Please soothe me, am flying with Ryannair tomorrow - just read billions of awful reviews. ARGH!

[BEAUTlFUL]

Am shitting self. (Not literally - that brown smear is fake tan.) The 4 of us are flying to France tomorrow with Ryanair. I just read lots of reviews of them, which were almost all 0/10.

We have double-checked our luggage weights, measured our bags, we know that the 15kg is a total allowance per person, not per bag...

What else could go wrong? Help me plan this trip! Am SO worried now. Thanks. x

I've flown Ryanair without incident quite a few times. You have to approach it in a completely different way - I tell myself it's like taking a bus, and that way you don't expect comfort or luxuries of any sort, you just focus on getting there cheaply.

Well I've never had a problem. My kids are older so usually just dh and I, usually with only hand luggage... so actually that's probably not much help.

Just don't expect wonders, you get what you pay for. You will get to France and you will have a lovely time

Have flown with them lots. Never a problem. They get you from A to B safely and in relative comfort.

Have a great time!

Thanks. Is it true that the staff are horrible? What was it like travelling with kids, if you did?

Based on the problems people have been having recently, I'd say: Think of the earliest time you could possibly imagine getting to the airport. Then get there an hour earlier.

Oooh, am feeling better... well done!!

The flight is at 1:50pm, we were leaving here at 9am to get there at 11.30... We are already checked-in online... Close enough?

What recent problems?

see this thread. Don't want to alarm you but I'd think about getting there earlier.

I think there were some problems with not enough check in desks being open and people missing flights.

You will have plenty of time - and time for a pre-flight glass of vino.

Go through security as quickly and as soon as you can, and make your way to as near your gate as possible. Then have coffee, wine etc. Ryanair are mostly fine, no false smiles though!

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We flew with them for our hols to Sardinia and came back last week. It was fine but I'm glad I did my research first.

We paid extra for priority boarding and for 2 pieces of luggage. We also got pullalong bags for the 2 dds which we put change of pants and colouring books, pens and snacks in. We didn't put these bags in the overheads but kept them under the seats for easy access.

FIL lent us a bag weigher (hooked onto top of door) which was invaluable for checking the weight of our bags before we flew out and also for when we left - our bags were all heavier on the way back so it was a good job we were slightly under on the way there.

Checked our bags in online and dropped them off 2 hours before flying and i hour before on way back.

Priority booking was the best thing we did though. No problems at all.

Oooh, a 1:50pm flight, is it from Stanstead to Tours? That is route I usually do with Ryanair and it has always been fine. There are obviously no luxuries but staff were pleasant and helpful when I flew with a 4month old baby and this year with a 15 months old.

Oh and our bags were a bit over and they weren't bothered on the way our and were quite a bit over on way back and they couldn't have cared less! You'll be fine

We don't have priority booking... Are we fucked?? I read the scare-story thread where someone ws told she couldn't next to her 18-month-old toddler!

No, you'll be fine. Does your 18month old have there own seat? At that age they normally sit on your lap anyway. If they don't want you sitting next to each other, bonus!

Just get to the gate early and don't be afraid to be pushy. Get your DP/H to do the buggy bit, you have to take it to the gate with you (or I did when I flew with them) and you reserve him a seat by plonking your bag in it when you get on the plane.

can't you log back on and change your booking to priority or have you checked in already (online)?

Don't panic if you can't upgrade, but I'd get to the gate early as poss instead.

We haven't had any real problems with Ryannair but be careful with your baggage allowance - they were really hot with the 15 kgs check in luggage with us. What we did on the way back was get to the check in early and actually weigh our bags on the check-in weight thing before the staff got there. That way we were able to see that we were about 1 kg over and take a bit of stuff out to put in our hand luggage (shoes - not bottles!!) as you can take 10 kg per person on to the plane as long as its in the right sized bag.

Don't worry about not being able to sit next to your children - they have to ensure an adult sits next to a small child because of helping them with emergency oxygen etc if needed. We have had two flights (although not Ryannair) where they moved other people so that I could sit next to DS.

We found the staff on our last Ryannair flight perfectly pleasant.

You will be fine. Flew to France with them last month. Great flight, great service, not priority booking - no need IMO. I was traveling in a group of 20 and there was no prob sitting tog in groups wherever we chose

Thank you all very much. i'm off to bed now, as we are leaving SUPER early!

thanks all xx

If you are going to Tours, the airport there is great- it's pretty much a building for out going travellers and a marquee for incoming travellers - fastest time I've ever been through an airport!