Ryanair seat allocation algorithm
#31
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,320
#32
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: South East England
Programs: Status with BA Exec Club; KrisFlyer; Hilton Honors; IHG One; Marriott Bonvoy
Posts: 543
There are good safety reasons for not splitting up families . In the event of emergency they will try and regroup before exiting, endangering themselves and others.
Like I needed another reason to avoid FR, they just handed me one.
Like I needed another reason to avoid FR, they just handed me one.
#33
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Essex, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club, AZ, VS, AA, UA
Posts: 602
Quoting this if you've been separated from your child [by refusing to pay the family tax] seems to concentrate the minds of checkin and gate staff.
It's not law, and they can't be prosecuted for it, but it would be grounds for complaint to the CAA... which even FR would rather avoid.
#34
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,414
... and that is why it's in the CAA Document CAP 789 - Requirements and Guidance Material for Operators - Chapter 30, Section 8.
Quoting this if you've been separated from your child [by refusing to pay the family tax] seems to concentrate the minds of checkin and gate staff.
Quoting this if you've been separated from your child [by refusing to pay the family tax] seems to concentrate the minds of checkin and gate staff.
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,797
Quoting this if you've been separated from your child [by refusing to pay the family tax] seems to concentrate the minds of checkin and gate staff.
It's not law, and they can't be prosecuted for it, but it would be grounds for complaint to the CAA... which even FR would rather avoid.
It's not law, and they can't be prosecuted for it, but it would be grounds for complaint to the CAA... which even FR would rather avoid.
Won't help anywhere else!
*Ryanair policy is that adults travelling with children under 12 must purchase a reserved seat - for €4 - so that the child(ren) can receive an allocated seat beside that adult for free (up to 4 such free child seats per adult seating payment).
Last edited by irishguy28; Sep 21, 2017 at 12:38 am
#36
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Essex, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club, AZ, VS, AA, UA
Posts: 602
Separating an adult from a child is one thing (and even that is "allowed" according to the document you provided, up to one "seat row", whatever that means), but as a family often include 2 adults, there is nothing saying those adults should seat together, and if there are 2 or more kids, they can "safely" be separated into 2 smaller groups...
#37
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Essex, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club, AZ, VS, AA, UA
Posts: 602
It might work if you're departing the UK. (Then again, it might not - many check-in staff won't even know what the CAA is. Even for those that do, they may be more worried about the sanctions they receive for not sticking to company policy*, than any potential rap-on-the-knuckles the airline might receive weeks, months or years down the line).
Won't help anywhere else!
*Ryanair policy is that adults travelling with children under 12 must purchase a reserved seat - for 4 - so that the child(ren) can receive an allocated seat beside that adult for free (up to 4 such free child seats per adult seating payment).
Won't help anywhere else!
*Ryanair policy is that adults travelling with children under 12 must purchase a reserved seat - for 4 - so that the child(ren) can receive an allocated seat beside that adult for free (up to 4 such free child seats per adult seating payment).
Thanks for posting the link to the Ryanair policy - I wasn't aware of that one - but I suppose it's a fair compromise as they're only charging the adult a reduced seat selection fee and then guaranteeing that they can sit with their kids.
#38
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: UK
Programs: A3 *G
Posts: 356
I fly regularly with Ryanair as they offer the best timing for my most frequently visited destinations and I am conveniently located for Stansted.
As of this year I have switched so as long as price difference is not more than 20-30 I will book another airline (as long as timing is not too dissimilar). This has reduced the number of Ryanair flights I take by half. This makes me very happy - worth it just so I dont have to listen to that trumpet.
the main reason I switched is their seating policy. I have realised the following, which I hope some of you find useful.
if you are travelling with a companion you stand a much higher chance of getting allocated 2 middle seats with space next to you for one companion to pay and move so you can sit with each other. If travelling solo you are much more likely to get aisle or or window so as to keep pairs of side-by-side seats open and available for when they split groups up.
This wont always work and if there are stray middle seats theres a good chance youll be allocated it as a solo traveller.
As a result, if I am travelling with someone we always make separate reservations now. Like this you dont end up next to each other but usually close and with a much better seat to potential swap someone (if thats important to you).
The flip side of a single booking is you usually only have to pay for one seat in order for 2 people to sit together. Just buy the seat after checkin.
As of this year I have switched so as long as price difference is not more than 20-30 I will book another airline (as long as timing is not too dissimilar). This has reduced the number of Ryanair flights I take by half. This makes me very happy - worth it just so I dont have to listen to that trumpet.
the main reason I switched is their seating policy. I have realised the following, which I hope some of you find useful.
if you are travelling with a companion you stand a much higher chance of getting allocated 2 middle seats with space next to you for one companion to pay and move so you can sit with each other. If travelling solo you are much more likely to get aisle or or window so as to keep pairs of side-by-side seats open and available for when they split groups up.
This wont always work and if there are stray middle seats theres a good chance youll be allocated it as a solo traveller.
As a result, if I am travelling with someone we always make separate reservations now. Like this you dont end up next to each other but usually close and with a much better seat to potential swap someone (if thats important to you).
The flip side of a single booking is you usually only have to pay for one seat in order for 2 people to sit together. Just buy the seat after checkin.
#39
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: PEK
Programs: BAEC, AA Exec Plat
Posts: 244
Changing seat afetr check in with Ryanair
Quick question. Can I pay to change seat afer doing online check in? I know you can with some airlines, but not sure about Ryanair. So see what I get randomly, and then pay to change later?
#40
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,517
#41
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: London, UK
Programs: bmi DC, BAEC
Posts: 1,115
i can't remember if you can go back again after you've completed checkin.
#42
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 491