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Original poster

Anyone had a good experience with RyanAir?? Can we book seats to sit together??

21 replies

hex · 03/08/2007 15:49

Flying to Girona, Spain - on the dreaded RyanAir. Can we book seats to sit together?

Also, anyone done car hire at Girona airport and recommend a good firm?

OP posts:
fawkeoff · 03/08/2007 15:53

i flew to girona with ryanair.....we flew from liverpool airport and we made sure we where at the boarding gate a good 30 mins before they called us..........that way ur near the front of the que and u can basically pick what seat u want because its basically first come first serve

fawkeoff · 03/08/2007 15:54

dp has just told me that u can pay extra to reserve the seats and u get on the plain first

RubySlippers · 03/08/2007 15:55

can't book seats
you can pay £10 extra (each) for priority boarding and you can get on the plane first and have your pick of the seats
can't help with your other questions ...

Skribble · 03/08/2007 18:22

I have flown with Ryanair a few times and it is fine as lng as you don't try and compare it with BA or any "proper" airlines. If you treat it like getting on a busy train or coach thats more the way to think.

If you are traveling with kids and want to sit together you have to make like a euro mum and use those elbows to get to the front. They do call families with young children first but for some reason the cheapskate business men think this includes them, so don't be shy get to the front and don' apologies.

Arrive in plenty time to check in as sometimes the first half of passengers to vheck in get to board first, but depending on the mood of the staff depends on whether they inforce this.

If you find due to having to get a bus accross the tarmac or whatever once on board again don't be shy if you are struggling to get seats next to you child ask quite forcfully and explain that unless they want to feed and amuse your child for the duration they really will have to swap.

We have never had a problem with seatng apart from having groups of stroppy teenage school kids behnd me driving me mad.

pinkbubble · 03/08/2007 18:29

We have flown to Girona with Ryanair. Wasn't able to book seats but were allowed on first so we could sit together. It was ok, no real mod cons but it got us there and back safely.

Sorry didnt notice any car hire!

Tinker · 03/08/2007 18:31

I've flown quite a few times with ryanair, icluding to girona. Always been fine but agree, don't compare it to a more expensive airline. they used to call those with kids to board first, not sure if still do though

pinkbubble · 03/08/2007 18:42

It was Easter 2006 we flew, hope they still carry out the policy.

Original poster
hex · 03/08/2007 21:05

Thanks all...got a bit scared for a while but will smile sweetly at the staff and hope they are nice to us (lol!)

OP posts:
Wheelybug · 03/08/2007 21:15

er - things have changed a bit ! We flew with ryanair to girona last year and had priority boarding because we had children. This year, you had to pay £5 per seat to get priority boarding - there is NO priority boarding with children anymore. This was from Bournemouth (and we won't be doing it again although it was basically ok they now place far too many restrictions and extra charges to be worth it)

Original poster
hex · 03/08/2007 21:19

does anyone know if you can do priority boarding at check in at the airport? I failed to do it with my online purchase and now it seems to do it over the phone means ringing up their online support at an extortionate call cost rate! Any idea how much it might be?

OP posts:
Wheelybug · 03/08/2007 21:55

Yes we did it at the airport (and then did it at Girona when we landed to save time on the homeward journey - you go to the ryannair info desk to the right of the check in desks). They do only allow a certain number though.

QueenofBleach · 03/08/2007 21:58

Priority boarding at check in is £2 per adult and well worth it. We did this to Slovenis a in June and was great.

Wheelybug · 03/08/2007 22:00

QoB is right - it is only £2 ( I think easyjet's is £5).

Hallgerda · 05/08/2007 12:27

I've just come back from Pisa with Ryanair. We didn't do priority booking, but did end up sitting together (5 of us) with no problems or bunfights. One family failed to find seats together, and complained to the cabin crew that their children were too young to travel alone - they were magically found some reserved seats at the front .

I've been on Ryanair several times now, and have come to like them - they are very efficient and punctual, and I never could stand that dreadful airline meal anyway...

bookwormtailmum · 05/08/2007 12:45

Get to check in the second it opens, or better still, before that, as they often call you to board at the gate in 'groups' - the higher the group the better if they don't do 'family' boarding first. I've not flown Ryanair for sometime (dp doesn't like them) but it's probably a similar system to easyjet.

sAurorhal · 05/08/2007 13:35

Hex,we have just sorted out priority boarding with Ryanair. DH noticed that it was an unbelievable £1 a minute to call (it took 30 mins in the end so that would have been ridiculous!) the given number. He did a bit of searching and in the end rang the normal number (below) and just held on withoug pressing any numbers and managed to do it that way. We've booked our priority seats as I didn't want to risk not getting it at the airport!

Ryanair no:
0871 246 0000

Original poster
hex · 05/08/2007 17:32

thanks for this information - will try and call them

OP posts:
Eve · 05/08/2007 17:56

..no priority boarding for familiies anymore, I now take 1 child and DH has the other and I go for it! elbows etc push to the front.

I did see last time on Ryanair, the very last person to board was a mother with 2 children onto a very fulll flight. The crew spotted her comming and made people move seats to allow them sit together.

Personally... I would refuse to take a seat unless I was beside my kids, bearing in mind they get big fines if they take of late. Haven't had to resort to this, but I would.

Eve · 05/08/2007 17:56

...and if its you and DH flying, only book priority for 1, let them get on and keep seats.

bookwormtailmum · 05/08/2007 18:14

That's a good idea Eve . I must remember that but my dp will only fly EasyJet and won't pay for speedy boarding or any such nonsense if he can help it.

I must admit when I flew to Dublin with RA a couple of years ago, the 'families' in priority boarding had strapping great teenage boys with them - in some cases, they towered over their parents. Hardly a case for priority boarding IMHO. It's hard on parents with real LOs though.

Skribble · 05/08/2007 22:48

Real phone numbers for Ryanair

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