, for some reason airport hotels there were cheap, I was a regular at the Holiday Inn, and a couple of times BHX/KBP/BHX on 50 seater's with PDQ connections thru DUS, full meal and drinks service ... Oh yes, that was the life.

But my favourites out of Brum were Swiss, regularly to MXP and/or FCO, cheaper than direct flights on the LoCo's and at a time of day I wanted to travel, fantastically friendly crew, a complimentary snack, coffee, beer or two and a Swiss chocolate on each sector and an old fashioned thing (routing via Switzerland) called "DUTY FREE" which one could even pay for with accumulated LH "Miles & More" points ... Oh yes, I loved my days travelling with Swiss, even utilised them long haul one trip BHX/HKG/BHX and it just got better :)

[VC10man]

Well from EMA we have a choice of Ryanair and Flybe to most places I want to go to. I flew to Barcelona recently and it was Ryanair or nothing. If I want to go to the South of France it's got to be Ryanair, Lisbon the same. So that's why I usually end up on Ryanair.

Jersey used to be BMIbaby but it's now in an awful Q8 Flybe crate. I used to go to Faro on easyJet but they pulled out of EMA. I wish they would come back and I wish Monarch hadn't left, but they have and it's Ryanair or a longish journey to another airport.

I'm glad a poster also mentioned how Ryanair have brought prices down from other airlines, it is better for us poor folk who have to pay from our own pocket.

If BA came to EMA and went to plenty of destinations in Europe I would be on them in a flash, but it's more likely Concorde will fly again than BA coming to EMA!!!

[Hotel Tango]

It's true of course that to some extent it's obviously easier to fly from one's local airport, and if that airport doesn't give you any choice then you take what there is or drive to some airport further away. There's no black, white, right or wrong about it. We all make choices based on our preferences and budget. I'm retired and pay my fares out of my own pocket too. Other than my local airport, which is served by a few RYR, WZZ and TRA flights (all to destinations that don't interest me) I am an hour's drive from DUS, BRU, EIN, CRL and NRN. I choose to avoid EIN, CRL and NRN which are served mainly by RYR and fly from either BRU or DUS. I'm certainly not against LCCs and I do from time to time use those whose product suits me. Yes, I appreciate that RYR sell (a restricted number of) tickets at ridiculously low prices but in general I have found over the years that I can get pretty good deals on other airlines which provide what I, the customer, desire. I don't look down at people who use RYR. The airline just doesn't tick many boxes for me and the bottom line is that, when all is taken into account, they are often not as cheap as people make them out to be, even less so when things go t*ts up.

[Phileas Fogg]

For a few years I lived in east Northamptonshire and I was pretty much the same distance from LTN as I was from BHX.

To LTN the roads weren't so good, parking the car a hassle and long walks to/from gates in the terminal.

BHX, by comparison, was a sheer pleasure, 55 minutes via the A14 and M6, free parking at Hampton-in-Arden rail station, 3 minutes on a train in to the airport, modestly sized airport concourse, thru to departures and travel on a modestly sized aircraft.

There was a period when I had regular business in VST, an airport only served by Ryanair, after one experience and the stale sandwich and warm beer, combined with the LTN experience, I subsequently travelled BHX to ARN with the likes of KLM or Lufty.

[Sober Lark]

Ryanair are making good profits so people must use them.


Yes and its down to hard work, being smart and ability.

[El Bunto]

Yes and its down to hard work, being smart and ability.
I'd put it down to 40% smartness and 60% marketing.

They are mercilessly efficient in everything from office administration ( bring your own pencils ) to crew hiring to operations ( those two Learjets that attend AOGs to avoid chartering-in replacements ).

But their real genius is marketing; their PR is incredible, I know people who plan their holidays based on what routes are available on the Ryanair website. They don't even look elsewhere because Ryanair are 'the cheapest'.

I don't like them and I'll never, ever fly them but I accept they are good at what they do.

[Mr Oleo Strut]

Well said, El Bunto I just don't like being treated like a sack of potatoes.

[VC10man]

It seems that most of the Ryanair knockers haven't even flown with them! They are much better now than they were when you had to sprint across the runway to get a decent seat.

[Hotel Tango]

If you include me as an RYR knocker, I will say again, if you like RYR that's fine, good for you. I know exactly what their product is and it's not for me. I'm not a RYR knocker, just someone who doesn't like their product. So be it.

[PAXboy]

I think the most I've ever felt like a 'sack of potatoes' was on United. It does amaze me how many people are electrified by RYR and their perfectly reasonable business case.

[KBPsen]

perfectly reasonableIs it?

- So we have to ask our parents for financial help. Or we collect bottles of mortgage in the cabin when passengers have left the plane just to get a little money for the supermarket. We literally live of milk and bread. It is simply disgraceful. (https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=da&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dr.dk%2Fnyheder%2Fpenge%2Fryanairs-kabineansatte-i-billund-vores-arbejde-er-uvaerdigt&edit-text=)

Ryanair has taken the initiative to reduce accommodation costs of its staff, for example by inviting its crew members to stay at a campsite (https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=fr&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.francetvinfo.fr%2Fmonde%2Fle-personnel-de-ryanair-oblige-de-se-loger-a-bas-cout_951561.html&edit-text=)

[Davef68]

It seems that most of the Ryanair knockers haven't even flown with them! They are much better now than they were when you had to sprint across the runway to get a decent seat.


I miss that (On EZY as well)

[PAXboy]

KBPsen. I have not seen that quote. I did not say I like what they do but you will find many of their staff that do support it. I know there are many who wish to leave.

[caiman27]

Well, conditions can't be that bad as they manage to attract enough crew to operate 41 aircraft out of Stansted alone. Bishop's Stortford is not the cheapest place to live but many do manage to get by. Indeed, Ryanair may well be the largest employer by numbers of people living in Stortford.

[PAXboy]

As I've said before about the airline world ...


Human beings long ago decided that getting more for less is what most of them want.
Therefore, some humans will seek to provide that.
Therefore, some humans will lose out.

It's not always nice but it is what humans do.

[Phileas Fogg]

I flew low-cost (Cebu Pacific Air) two days ago on the following schedule:

0045 CEB MNL 0200
0540 MNL HKG 0740
0940 HKG CEB 1215

CEB-MNL allocated seat 1B, lots of legroom and upon arrival in MNL, in no hurry to join the stampede to deplane, I sat chatting with two of the very pleasant cabin crew.

MNL-HKG allocated seat 14F (emergency exit, lots of legroom with reclining seat back) ... lovely flight for a light nap despite the turbulence of flying on the edge of a typhoon.

HKG-CEB allocated seat 1D, lots of legroom again, by now I was ready for a beer or few but the turbulence of flying on the edge of a typhoon certainly curtails one's drinking.

I didn't ask for any of the seats, they were what were allocated to me, sometimes it works and other times it doesn't.

Arrived back in CEB with a nice fresh immigration stamp so now I don't need to exit Philippines again for a further 3 years :)

[Cymmon]

Cebu Pacific are great when they run on time.

Unfortunately my experience is of late flights and/or cancellations. Then again I've had the same with Philippine Airlines, they once wanted to strand me for 3 days in Manila when travelling to Butuan. Finally managed to get voucher for food in the airport, flight to Cagayan and bus fare (5 hours) to Butuan. The Philippino's didn't want to cause a fuss so ended up arriving 3 days later.... National Airline?

Once on board the service is excellent for a Lo-co. Even the onboard bar and gifts are also reasonably priced.

Obviously your trip worked like clockwork and when it does it's great.