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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Ryan Air - What the hell??

200 replies

FlioFlopsAndIceCream · 22/08/2019 20:25

Just checked in for our flights on Monday and Ryan Air have allocated 3 seats next to each (me, and 2 DCs), then husband has to pay extra for his seat (apparantly this is a thing now, that one parent in every family has to pay for a seat(??wtf?) - except there aren't any seats near the rest of us???

What is this Ryan Air??? Surely you can seat families together?

A complete joke. I'm fuming.... we've been looking forward to this trip for ages.

Ryan Air - thanks a million for getting our holiday off to a shit start Angry

(I can almost let them off making DH pay, but surely they can at least allocate families to sit together??? CRAZY times)

(Sorry, I know we r lucky to be going on holiday! first world problem.)

OP posts:
Yabbers · 22/08/2019 21:06

I'm disabled and need to sit in specific seats. I have to pay extra to book a seat that meets my needs

Don’t you book assistance? Seat allocation is free with most airlines.

ContinuityError · 22/08/2019 21:07

TAP and SAS can be cheap in the same way that BA can be massively cheaper than EasyJet on the same route, but that doesn’t make them budget airlines.

ShivD · 22/08/2019 21:08

We’ve literally just returned from Lisbon with TAP, we are a family of 6, we got automatic check in via last minute with the 6 of us seated together there and back. We were given food there and back same with drink including wine. Same for the 2 x SAS flights earlier this year and last year minus the wine but with goodie bags for the kids instead . This isn’t an ALL airlines thing.

familycourtq · 22/08/2019 21:08

I can't help thinking this is a money making exercise where we've been allocated seats apart on purpose

That is exactly what it is. I am very tall - not my fault and nothing I can do about it. I have to pay extra for a seat I can actually use on most planes - when is your campaign to help me starting?

Original poster
FlioFlopsAndIceCream · 22/08/2019 21:09

ShivD, I love you! I will be looking into those airlines :) (I am actually going now!!...)

OP posts:
Nomorepies · 22/08/2019 21:09

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on the poster's request.

Gwenhwyfar · 22/08/2019 21:12

"Everyone else has to. "

No, they don't. From my experience, they bully childless people like me into swapping with them.

ContinuityError · 22/08/2019 21:12

ShivD You’re comparing apples and elephants - TAP and SAS are not budget airlines.

Sunbeam18 · 22/08/2019 21:13

What's the big deal about not sitting next to your partner?

poolblack · 22/08/2019 21:16

There are no rows of 4 on Ryanair.

AlexaAmbidextra · 22/08/2019 21:17

Because some families think it matters whether they get the right body back, as soon as possible.

Do you know what happens during a plane crash? Do you think that the plane just comes down nice and neatly and in one piece and every passenger finishes where they started? Apart from which, bodies and in some cases, parts of bodies are returned to families having been identified by DNA. Not by seat number.

helpmeiamatoad · 22/08/2019 21:17

Could you afford to book seats for 2 of you? That way you could sit with one DC and DH with the other?

ContinuityError · 22/08/2019 21:18

There are no rows of 4 on Ryanair.

Maybe OP means that the 4th seat would be across the aisle?

poolblack · 22/08/2019 21:22

Maybe, but she has said more than once about being given 3 seats when there are lots of rows of 4 available.

ContinuityError · 22/08/2019 21:25

I know (plus avoiding saying how long the flight is) - but it’s just as well that Ryanair flies only one model of plane given the current UK strike action.

summersherewishiwasnt · 22/08/2019 21:29

If you want to sit together pay at booking stage.l it is very clear you have to pay to guarantee seats together. No secret about it.
Air fare should not be cheap.

rosesandcashmere · 22/08/2019 21:36

When you book flights, and when you have in the last few years, paying for seats is part and parcel of the cost of flying.
Either pay for your seats or take your chances. Don't expect the majority who have paid to swap with you because you think you're 'entitled' to a free seat with your kids.
This really annoys me. It's not new and it's not unexpected. If you can't afford to fly - don't fly.

Pomegranatemolasses · 22/08/2019 21:36

It's all been said already here, but honestly cannot imagine why you need DH to be sitting near you.

A complete joke. I'm fuming.... we've been looking forward to this trip for ages.

Ryan Air - thanks a million for getting our holiday off to a shit start angry

Crikey, what an overreaction.

LemonPrism · 22/08/2019 21:37

If check your luggage too. Some of the budgets now allocate only a handbag or rucksack as cabin luggage.

ContinuityError · 22/08/2019 21:38

I’ve got a Ryanair shit ending story - which is why we never fly Ryanair.

IAmALazyArse · 22/08/2019 21:38

I know (plus avoiding saying how long the flight is) - but it’s just as well that Ryanair flies only one model of plane given the current UK strike action.

I think their longest flight is 4 hours?

No, they don't. From my experience, they bully childless people like me into swapping with them.

I had that. I paid for my window seat. Politely refused to move. Caused some unhappy huffing.

rosesandcashmere · 22/08/2019 21:39

Also your 'rich get richer' crap isn't helping anyone.

youarenotkiddingme · 22/08/2019 21:40

But the point is it's not what is left because she didn't pay.

They've allocated (for example) seat 20 ABC.

Seat 20 D isn't vacant.

But there are many other rows where 4 seats together are free. Rather than charge for 1 adult to be allocated to sit with family, or allocated them one of the sets of 4 seats available.....

They want to charge (probably about £120) to move them all.

I know most MNers like to do the holier than thou bit about "if you wanted to be together you should've paid" when they could be together as there are seats available.

People should stand up and challenge these things.

Justaboy · 22/08/2019 21:42

Theres always Easyjet and even good old bad old BA can sometimes be price competive:)

SunsetOverEasterIsland · 22/08/2019 21:44

@ElizaDee
You can't do that because everyone needs to be in their allocated seats in case there's a crash.
As former cabin crew, we moved passengers around regularly but never changed the manifest to show passengers new seat numbers. Pax also moved themselves around. In the event of a crash the investigators would use all means available to them such as DNA, dental records etc, not just assume that if a pax was still strapped into a seat that could be identified by a seat number, that that pax was who the manifest said it should be!