miamiflyer8

Ryanair is so bad that I would never fly with them.

TPJ

My very old tread I started on BA forum some 2 years ago (after first round of FR improvements):

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...concerned.html

To my surprise at least for some folks FR is ok'ish (and we are talking here about BA forum, which is a bit how-to-say snobbish)

SanderUK

More than 40 flights with Ryanair and I've never had a problem with them. Their fares are very reasonable and as long as you follow the rules there's no problem. For short flights it doesn't really make a difference to get a BA biscuit or buy one for 2 euros + have a cheap fare.

The pro is that the food trolley moves a lot faster as they don't have to serve everyone!

Mizter T

An opinion based on extensive experience of not flying with them I assume?

Nonetheless a typical FT comment grounded in ignorance, but perhaps unsurprising given Ryanair's approach until a couple of years ago of 'any publicity is good publicity'.

For what it's worth, Ryanair is the largest airline in Europe, in that it carries more passengers within Europe than any other airline.

IAN-UK

Sorry, I don't like to be rude: but that's a bit silly.

Concerto

Yes, I usually buy a biscuit and a cup of tea (which can be surprisingly good on Ryanair, not the dog urine that germanwings offers at a hefty price) which helps pass the time. Even the coffee is pretty decent. I really think that the LCCs like Ryanair have the BOB concept worked out, whereas pretend LCCs (think legacy carriers switching to a BOB offer) offer rubbish in comparison. I too have never had a problem with Ryanair. But I am well and truly aware of the dangers when something might go wrong.

Sealink

I have never had a problem with Ryanair; I tend to fly BA etc. now because I really detest Stagnated Airport. (I live in South London so it's a faff anyway).

But for some places they are the only option (London to Limoges for example) and you just remember that Stansted will be busy, and plan accordingly.

televisor

I don't find Ryanair amazing, but they're not really bad either. (The advertising is naff, slightly less comfortable than BA/LX, but that's mostly thanks to the extra width of an Airbus.)

However I've rarely booked them in recent years because they end up being more expensive once I factor in luggage fees, at least on the routes I fly. E.g. I'm currently looking at an intra-europe connection where I know I'll have luggage, and booking either Easyjet or LX is going to be cheaper. Moreover if I fly to LCY on BA I get a much more comfortable seat (Embraers are probably the most comfortable short-haul jet I've been on) - not an option on the current trip though...

Just to be clear: luggage fees are much higher on Ryanair than anyone else, and easyjet still have a slightly larger fee than LX. I haven't looked at the BA fees in a while.

Richym99

I admit that I would normally avoid FR, but I was looking at a flight to get to me to DUB from either CWL or BRS today for an onward flight to the US (cheap business fare on UA).

Not only were they offering business+ for £30 each way at the times I wanted, with one checked item included, I have a bit of insurance of a free same day change if things go wrong on the way back, even if I just miss the flight.

Not only that, I inadvertantly booked for a day early on the way back (silly mistake), just swallowed and expected an inevitable hefty charge for changing the flight. Change done in 60 seconds and free of charge.

This is not the Ryanair I remember of old. Now all they have to do is get me there on time, but reviewing the flight performance, it seems I'll be very unlucky to be over a hour late into Dublin. It's happened once in the last three months.

Concerto

You've just got to watch this business of missing the flight and being able to take a later one. Usually, even with the normal carriers, a missed flight can land you with a hefty charge for a new ticket for a later flight. If you want to take a later flight you have to make the change well before the departure time of the originally booked flight. Turning up just for any flight that day is unlikely to work! Your ticket will be non existent!

Richym99

I would agree with you for most airlines, but surprisingly not the case with Ryanair Busiess plus:

On the day of travel, you can change your booked flight (flight/route), free of charge, to an earlier or later flight that day (subject to seat availability). This free flight change can take place up to 1 hour after the original flight departure time if transferring to a later flight or 40 minutes* before the new flight if moving to an earlier service. 

 This change can be completed at the airport ticket desk or via a call centre (subject to opening hours

I don't intend to do it on a whim. I'm flying back from IAD on UA126, which is obviously on a separate itin, but I have allowed a four hour layover in Dublin. If it is obvious that there will be a significant delay in leaving IAD it gives me the opportunity to arrange an alternative without having to book an entirely new one way ticket. Additionally, if something causes me to just miss the connection, I still have some piece of mind, and the change can be done at the check in desks free of charge.

TPJ

We had our Corporate Travel Policy review session with our Travel Agency and they shown us statistics that in about 50% of cases FR Business Plus is cheaper than that lowest fare plus baggage purchased separately. While use of LCC's is not mandatory there is a growing number of our folks who use FR for convenience of non-stop flights and to be able to avoid connections at LHR.

Palal

Flew them a few weeks ago, nobody bat an eye at my oversized bag, flight arrived early.

BruceyBonus

On a flight last week from LTN to MLA, then returning to MLA to LTN, there was plenty of oversized hand luggage. No-one charged extra.

For the return, two cases wouldn't even fit in the overhead locker! They had to be gate checked (or should that be plane checked). Cabin crew didn't seem too happy that their turnaround was being delayed by the ground staff allowing oversized luggage.

lhrsfo

Flew them over the weekend for the first time in several years, so interested to see whether the new friendly face made then any better.

The cabin baggage thing is a sham. Made to gate check on the outbound, only to find on boarding that there was plenty of space for more bags. Likewise on the return, but this time, I demanded to know why. First I was told that the overheads were full - until I pointed out that nobody was yet on board so how could they know. The story then changed to we were the last to board, until I pointed out that we were approximately in the middle of boarding - lots of people in front but lots of people behind. At that stage she started to claim that they were waiting for a subsequent flight, until I pointed out that the next flight from that part of the terminal (according to the big sign beside here) showed that the next flight was in 6 hours time.

Finally, I got the truth out of her. FR policy is that only the first 90 past the bp scan at the gate are allowed to take their rolling hand luggage on board. This doesn't seem to apply to large squishy carry-ons, or certain privileged people (off-duty staff perhaps) further back. Moral: take a large squishy bag and you'll be ok.

Onboard, it's tighter than I've ever seen on a plane and the seating area was very dirty in both directions. No room even for a magazine rack, so you need to keep everything on your knees. Endless announcements about passing through the cabin selling one thing after another, with different items on special offer. Fortunately, my fellow passengers ignored it all and didn't buy. The only announcement that would have been nice but never came was the one apologising for being late.

In short, FR is actively unpleasant to be on, with the staff being directed to make it such.