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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to travel with Ryanair? To have DD miss days of school?

131 replies

HappyHippie · 02/09/2012 00:16

I'm trying to book the flight to see my family in half term, but prices vary a lot from one day to the next one. Also, Ryanair is much, much cheaper, than other airlines, but well... we all know Ryanair, don't we? The other option is Easyjet, but even they are much more expensive in those dates.

So, 2 AIBU questions...

  • Do you think it's OK for a 5 year old to miss 2 days of school right before the holidays? Should I ask for permission or just go ahead and book the flights?
  • Does anyone have anything nice to say about Ryanair? Hmm
OP posts:
WhatYouLookingAt · 02/09/2012 10:37

Non payment of court fines, sure. Non payment of makeyuppy school fines, I don't think so.

DowagersHump · 02/09/2012 10:41

If our children started school at a sensible age in the UK, like in the rest of Europe, then families with younger children could have holidays at a time when their parents could actually afford to take them away :)

Our school will not authorise any absence whatsoever - not even a wedding or a funeral. So consequently, people don't bother asking because it will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. I think the strategy makes people more likely to take holidays in term-time, not less

Hulababy · 02/09/2012 10:42

Ryanair is fine is you treat it for what it is. Treat it like a flying bus - cheap and it gets you there. TBH I fine them no worse than other cheap airlines anyway and I have never had one be late either, which is a bonus.

As for missing the odd day of school - well, to me (and I have beem a teacher and I am now a TA) it is fine for the odd time. Few days missed at primary or non exam type years will NOT make any difference to the vast majority of children's education and it really doesn't make that much difference to the class as a whole or the teacher's planning. Even a week or two once a year doesn;t in my experience.

Re fines - not all schools actually fine but some do. Take the fine into account when checking the costs. I have never known of anyone to get a criminal record due to school holiday fines.

Hulababy · 02/09/2012 10:44

Worra - there are still many schools that WILL authorise holidays. It is still at the discretion of the headteacher to authorise up to 10 days a year, and more for exceptional reasons.

whatsleep · 02/09/2012 10:54

I agree with lavender, I believe that you can by law take your child out of school for 10 days a year, you still need a letter of consent from the school but it's just for formality....and worse case they fine you, it will be less than paying school holiday travel prices!

defineme · 02/09/2012 10:56

My kids' primary school wouldn't bat an eyelid about this. We're allowed 2 weeks holidays in total.We have to give notice, but I've always done that after I've booked the holiday.
I have teacher friends who'd think this was a hilarious fuss about a 5 year old missing 2 days of school. I have known of 15 year olds missing GCSE exams because of holidays booked by their fuckwit parents, really need to get this in perspective.
Do you not know any parents of current pupils who can tell you if it's a school like Worra's or mine?

Badgerina · 02/09/2012 10:59

Depends on the school (head teacher) whether you get permission. My school regards travel and family time as a valid educational experience, and grants permission for parents to travel with their children during term time. The majority of our kids have family abroad (inner London school), and most families are on a limited income which our HT wants to be sensitive about. In our experience, attendance overall is better with this attitude than it was when there was a blanket ban on term time travel.

DS's school has the same attitude. They DO want permission though, and they send work with the child (reading, journal, maths sheets).

I'd ask first, and ask for work as well as mention a couple of educational trips you're taking your child on. Show you've thought about it.

As for Ryan Air - why the hell not? If its so much cheaper then surely the "budget" atmosphere is easily put up with??

bringbacksideburns · 02/09/2012 12:32

2 days of missing school at age 5 certainly wouldn't merit a fine at our School. I think it's if you have more than 10 days here.

WorraLiberty · 02/09/2012 13:28

Worra - there are still many schools that WILL authorise holidays. It is still at the discretion of the headteacher to authorise up to 10 days a year, and more for exceptional reasons

Absolutely - yes.

WhatYouLookingAt Parents can (and have been) taken to court for non payment of fines issued by the LA.

andallthatjargon · 02/09/2012 13:31

Our school will authorise holidays esp for family reasons.

Ryan air is fine but pay for speedy boarding or make sure you are quick of the mark and from of the queue if you want to sit together.

We flew Ryanair last year and Easyjet this year and overall Ryanair were quicker and more organised but they don't give you any priority with children or babies.

theodorakis · 02/09/2012 14:28

I would rather eat my own head than travel Ryanair or Easyjet. Both utter filthy greedy shit. Costs about the same to fly with an airline once they have added the extras.

Missing a bit of school is fine in my world, especially at 5 years. You may miss the pushy supermum of the year award though, they will be practically pressing their noses at the classroom window.

catgirl2012 · 02/09/2012 14:36

Just a quick one on cheap flights (to follow on form what Theo said about the "cheap" airlines costing as much as the "non-cheap"

You can get some really cheap short haul flights with BA. We have often found them to be cheaper than Easy Jet etc, but no one thinks to look as they assume they will be more. Sometimes they are not and they are well worth checking

HmmThinkingAboutIt · 02/09/2012 14:37

Costs about the same to fly with an airline once they have added the extras.

