First time on low cost

[Smiliesam]

Ryanair ;Stanstead - Poznan out Thurs, back yesterday.
I didn't really know what to expect, having been on flights where you have a seat allocated.
What I didn't expect was the 'Guess the Gate' game they have at Stanstead. Get in a queue where you are told to be, wait for about half the flight to be waiting, announce a change and watch the passengers run! When I heard similar gate changes being announced after I returned, I presumed this must be a regular occurence.
Also the strange phenomena of passengers appearing out of nowhere when a check in is opened! They come out of the cracks!
We took off on time, landed on time and ditto for the return journey. CC were polite and busy.
I will try to avoid low cost travel in future; don't like paying for refreshments, fiddling with raffle tickets and the continual sales patter.
I think I must have been spoilt.
Regards
Hazel

[A2QFI]

Good afternoon. I agree with your comments re Ryanair and Stansted, except I have never personally suffered a gate change. However, how much did you save financially by travelling with them, viv a vis a full service carrier? Who else even flies to Poznan direct from UK? I grit my teeth and fly lo-co if they are going where I want to go and use the money saved on upgarding my hire car and/or eating out in nicer restaurants than I can usually afford!

[Mercenary Pilot]

For most of this year I seemed to be doing as much time in the back of EZY and FR 737's as I was actually flying myself! I found it much the same as flying with anyone else...A lot of the legacy carriers seem to charge for food and drink these days anyway.

Ryanair get a lot of bad press but I never have had any problems with them. Food was edible, flight was always on time, new aircraft, better pitch than rivals and the CC were always friendly and usually pleasant on the eye...Which is more than I can say for some of the others.

[SXB]

A lot of the legacy carriers seem to charge for food and drink these days anyway

Which legacy carriers charge for food and drink ? The only one I know of is Austrian Airlines, though the coffee and water is free.

CC were always friendly and usually pleasant on the eye...

[Mercenary Pilot]

Flew SAS the other week...You had to pay for everything. Same when I flew United domestic (I think it's the same with AA domestic) and alcoholic drinks with American Airlines long-haul were charged too.

[Smiliesam]

I might have saved a few quid but...

if I could have got to Poznan by any other route, ideally one from the airport next door or even the airport half an hour down the road, and paid full price, I would have been happier.
As you say, it did the job, fit for purpose and all that, but the uncertainty of not getting a seat doesn't go down well with me.
I have an appointment in Valencia next month; going with Flybe. No idea what to expect there.
I am used to long haul and knowing what the heck I am doing!

[A2QFI]

Smiliesam. If you turn up to fly on a lo-co you will get a seat, it isn't allocated but you will get somewhere to sit. SFAIK it is only the big carriers that over book, hope for no-shows and then have to deny people boarding. The disadvantge I find is that some people who pay 49p plus taxes for a flight don't always have spare cash for soap and deodorant! From what you are saying I gather that there was no other direct flight to Paznan?

[Smiliesam]

No other direct flight that I could find on the day I needed it. Flights from Luton on selected days that didn't meet my requirements.
I was attending an event at the World trade centre in Poznan.
Don't think I will be going back in a hurry.

[heidelberg]

lo co or legacy?

Flew recently with US Airways DUB/PHL/MCO and return.
They charged for alcoholic drinks across the big pond; and they charged for the one and only 'sandwich' thingy PHL/MCO; there was no choice!!!
So much for so called legacy airline.
At least Ryanair and Aer Lingus have a choice of ok-ish food.
I've never flown EZY so can 't comment; maybe 'you' can?
Anyway as one has to turn up much earlier than - say 10 years ago - for flights I go to the airside restaurant(s) and have a reasonable meal in comfort and I can concentrate on reading during the flight.
Much more civilised?

[Crowe]

Originally Posted by SXB

Which legacy carriers charge for food and drink ? The only one I know of is Austrian Airlines, though the coffee and water is free.

bmi on most routes nowadays and BA Connect for starters.

[CHIVILCOY]

Originally Posted by SXB

Which legacy carriers charge for food and drink ? The only one I know of is Austrian Airlines, though the coffee and water is free.

Iberia charged for food and drink last year LHR-MAD.

