Ryanair wtaf???

I don't want to sound mean or bad, but the issue may be that disabled seat + accompanying passenger appears to be free of charge, but seats up front are not.

If OP is not concerned that way, then buy two seats up front, wait until everyone else has boarded, and on you go. You'll be first off too.

As pp have said, you could get assistance to the gate and take it from there.

Request assistance, book 2 seats at the front and you should be grand 👍

Unless you have mobility issues, I wouldnt book the disability seats. Assistance will get you boarded first and being at the front, enables you to disembark first

This. He doesn’t have mobility needs so doesn’t need a disabled seat. Just book 2 seats on the front row?

I have 2 DC’s with autism, one non verbal and one with mild mobility issues (has a blue badge but not in a wheelchair), if I was going on that plane I would just book the front row seats in hope we could get off fairly quickly.

I think you're making this far more complex than it needs to be. If you want to sit together at the front, book and pay for 2 seats at the front. As there is no physical disability you do not need a disabled seat.

Then if queuing is an issue just don't queue. Chill within sight of the gate and once most passengers have gone through go and have your turn with minimum queues.

If you're at the front you should be one of the first off at the other end.

If you have booked one of the below types of assistance, we will allocate you a suitable seat on-board, free of charge, along with one travel companion

If it says this on their website, I would read that as you don't need to book a seat, they will allocate it for you? It doesn't say that you can pick your seats, only that they will allocate it. Or perhaps I'm mis-understanding, I've not had to book for assistance on Ryanair before, only for standard tickets, where seats are allocated when you check in online 24 hours before the flight. I flew Ryanair yesterday, I did notice that even when they have allocated a seat, it does say on the boarding pass that you may be asked to move by staff - the allocated seat is not guaranteed.

Presumably if you want to pick exactly where you want to sit, you need to pay for this option. Otherwise, if you are allocated seats apart, then speak to an agent at the airport or gate as soon as you get there.

I know Easyjet do things a bit differently, but my sister and I often travelled with my disabled mum, and we were always allocated seats together - which I know Easyjet usually do, but they were always towards to front of the aircraft (row 8 was the furthest back we ever were), with other disabled/low mobility people around us. We never had to pick our seats in advance, just make the booking, and tick the 'requires assistance' option.

I went with Ryanair to lanzarote in January. Somewhat to my surprise they were on an airbridge for the return flight.

i agree they are normally busses and waiting on the concrete, i usually skip that via ambi lift.

op, not sure I have any advice. Ryanair’s business model is built on queueing and paying for priority boarding only gets you to a different queue (and actually the only time I did pay for it they told me I couldn’t use it anyway as due to the needs of another assistance passenger we all had to get on last).

Have travelled with Ryanair several times in the last year, would reiterate that they use back and front exits with steps, never airbridge.

Priority boarders just have to queue for longer out on the tarmac in the wind and rain. Unless steps are impossible book any two seats together near front or back and board as late as you can to avoid standing about.

We've been standing out in a queue before the plane's even arrived with Ryanair. Oh the glamour of air travel. No more flying for us for a good while now.

OP, Ryanair website states - If you have booked one of the below types of assistance, we will allocate you a suitable seat on-board, free of charge, along with one travel companion.

Perhaps if you’ve selected two passengers with one of the seats for assistance, the system automatically holds the adjacent seat to the assistance seat for you ?

If you do decide to book without assistance, Ryanair use the back doors for boarding and disembarking, so you can be out of the seats at the back just as quickly as the front.

Ryanair deliberately make everything as shit as possible since their only differentiator is cost. The shitness doesn't stop with the booking, everything about the experience, flight, etc will be shit. I think they work a bit like the army, they try and break you before you get on the plane with the lack of information, the magic changing bag measurer, and the bus ride to what seems like a neighbouring airport.

We use assistance but only as far as the gate. You can approach gate agent and ask to board first because of the queuing issue with your dc. They will prioritise you, but the thing is, because Ryanair stands generally don't have airbridges, you could be allowed through the gate first, but you could be queuing a long time on the steps waiting to cross the apron. Ask me how I know this!

So we board last and book seats up front together, not special seats, just pick the ones we want usually second or third row, not in an emergency exit obv. My DH has two replacement knees, and can't stand for too long but is otherwise reasonably mobile. However he finds the walk from security to the gate in most airports like a marathon these days, hence the assistance.

We book our seats as normal then call the special assistance line and add on our needs. Show up to the booth on the day and get assistance.

I definitely wouldn't just hope, surely it's possible to contact Ryanair to ask for assistance in booking the correct seats and making sure they're aware of your son's needs.

Ryan Air are cheap because they are very basic. You’ll have to book a better option if you want something more streamlined.

Yeah and the problem is you never know which it will be. It might even be that they usually always use an airbridge for that flight but it gets delayed (or another flight does and so doesn't vacate the gate for your flight to arrive) so they use a bus instead. Maybe go for the middle ;)

Oh but remember with some airlines they disembark from the rear or potentially both. Airports have different arrangements for planes not using air bridges

If your dc is physically disabled just book standard seats of choice, you can book airport assistance separately if you need it but if not a physical disability you may not need it.

Sounds to me as though your dc may need assistance through the airport and up to the gate, if he/she can climb the steps. Is that the case? If so as pp have said, you can book non disabled/assistance seats together as ordinary (non assistance) passengers.

But maybe I have presumed more than I should have here!

I’m also confused why you need to book a disabled seat if he doesn’t have a mobility issue. If it’s just that you need to sit together then surely just book two seats together?

If your son doesn't have a physical disability then do you need to book a disabled seat? You can definitely book seats together on any Ryanair flight if booking in advance.