Only if you are crap at packing and feel the need to take the kitchen sink with you. (Parents with very small children excepted).

WhatYouLookingAt · 02/09/2012 14:40

I've never found flights cheaper than Ryanair. If you book at the right time and travel light, its a massive bargain.

catgirl2012 · 02/09/2012 14:43

BA have currently got loads of Euorpean flights (Bordeaux, Innsbruck, Genoa, Barcelona etc) for £49 including all taxes, baggage etc. I bet that beats some of the budget airlines prices

Plus you Better service, food and drink included, more space etc

theodorakis · 02/09/2012 14:50

But who the hell wants to have to travel light on holiday? I would rather spend money on the flight as part of the holiday and I certainly don't think it is weird to want to take a suitcase. I have flown both of them years ago and they were worse than the worst of economy I have ever been on. Iran Air was close but at least you get a drink of water and a date croissant.

HmmThinkingAboutIt · 02/09/2012 15:01

The trouble with BA is their regional departures (and prices) are crap.

If you look for cheap flights on their website they are almost ALL from London. In fact I don't think there is a single one on the cheapest fares section that is from Manchester.

If you want to fly BA, for most destinations you have to go through London, at which point it definitely doesn't work out cheaper.

HmmThinkingAboutIt · 02/09/2012 15:03

I want to travel light on holiday thanks. What the point in taking ten tonnes of stuff you'll never wear?

catgirl2012 · 02/09/2012 15:03

That is true to be fair. You do need to be London based to get the benefit of the cheaper deals. But if BA beat the "budget" airlines I bet there are other airlines that do too, and that go from more regional airports

HmmThinkingAboutIt · 02/09/2012 15:11

I generally use skyscanner or jumblefly to check. And expedia is good as you can sometimes get better deals than direct from bigger airlines.

Last holiday worked out cheapest flying with package holiday operator who we normally wouldn't consider as we always travel independently. But for the most part its very rare indeed to see better offers than the budgets unfortunately. I have seen the odd one, but it is unusual.

We've also found it can be better to go with the budget airlines as you can get one way flights more easily and then fly out of another airport/with another airline, which can work out cheaper depending on where you are staying and what you do on your holiday. Not all airlines allow you to do that.

theodorakis · 02/09/2012 15:11

I don't so I pay for a ticket that has the things I want. Horses for courses I guess, I like to be able to board last and leave the plane first and take as much stuff as I want. Maybe some people would rather save that money for a few extra meals and ice creams, whatever is important to you I guess.

HmmThinkingAboutIt · 02/09/2012 15:16

Thats exactly it theodarakis. We like to save the money to enjoy it when we get there and not worry about losing luggage whilst travelling.

We often don't stay in one location, so carrying luggage is a pain in the backside. Its just catering for different things; the choice of saving on luggage is something we value.

Easyjet and Ryanair probably hate passengers like us who never add on, and never buy anything on board!

theodorakis · 02/09/2012 15:21

I think it's fab that you play them at their own game and never let them add on. Better still, complain about every single thing they do wrong and try and get lots of free stuff!

I took my mum on a trip recently. We got on the plane and she started handing round cheese and pickle sandwiches and biscuits "for the journey dear" to all, including the crew. We were flying bloody business and had 3 meals coming on a 5 hour flight! She also asked if she could keep the cup and saucer because they"made the tea taste nice" They said of course and they are really nice fine china.

helenthemadex · 02/09/2012 15:21

Ryanair are fine, I fly with them every few months and have not had a problem, they are generally on time

People complain about them but they are a no frills airline and Im ok with that, why would I want to pay more for a crappy inedible meal and printed tickets, much rather take my own food and print my own tickets.

64euros for a return flight from France to the UK for me and dd, Im happy with that. For me I wouldnt be able to return to the UK so frequently if they didn't operate in my area, and its the same for many people I know

lovebunny · 02/09/2012 16:29

don't have your daughter miss days at school. you imagine that nothing goes on, or that the teacher will always be able to help a child 'catch up'. not so. why should your child take the teacher's attention away from pupils who have been present every day? and what are you telling the school about yourself as a parent? that you have no respect for her education, for the school, for the teachers? that you will take holidays whenever you like and they will have to put up with it?

they are allowed to take your child off roll if you take unauthorised holidays. if you're living in one of the parts of the country with extreme shortage of early years places, you might find her place has been given to someone who will value it.

don't lie. a child in my group came back from holiday with gifts for everyone, including me. then her father sent a note saying she had been off school ill for a fortnight. her father is a liar. i know that every time i see him, his wife, or his four daughters.