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Original poster

Regular Ryanair travellers - what do you think?

30 replies

YouBelongWithMe · 14/09/2024 11:02

Hoping the collective hive mind will guide me!

We've planned our summer holiday next year which will involve us flying, visiting Netherlands, Belgium and France. We will pick up a car from the airport and drop it off at the same one, so we kind of have to do a circular trip.

We booked flights to Brussels when they were released last week. I'd rather have flown to Paris Beauvais but they weren't out and we didn't want to leave it in case costs soared.

Ryanair have now emailed and said the times of the Brussels flights have changed on both outward and inward flights. The new times are really annoying, make out travel plans harder. We have a choice to switch to the day before or after, or get a full refund.

However, the Paris Beauvais flights are now showing on the app. In an ideal world, I'd cancel and get a refund on Brussels, and book Beauvais. The issue is it says every single flight is booked out. Every one. For five months straight.

It feels like they're prepped the flights on the app but haven't released them for sale yet? How can every single flight have booked out instantaneously?

Does anyone regularly book Ryanair flights and can tell me if this is what they do prior to making the flights available?

This was an actual essay, apologies.

OP posts:
areallmotherslikethis · 14/09/2024 11:23

No answe to your question however recent experience with Ryanair

They changed outward flight time. We accepted, although weren't happy as it made things abit awkward (11 month old baby, flight was moved 2 hours early).

But we figured we'd manage.

2 days later they moved the flight even earlier so we had to get a 4am flight with a baby. Luckily lived close to airport so managed. But it wasn't the best start to our travel plans.

Ryanair sucks and I wouldn't fly them again.

rookiemere · 14/09/2024 12:52

It does sound as if the Paris flights haven't been fully released yet, but there is also an option they may withdraw that route.

How long do you have to decide about the Brussels flights. I would hang on for a few days if you can to see what your options are.

Livinginchaos · 14/09/2024 13:03

Sorry I can't answer your question. But moving flights/cancelling flights seems to be standard behaviour by Ryanair. My last experience cost me hundreds in extra expenses, and their attitude stinks. Due to their antics and I have vowed never to fly with them again.

Feist · 15/09/2024 11:58

I would get a refund for your existing flights and wait for the Paris flights to be fully released.

Original poster
YouBelongWithMe · 15/09/2024 12:00

I'm just worried they're not going to be released! It's been a few days with no signs, although the flight times are now available to see.

The email doesn't specify a time frame for us to make the decision, so I'm going to hold off a few days more and hope Paris is released.

OP posts:
Janek · 15/09/2024 12:06

Get a refund and get the Eurostar? You can bring whatever baggage you want then too.

Original poster
YouBelongWithMe · 15/09/2024 12:07

Janek · 15/09/2024 12:06

Get a refund and get the Eurostar? You can bring whatever baggage you want then too.

We're travelling from Scotland so it's a uge trek. Plus we plan to do a lot of driving around when we are there and we want a more reliable car than the one we have at home!

OP posts:
Feist · 15/09/2024 12:09

They’re usually released 9 months in advance, I’m sure they will be up soon.

duckydoo234 · 15/09/2024 12:47

They're in the process of finalising a lot of flights at the moment - some I'm booked on for April are being messed around, showing unavailable, etc. This is normal. In a few days, they will show as available - at the moment they've uploaded the flight information but not made them available for booking yet.

The main thing for you, however, is when you book way in advance and then they change the time (which they usually do if you've booked more than 6 months in advance) they do not let you know until 90 days before your flight. You'll see it in the flights available to buy, and in your app you'll see the changes too. But they are not obliged to tell you until 90 days before, and they leave it until that day. Also, they will not let you change anything until they send you the 90-day notice, so you might be waiting 6 months before they confirm they've changed your itinerary and let you change. It's really annoying, because if other, better timed flights come online, you want to change to them but you know that by the time you get the 90-day notice, those flights might be nearly full so, e.g. you can't get 3 or 4 or whatever seats together.