[goshdarnit]

It's amazing how much the LoCo's seem to create extremes of opinion.
There are folks who don't like LoCo's because of a "bad" experience; there are folks who don't mind LoCo's because they accept what they pay for; there are some folks who just don't like LoCo's for no apparent reason (some just don't like MOL so their angst is generally aimed at FR).

I fall into the category of not minding, which I honestly think most folks do: I actually don't see much difference on the service side between LoCo's and legacy carriers anyway. Some thoughts...

• On short haul flights I don't generally have anything to eat or drink anyway, so paying or otherwise makes no difference (I am not sure why it is necessary to have something to eat or drink in any given two hour period) and I also have noted that some of the so called legacy carriers charge for refreshments.
• The service offered by the CC varies wildly and is not a LoCo issue - it is an industry issue: sometimes you are lucky and have nice friendly helpful CC, sometimes less so. (The only airline that I try to avoid because of consitently rude and unhelpful staff - not always CC - is actually a legacy carrier).
• I once was forced to check a bag into the hold from BRS-DUB (flying FR), whereas on the return leg the exact same bag and contents were accepted as hand luggage. Again, this is not a LoCo issue, this is a lack of consistency that is industry wide and I find extremely frustrating, but equally likely to happen at any airline.
• EZ cancelled a flight BRS-MAD (French ATC strike) and of course I am left to my own devices then - but I knew that when I booked the ticket. Had to pay way over the odds for an IB flight from LHR, but that was my look-out when I booked a very inexpensive EZ ticket. Refund was back on my credit card within two days of telling EZ I wanted one.
• FR were not quite as helpful as I wanted them to be when I had "lost" luggage, but neither were KLM or Aer Lingus when I had similar situations, and in fairness to FR it was the baggage handlers at CWL who had misplaced my bag (Aviance or ServisAir, forget which)
• One point that I do criticise them - there should be transparency on price from the outset. Whilst most airlines internet sites do the same thing as the LoCo's (advertise a great price but of course you have to add taxes, charges, fees, etc), when your raison d'etre is price then this should be the most clearly visible aspect. For the most part, prices are still competitive.
• Flew with EZ BRS-NCE, expensive ticket and a very similar price to flying with BA (might actually have been more expensive than BA if I recall correctly), however, the BA flight was ex- BHX or LHR and I am closer to BRS so easier for me to fly with EZ. It is rare for me to have a flight where there is genuine direct competition between a LoCo and a legacy, and I do think that the low cost aspect is not quite as low as is sometimes thought, certainly with some of the EZ flights I have been on. But I choose flights based upon my required route first, if there are options then I will look at other issues (flight times; price; loyalty program; etc).
• FR have a nice shiny new fleet!

I wandered a bit, but I guess I am saying I don't think there is anything wrong with the LoCo's; sure - we would all love to fly first class everywhere, but until that happens we just get on with it. You can have a bad experience with any airline, equally you can have a great experience with any airline.

[Flame]

Originally Posted by SXB

Which legacy carriers charge for food and drink ? The only one I know of is Austrian Airlines, though the coffee and water is free.

Aer Lingus do, and have done for about 2 years now

[Selfloading]

Just got back from Marrakesh with Ryanair, £37 return inc all taxes and charges, £5 for a cup of tea and a hotdog each way total £47, Mrs and me got seats together inc a window seat both ways, and flights arrived on time, if anybody can point me to a better deal to North Africa, I would love to hear about it.

[modtinbasher]

Originally Posted by Smiliesam

and watch the passengers run! When I heard similar gate changes being announced after I returned, I presumed this must be a regular occurence.
Also the strange phenomena of passengers appearing out of nowhere when a check in is opened! They come out of the cracks!
Hazel

It's so funny when you watch this regularly. I used to transit as SLF early every Monday am from LTN to GLA on Easy. The same guy used to stand in the same place, reading newspaper until the last minute. I didn't listen for annoucements, I just kept my eye on him. He would casually fold the paper, put it under his arm, throw his empty coffee container in the bin and saunter to the gate. ALWAYS got there first, even in front of the Chavs! Respect, I always thought, after weeks of watching, I was lucky to make fifth place! Happy days.