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Original poster

Thoughts on Ryanair?

89 replies

Aanniilleess · 16/09/2018 20:32

I've never flew with them myself, but my friends in Ireland use them all the time to come over to the UK due to tiny cost. They always just say 'it's an hour flight, I don't want to spend loads'.
I know they get a lot of bad press but I was surprised to learn they've NEVER had a fatal crash ever.
Any thoughts and experiences with Ryanair? specifically like the route between UK and IrelandGrin.

OP posts:
MelanieCheeks · 21/09/2018 06:59

Adult DD has just had a weekend home here in Ireland with return flights for £25 from London.

They've done some work on their customer friendliness in recent years, and that has definitely improved. But the feel on board is very cheap and plastic, and nowhere to put stuff. Bring a large handbag that will fit under your seat in front.

The airports used can sometimes be out of the way, so check your connections.

cptartapp · 21/09/2018 07:06

We had an ex Man Utd footballer and his kids on our Ryanair flight from Portugal last month! Yes, agree with the lack of place to put things but never had a problem with delays etc.

squirrelnutkins1 · 21/09/2018 07:15

I wouldn't say they are cheap. Flew with them on Wed. If you want to sit with who you are flying with you have to pay extra!! They charge for every little thing. Next they'll be charging for seatbelts. Saying that, I've never had a problem flight experience wise.

BookMeOnTheSudExpress · 21/09/2018 07:21

Most shorthaul airlines these days charge you for drinks/seat selection etc though, don't they? On BA you can only pay by credit card as well. And nobody makes you have a drink. They're only as expensive as that latte from Costa at the end of the day, and nobody makes you go in there either!

Jessy- my very first Ryanair experience sounds like yours, 16 or so years ago, we were supposed to land (obviously) at the airport where we had left the car, but were diverted to an airport an hour or so away. They sent ONE coach for an entire planeload of people. I didn't use them for ages then, but realised that often, from where I am to where I go, the prices are very convenient.

But then, similar happened to me years ago when a BA plane I was on was diverted to Southend because of fog. The guy who lived in Southend had to go on the bus with all of us back to Gatwick.

Very few airlines have "fatal accidents" tbf. Would you get me on one of those little things, of which about 200 drop out of the skies every day and are never reported because there are only 5 people on board? Nope. But any EU/highly regulated airline, wouldn't bat an eyelid.

cheeseoverchocolate · 21/09/2018 07:43

I fly around once a month and use a variety of airlines. Ryanair are not one of those I ever had problems with. BA, air France, Lufthansa, Jet2 on the other hand...
Having said that, Ryanair' s seats are rather basic, Ryanair can fly to some out of the way airports, at stupid times and you need to make sure you know their luggage policy.

hobblesma · 21/09/2018 08:10

If you want to sit with who you are flying with you have to pay extra!! They charge for every little thing.

Pretty standard procedure with low cost travel. I just booked basic BA fares for some UK travel and I also had to pay £5 each to book the seats next to each other.

hobblesma · 21/09/2018 08:11

Would you get me on one of those little things, of which about 200 drop out of the skies every day and are never reported because there are only 5 people on board? Nope.

200 what drop out of the sky every day Shock

Peanutbuttershake · 21/09/2018 08:14

I've flown Ryanair many times and just booked another flight with them last night. Tbh I have had many delays when flying with them but I just expect it now. I don't pay to sit next to DH because I figure for shorthaul it doesn't really matter and also many times we've been able to sit next to each other because there's empty seats.

AnyFucker · 21/09/2018 08:14

They are fine. Flew with them 2 days ago and many times previously and there was even lots of legroom on my standard seat.

I don't pay priority so quite happy for someone else to handle my flight bag for free

Go Ryanair, I say

Beesandfrogsandfleas · 21/09/2018 08:16

I understand easyJet’s bag policy and when I looked recently at Ryan airs it seemed designed to catch you out - too complicated and too much bad press to make it worthwhile unless they are literally the only company flying where you want to go.

Motheroffourdragons · 21/09/2018 08:19

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on behalf of the poster.

hobblesma · 21/09/2018 08:21

I noticed recently though that their weighing belt thing at the airport weighed my case at about 1.5kg more than my scales at home, which I am confident are accurate.

This is nothing to do with Ryanair. Certainly something to take up with the airport, but the airlines only rent the check in desk space, they don't have anything to do with it mechanicaly.

AnyFucker · 21/09/2018 08:24

The bag policy is not a problem, IMO

Motheroffourdragons · 21/09/2018 08:25

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ on behalf of the poster.

squirrelnutkins1 · 21/09/2018 16:36

@hobblesma we didn't bother paying. I got a really good seat at the front and OH got a really good seat in the middle, both lots of leg room lol! X

AngelsWithSilverWings · 21/09/2018 17:48

I won't be booking with Ryan air until they stop cancelling so many flights. We flew with them last year when they were cancelling hundreds of flights and it was stressful not knowing if we would take off or not.

I've just booked to go to Corfu with Easyjet from Gatwick when I could have flown Ryan Air from the airport a 10 min drive away from me for the same price. It would have been lovely flying from our local airport but I just don't trust them at the moment.

Sirzy · 21/09/2018 19:34

I flew with them today into Manchester, we ended up circling for 40 minutes because of the weather and the crew where fantastic. (More than can be said for Manchester’s ground staff!)

MrsWicket · 22/09/2018 00:14

Certainly can’t argue with the pricing, but by god, their aircraft are bloody uncomfortable! Only flown with them once (when Monarch went under - had no choice), but I’d personally rather pay more for a bit of comfort. And that bloody jingle they play when they land Confused

Trills · 22/09/2018 18:36

The bag policy is not a problem, IMO

I agree

As long as I'm always allowed to take a small handbag with me on the plane, I don't care what rules there are around those cabin bag suitcases, as long as they are clear and I know them in advance.

Trills · 22/09/2018 18:37

I'm also very happy for them to charge extra for "every little thing" so that people who don't want those "little things" don't have to pay for them.

squirrelnutkins1 · 22/09/2018 21:14

Was just giving my opinion as asked..

Bimgy85 · 22/09/2018 23:59

Flown with ryanair many many times and never had any issues

GreenShadow · 23/09/2018 22:38

Fine when there are no problems but if something goes wrong, they don't look after their customers.

We were abandoned abroad when French air traffic controllers went on strike. We had to find our own way home with absolutely no help from ryanair.

Bimgy85 · 23/09/2018 23:49

@GreenShadow yeah exactly. If there are issues they are terrible to deal with. I've been lucky flying with Ryanair over 30 times and no issues apart from in February with the snow I was trapped in the Netherlands and had to fork out for an expensive hotel for 2 nights. Got refunded half the money six months later...

Apart from that, as long as nothing goes wrong it's a no frills, easy go airline with decent prices

WhatHaveIFound · 24/09/2018 08:10

We had no option but to fly Ryanair in the Summer but normally i avoid them as i'm normally booking flights for work and can't risk them not flying or being late.

Flight was late both ways and the check in staff on return insisted that we hadn't got any luggage booked and that i should pay again. Turns out that when you buy their Family Plus package it only shows the luggage on one of the boarding cards and she's scanned the other 3. No apology when she discovered i was correct after i insisted she re-scan all the boarding cards.

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