Anyone travelled with Ryanair?

[sarah573]

My sister and I are travelling to Morocco with our 5 children next week with Ryanair. Does anyone know what they do regarding seat allocation? I've heard they don't allocate seats at checkin, and that it can turn into a bunfight on the plane!! Nor do they give priority to children, unless you pay for a pass, which everyone does (children or no children) to try and be first on the plane!

As 2 adults with 5 children we need to plan our seats quite carefully so we don't end up with the 3 year old sat on his own!! My eldest also had Aspergers and part of his special needs means he gets very stressed out over loud noises/ crowds etc and would probablty react badly to bun fights over seats!!!!

Can't wait for my holiday, but now dreading the flight!!

Message withdrawn

Sometimes you can charm the air stewardesses to let you on first, always worth a shot
Prob worth paying the extra in your case. Don't worry, not everyone does this, as most people fly Ryan because it's so cheap so they don't want to do anything which increases the cost.

If you mention the Aspergers they might let you board first.
You have to pay for priority boarding but they only allow a certain proportion of passengers to do this, otherwise everyone would and no-one would be any better off.

Just got back from a ryan air flight it is not as bad as people make out, if you do it properly. It is worth paying the extra 3 pounds or so for a priority boarding pass when you book if you havent already booked one ring and book it now. Then make sure you are there early be one of the first to check in and have one person stand at boarding gate in the queue that forms when boarding gate opens and they begin to board the rest of you join them. Getting setas for priority boarding is not a problem its the scrum after that is.

With children and especially if they need more care then i would definitely pay the extra money

They do seriosuly limit priority boarding, we do it with DD and well worth the extra.

its worth paying for priority boarding as they only sell it to 30 people I think, we did it when we all went on holiday for wedding in nov and I mean we were like the fecking dingles, as long as someone gets on first then they can pile coats/bags/children on the seats you want to keep!

I'd phone and check to see if they really do limit priority boarding. I flew with them from Stansted to Bergerac in November and it felt as if the whole plane had priority boaring resulting in a bit of a scrum and loads of moany travllers.

Whilst calling you could mention your son's special needs to see if any allowances can be made for you.

Best of luck

The problem we have had with priority boarding in the past is with a bus to take us from the gate to the plane. First on to the bus doesn't necessarily equal first onto the plane. Although have found the stewards on the plane far more accomdating than the staff on the ground. Hope you manage things OK and have a great holiday.

I flew to Ayr in Novemeber and there seemed about 200 people in the 'priority queue' and about 10 people in the ordinary queue . Probably an exaggeration but the queue was nearly at the next gate down.

When you get to the gate, don't sit down, stand in the priority queue right away or at least position one adult there to bagsy your place and don't sit down if you have to have a bus to the plane. Or you'll lose the advantage you got at the gate!! Do mention your son's extra needs at every chance you get to Ryanair - they should be able to accomodate them if you shout loud enough.

Hope it goes well.

They were fab with us. We had some problems getting to airport and ended up all 4 of us sitting all over the place. They sorted so that DDs (4 and 6 at the time) could sit with me.

Does anyone know how to get through to 'talk' to these people - the number they have on their website keeps going dead or clicking off. I just cant get through and need to speak to someone urgently re a flight this evening.

Looks like they don't want people to ring them much, Trix - even saynoto0870 hasn't got many numbers.

There is one landline substitute number, but it's in Eire so will be charged at international rates:

for 0871 246 0000 ring 00353 1249 7791 (UK Reservations)

and a premium rate Head Office number, which will get you a human but at £1 a minute (and this has not been verified by the sayno website): 0905 566 0000

Good luck!

We did not pay for priority booking on a recent flight to Glasgow and it did feel like half the flight had. Saying that, the plane was only half full so it was not necessary.

I am flying with the DCs again in summmer, this time without DH so have paid this time. I could have not bothered cause realistically they are not going to make a 6yo and a 4yo sit on their own, but thought that might be a bit cheeky.

You are probably better to send them an email, they don't seem to want pesky customers phoning.

Thanks Wendy but the first two numbers take you through to a recorded message and then cuts you off. THe premium number just cuts you off before the number connects.

I hate ryan air - they are really really no frills, no customer service, and not all that cheap at all. I'd just buy priority boarding and get there early.