Finally (nearly), never accept a time change. Once they offer you a new time, they HAVE to keep those seats available to you, they cannot offer them to anyone else to buy. But if you do accept the change, they can then change it again, as if the changed flight was your original time. E.g. you want to fly in the evening and book a 7pm flight. They then change it to 4pm, which is inconvenient for you but still manageable. Because this is less than 5 hours, they won't refund you. If you accept it, then can then change it again to 1pm, because it's less than 5 hours from 4pm. If you haven't accepted the 4pm one, then the change is seen as 7pm to 1pm, so they have to offer a refund because it's more than 5 hours. Annoying that you have to wait until 90 days before, but at least this way you're not constantly moving the goalposts and potentially making things more and more inconvenient for yourself.

One last thing, if you have a flight that you're not going to use, always always check in anyway. If they flight gets delayed and/or cancelled at the last minute, you won't be eligible for any compensation unless you have checked in.

BiscuitlyBoyle · 15/09/2024 12:54

I’m hoping on this thread because like @duckydoo234 im trying to book flights for April. They were there last week but I needed to wait for a deal to come through for my accommodation. Went to book yesterday and they were showing as booked up. But I noticed that the flight time for the one I was going to book has changed from 12.25 to 6.10, which makes the difference between leaving the house in the morning or the middle of the night! I’m now glad I didn’t book last week.

I’m just going to have to sit tight until they release them. I think we should have a little support group here!

Jubileetime · 15/09/2024 13:08

Yes they often show as unavailable prior to be released, but not sure for how long. They changed out next two flights recently, but luckily for us the times / days suit us better, maybe wait a day or 2

Kitkat1523 · 15/09/2024 13:13

My son was due to fly out to Brussels with Ryanair on Thursday this week…..it was cancelled with 24 hours notice …..no alternative…..he got a refund within 24 hours …..ended up flying to Amsterdam having a day/night there then getting the train to Brussels as he had a connecting flight to Canada ….was ok as he’s single and had a couple of days to play with….but could have been a nightmare

Janek · 15/09/2024 14:35

YouBelongWithMe · 15/09/2024 12:07

We're travelling from Scotland so it's a uge trek. Plus we plan to do a lot of driving around when we are there and we want a more reliable car than the one we have at home!

Show quote history

I meant the Eurostar, not the Eurotunnel, but I must admit I had not considered that you might be starting in Scotland!

TeamGeriatric · 15/09/2024 22:38

Have you been to Beauvais before? It's like the worst airport that ever existed, I think mainly because it was set-up entirely for Ryanair with every expense spared. The queues for security were endless because they simply didn't have enough staff for the amount of travellers and the section for non-schengen flights is basically an empty portacabin. It's not just me being snobby, everyone moans about the place. I'd be in no rush to revisit and would definitely stick with flying to Brussels, even if the flight times are a nightmare. It's also in the middle of nowhere with an hour plus bus journey just to reach the edge of Paris.

Otherwise though we fly with Ryanair quite often and they've never rescheduled or cancelled a flight on me, but I am the kind of traveller who books no more than 6 or 7 weeks out, so probably if I was booking earlier it would have happened to me.

Original poster
YouBelongWithMe · 16/09/2024 07:43

We have flown there before, although 10yrs ago. We didn't have any issues then but maybe it's changed.

The hour out of the way is actually really helpful for us - we're driving straight to the Netherlands and it takes an hour off our journey. The issue with the Brussels flight is the new time gets us in at 10pm, and we still have to get to the Netherlands! Or book a hotel and lose a day of our holiday.

OP posts:
OublietteBravo · 16/09/2024 07:47

How about getting a ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam?

mitogoshi · 16/09/2024 07:52

Have checked hire car costs? I would look at driving myself, stay the night in the U.K. before heading to Dover or take the overnight ferry from Hull if it's still running.

ItWasOnAStarryNight · 16/09/2024 08:19

To answer your original question, yes, Ryanair flights show as sold out for a few data before they become available to book

Original poster
YouBelongWithMe · 16/09/2024 08:39

OublietteBravo · 16/09/2024 07:47

How about getting a ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam?

