Ryanair seating

[user1471543683]

I usually fly Easyjet but where I want to go next year is only covered by Ryan Air. Unless I buy seats then I understand I’d be allocated just before flying. What would the likelihood be of being near my 14 year old daughter? Adding on paid seats is an extra £120+ which is a lot considering it’s just for a few nights.

It's all in the rolling not folding.

And tactically wearing your biggest jumper as you board.

At 14 its hardly a problem if you dont sit next to each other. Its not like you're on a different flight or anything.

I used the underseat basic ticket for a 3 night stay once. It was tight, but I managed. I used the Cabin Max Metz backpack which is exactly the dimensions and has a surprisingly generous capacity. It was to the Christmas market in Krakow, so I wore my warm jacket and just packed thermal base layers and the basics. Bought toiletries there and discarded them on the way back. It can be done. But I usually buy the plus fare, 10kg overhead + underseat bag + seat.

I regularly fly Ryan air with DH and our seats are allocated when booking, never paid for allocated seats and always put together

Last time I flew Ryan air it was free seating, so first come first served. It was to Dublin and seemed to be huge Irish groups who were saving seats for each other, everytime I tried to sit it was sorry tha seats saved over and over. Cabin crew were useless so I just waited till last

It IS tight, but it's doable. You just have to know how to pack really well and use every single bit of space (and not to use it all so you can buy small items whilst there). I know people say it's not possible but it really is.

We're flying to Krakow for Christmas markets with minimal luggage. Wearing the warmest stuff,will buy cheap toiletries there, changes of underwear,socks and a spare jumper. Tshirts roll up into tiny sausages. Can put in coat pocket if no room in bag.

Can you move to an empty seat after take off?

I smiled at the hacks I saw somewhere to maximise small bag space. One was to remove the filling from a neck pillow and stuff it with whatever you can't fit in the small bag. I suppose in an emergency......

The Ryanair basic bag size is tiny! My normal work handbag size. There's no way I would be able to pack for a trip in that. Maybe one overnight stay with just a change of undies and top.

My husband took a backpack last week. Small sized toiletries. 3 t shirts and underwear/socks for 4 days, pair of shorts and a bundle of paperwork. It fitted under the seat no issue.

Your problem is you are used to carrying a huge bag of crap on a regular basis.

We've just got back. We had enough space between three of us for me to through in a pair of shoes I bought there!!!

Seriously, DH whinges at me for taking too much (he's actually right too!)

We flew Ryanair and checked in yesterday without choosing our seats and we were sat nowhere near each other even though there was plenty available.

Dd is 16 though so was no issue. The flight attendant did say that once seatbelt sign had gone off we could move around as we both had spare seat on our line but we both stayed put in the end and had a nap instead. Think we were both enjoying the extra room.

I have a Cabin Max rucksack and it fits perfectly under the seat. Great for five days summer or long weekend winter (winter shoes are bigger than flip flops). I go BA and never put in the overhead lockers
BUT..It doesn’t actually meet either Easyjet or RyanAir sizes!
I can’t do more than 2 nights to their sizes and it’s possible not nice.

I have never paid more than a few pounds for booked seats. Ime it's usually cheaper to buy the basic flights and add on seats and cases, the package is usually more expensive I don't know why. I find the prices go up and down, if you are not travelling for a while I would wait for a bit and keep an eye on prices.

basic plus a seat is only really suitable for day trips or perhaps one night tops

Yes agree with @RedToothBrush - it's not easy but it is doable. Flew with Ryanair in August and packed for three days - clean dress, underwear x 3, flipflops (lifesaver in hot weather I find) 2 x books, miiiiiinnnnnimal toiletries and makeup (I mean tiny sizes and stuff I was about to chuck) into a very small backpack. Oh and a Union Jack (we were at an event).

Yes it was hot but I wore a cardigan and smart trainers over my dress to travel.

I did it twice last year as well; one time was not really in the summer even.

btw to answer @user1471543683 question, I refuse to pay for seats and sometimes am very near eg two aisle seats, one diagonally in front; sometimes 3-4 rows back.

Also meant to say loads of ppl on my last flight had much bigger bags (maybe they had paid extra) and a lot of people had 2 or even three bags - handbag, backpack and separate carry-on bag. I don't reckon they are rigorous about checking. Tho not worth the risk imo

Ryanair deliberately split you up if you don't book seats (easyJet don't ime, if you check in quick enough we've always got seats together). As others have said the 'free' underseat bag for Ryanair is significantly smaller than easyJet's. I normally think about how much luggage I need then price up the package for extra bag plus seat vs everyone having the free bag plus booking in an individual cabin or hold bag. But it depends on whether you really want to sit together.

My last two flights back, we've seen people pulled for having a bag too big. It's been totally none sensical - the people they pulled didn't have the biggest bags and they didn't pull anyone else. It seemed like they just picked on people they didn't like the look of and were almost trying to wind them up or forfill a Ryanair quota for how many people they'd pulled for having a bag too big. The time before tonight the guy kicked off and I think he got off loaded from the flight as a result (not a good move as there was a french air traffic control strike at midnight that night for two days and we were on the very last flight out of France). Tonight the woman they picked on kept calm but was really upset at being singled out.

The only thing I can think is they pulled people with particularly odd shaped bags or with lots of duty free so they obviously can't fit it under the seat.

We fly with a 30litre back pack and it's fine and often smaller than other people who are on the single bag only.

There are definitely tricks you can use to make sure you use your space well though. Packing as a group definitely save space for starters.

I have to say I do resent Ryanair's seating policy as it used to be that you could get seats together if you checked in early even if you hadn't booked seats together. Now it's pretty much no chance. I don't mind sitting on my own but DH would rather we were sat together with DS.

If you don’t pay for seat allocation the Ryanair system is far from random. It always allocates the centre seat first. So, as someone upthread mentioned it’s maybe best to check in later to get a chance of aisle or window that someone hasn’t paid for. In addition if two or more of you are travelling and choose random allocation and there is an empty seat beside a randomly allocated one they won’t let one of you pay to move to it. All people on the booking have to pay to move seats. CFery at its worst.