We're a family of five - our eldest will be 18 and the other two are teens. The prices of having two cabins (min) make this a really expensive option. Plus our car was a bit of a dickhead on a recently trip to the Highlands - we'd really rather hire a newer car.

OP posts:
Original poster
YouBelongWithMe · 16/09/2024 08:40

mitogoshi · 16/09/2024 07:52

Have checked hire car costs? I would look at driving myself, stay the night in the U.K. before heading to Dover or take the overnight ferry from Hull if it's still running.

Yeah, we're £550 for two weeks. Factored into our budgeting.

We live in Edinburgh. It's a grim drive to Dover, but the journey back is worse. We did it once and swore never again!

OP posts:
Original poster
YouBelongWithMe · 16/09/2024 08:40

ItWasOnAStarryNight · 16/09/2024 08:19

To answer your original question, yes, Ryanair flights show as sold out for a few data before they become available to book

This is really helpful, thanks!

OP posts:
Rubyandscarlett · 16/09/2024 08:43

duckydoo234 · 15/09/2024 12:47

They're in the process of finalising a lot of flights at the moment - some I'm booked on for April are being messed around, showing unavailable, etc. This is normal. In a few days, they will show as available - at the moment they've uploaded the flight information but not made them available for booking yet.

The main thing for you, however, is when you book way in advance and then they change the time (which they usually do if you've booked more than 6 months in advance) they do not let you know until 90 days before your flight. You'll see it in the flights available to buy, and in your app you'll see the changes too. But they are not obliged to tell you until 90 days before, and they leave it until that day. Also, they will not let you change anything until they send you the 90-day notice, so you might be waiting 6 months before they confirm they've changed your itinerary and let you change. It's really annoying, because if other, better timed flights come online, you want to change to them but you know that by the time you get the 90-day notice, those flights might be nearly full so, e.g. you can't get 3 or 4 or whatever seats together.

Finally (nearly), never accept a time change. Once they offer you a new time, they HAVE to keep those seats available to you, they cannot offer them to anyone else to buy. But if you do accept the change, they can then change it again, as if the changed flight was your original time. E.g. you want to fly in the evening and book a 7pm flight. They then change it to 4pm, which is inconvenient for you but still manageable. Because this is less than 5 hours, they won't refund you. If you accept it, then can then change it again to 1pm, because it's less than 5 hours from 4pm. If you haven't accepted the 4pm one, then the change is seen as 7pm to 1pm, so they have to offer a refund because it's more than 5 hours. Annoying that you have to wait until 90 days before, but at least this way you're not constantly moving the goalposts and potentially making things more and more inconvenient for yourself.

One last thing, if you have a flight that you're not going to use, always always check in anyway. If they flight gets delayed and/or cancelled at the last minute, you won't be eligible for any compensation unless you have checked in.

This is all really useful info thank you!

Lincslady53 · 16/09/2024 16:50

We went to Malaga last year. Our times were changed 3 times before we actually went, but this year Ryanair were waiting for 30 new planes to be delivered, that Boeing had a production delay on. It was annoying, but on our flight out the flight was delayed by 5 hours. On our return, I put in a claim for compo, expecting to be run round the houses, but received £600ish compo less than 2 weeks after claiming, so very pleased with them. The flights had only cost us £450, so that was a result.

Babush · 16/09/2024 17:07

Take the ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam. The hire costs will be a lot. It might make more sense to upgrade your existing car and drive the whole way.

Original poster
YouBelongWithMe · 16/09/2024 18:09

Babush · 16/09/2024 17:07

Take the ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam. The hire costs will be a lot. It might make more sense to upgrade your existing car and drive the whole way.

The hire car is £450, we booked it today. Flights were less than £600. I wouldn't be able to book the ferry both ways for our party for that price, and then I'd have the worry of the car. We are three adults and two teens - we'd have to book two cabins on both ferries which is very expensive.

We also don't want to have to travel back from central France to Amsterdam for a ferry.

OP posts: