BA vs Ryanair - no competition
Jun 2, 2017, 4:35 am
#17
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
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Jun 2, 2017, 4:36 am
#18
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London
Programs: Many. Too many. I came here to cut them down. I failed.
Posts: 2,999
There are trains through the night (hourly/half hourly) on Thameslink's Luton - Gatwick line so if you're living along the route you have 24 hour access to Luton Airport or Gatwick (I do as i'm near Kentish Town). St Pancras & Blackfriars are the 'central' London stations they serve on these trains.
So a Ryanair flight from Luton is similarly served as Gatwick. And of course Heathrow if you're flying Sat / Sun morning!
So a Ryanair flight from Luton is similarly served as Gatwick. And of course Heathrow if you're flying Sat / Sun morning!
Jun 2, 2017, 4:44 am
#19
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 323
I'm happy to chime in with more positive reflections of BA economy compared to Easyjet/Ryanair. Me and my fiance just returned from Naples. We flew LGW-NAP and back in economy HBO. We didn't pay to select seats but we were given Row 8 A and B and 7A and B on return. These were ideal. The flight was perfect, smooth and with some stunning views. Lounge access really helps counter the BOB if you really don't want to pay. We took a couple of cans of coke and a pack of crisps from the lounge and this was sufficient for a 2 hour flight. That said, the food from the BOB looked and smelt pretty good and I don't think the prices are too bad. Both flights arrived early and we were really happy.
Lounge access, better flight times from our preferred airports in the UK to almost everywhere we'd want to go in Europe and when it is back having seat selection with status make BA still the best option for our SH travel
Lounge access, better flight times from our preferred airports in the UK to almost everywhere we'd want to go in Europe and when it is back having seat selection with status make BA still the best option for our SH travel
Jun 2, 2017, 4:51 am
#20
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Isle of Man
Programs: IHG Platinum Elite, BA Pleb
Posts: 347
The seats don't recline, which is a little more uncomfortable, I'll grant you that much. Some of the older planes have tight legroom too, but the new 737-800s are really pretty good on legroom.
But the coffee? Ryanair's is the ground coffee from Lavazza, BA's is the same stuff but from Java Republic. I prefer Lavazza but, of course, YMMV.
Now Modlin isn't Warsaw, but it's less than 30 miles away. An hour is a slow Uber. And still quicker than a transfer at Heathrow.
Of course it's all personal opinion. I've never heard more than one scratchcard announcement, and I find them less irritating than the BA indent videos with the teddy bear and the little crying girl. Again, YMMV.
If you have lounge access with your BAEC card then BA still wins hands-down. If you don't, then there's precious little difference between the two. M&S sandwiches are mediocre, Ryanair sandwiches are mediocre, in either case I'd rather take a picnic. I prefer Ryanair's Lavazza coffee, but that's just personal preference, they're both now ground coffee in the sippy-cups.
Jun 2, 2017, 4:58 am
#21
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,840
Oh dear. I refuse to fly with an airline that won't give their pilots a cup of tea and don't employ CC (once they get through the being employed by an agent stage) on local contracts because the emplpyee protection law is too great, let alone the taking are legal minimum fuel PR disaster.
Jun 2, 2017, 5:22 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: UK
Programs: I go wherever the content takes me.
Posts: 5,698
Since the introduction of BoB, it has been very easy to make comparisons between BA and LCCs. I thought the same and instead of going on a European city break with BA via LHR, I decided to book a flight to Warsaw direct from NCL with Ryanair.
How wrong I was to think that they're practically the same these days.
The Ryanair planes were uncomfortable, the food was shocking, the coffee was dire and the service was mediocre. For example, when I joined the queue for the toilets on the outbound journey, the most senior member of cabin crew ordered "Move out of my way!" when I forgot to read her mind about where she wanted to be standing to chat to her colleague. After that came the hard sell when it was BoB time - ordering a cup of coffee without buying a snack was unheard of, apparently: "But you need something sweet with your hot drink. Chocolate, maybe?" Obviously their bonus depends on upsetting.
And of course, when we landed, there was another hour in an Uber to actually get to Warsaw, as Ryanair don't fly to the main airport.
BA's service standards set it apart from LCCs and I think I am willing to pay a premium for a more pleasant and comfortable journey. Plus, there isn't an announcement for bloody scratchcards every 10 minutes.
How wrong I was to think that they're practically the same these days.
The Ryanair planes were uncomfortable, the food was shocking, the coffee was dire and the service was mediocre. For example, when I joined the queue for the toilets on the outbound journey, the most senior member of cabin crew ordered "Move out of my way!" when I forgot to read her mind about where she wanted to be standing to chat to her colleague. After that came the hard sell when it was BoB time - ordering a cup of coffee without buying a snack was unheard of, apparently: "But you need something sweet with your hot drink. Chocolate, maybe?" Obviously their bonus depends on upsetting.
And of course, when we landed, there was another hour in an Uber to actually get to Warsaw, as Ryanair don't fly to the main airport.
BA's service standards set it apart from LCCs and I think I am willing to pay a premium for a more pleasant and comfortable journey. Plus, there isn't an announcement for bloody scratchcards every 10 minutes.
Example: London to Belfast for £14.99 is unbeatable. Never heard of more than one scratchcard announcement; incidentally, the same number of announcements are BA's tiresome Flying Start begging.
BTW: Uber? What's wrong with the train?
Different strokes for different folks I guess.
BA still have some differentiation but therein lies the problem. BA does not know exactly what it wants to be. Is it a premium airline? It must be, because it has (token) First Class cabins, a solid FFP, lounges, and so on. But it cannot be, because at the same it acts like a LCC in charging for food on board short haul, it doesn't interline bags on separate itineraries, it cuts service left right and centre and most importantly, it doesn't seek to recover goodwill when frequent flyers report issues.
If I fly with Etihad I know exactly what the ethos and brand means. It's a quality airline with aspirational premium cabins. If I fly with Easyjet or Ryanair I know exactly what they're about as well - efficient, cheap, functional. I can buy into both of those concepts. What I find more confusing is BA's market positioning.
What is BA?
Jun 2, 2017, 5:32 am
#24
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,619
Jun 2, 2017, 5:44 am
#25
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: UK - Hampshire & London
Programs: Mucci de Guardian des Celliers des Grands Crus 1e Classé, plus BAEC.
Posts: 2,737
Re: Early morning cheap departures
As well as the train, National Express have a reasonably good early morning service to LHR and LGW, at least from the South Coast. I avoid Luton and Stansted. It makes those 0600 U2 flights do-able despite the ungodly wake up time.
Jun 2, 2017, 6:15 am
#26
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Executive Club (Silver), Le Club Accor (Silver)
Posts: 680
Having taken Ryanair nearly 100 times over the last 15 years, I can say from my own experience that what you describe sounds like the difference between the two airlines somewhere around 2008. Now? Not so much. Ryanair are increasingly using main airports (BRU, FRA, MXP, HAM, FCO, OSL etc) and while still serving the smaller remote destinations such as HHN, NRN etc, frequencies are increasingly moving to the big hubs. I flew FR from Stansted to Milan Malpensa in April for £9.99 departing at a very sociable 18:20. BA wanted £60. Yes, some flights depart at 06:30 but then BA also have flights going at that time. Both airlines charge the best part of a fiver for a beer. Both airlines have pretty poor legroom. Both airlines have good and bad crew members. Ryanair's punctuality wins hands down though.
I haven't flown easyJet for many years so can't comment on them, but have a Wizz flight coming up in the next few weeks, and bet the experience won't be too dissimilar to the experience on BA these days. Just a lot cheaper!
I haven't flown easyJet for many years so can't comment on them, but have a Wizz flight coming up in the next few weeks, and bet the experience won't be too dissimilar to the experience on BA these days. Just a lot cheaper!
Jun 2, 2017, 6:27 am
#27
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: 10 months VLC, 2 months everywhere else
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Posts: 3,770
I've flown Ryanair quite a bit the last three years from VLC-DUB direct. Almost always on time, crews have been good, with a pair of noise-cancelling headphones you can drown out the scratch ticket announcement. 
Easyjet always seemed to me the airline with the attractive stewardesses. At least up until I stopped flying them about five years ago.
Easyjet always seemed to me the airline with the attractive stewardesses. At least up until I stopped flying them about five years ago.
Jun 2, 2017, 6:33 am
#28
formerly southsidesilver
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: San Diego,CA
Programs: BA Gold, UA Silver, HH Diamond
Posts: 996
Just my two cents, I fly on both and here is a good example I use as I often book ex EU fares and just need to get to my start point. Lets do June 22nd
Ryanair
Luton to Copenhagen - 10 GBP one way or 22 GBP depending on flight
British Airways
Heathrow to Copenhagen - 80 GBP one way or 137 GBP or 167 GBP depending on flight.
If leaving from Bristol I can get the heathrow in 2 hours. I normally take the national express and since Megabus started the same service they are having an excellent price war. Bristol to Heathrow could cost 36 GBP one way at times, now its just 10 GBP and its fantastic.
Getting to stansted/luton for a reasonable cost is a 4 pound bus from Bristol to Victoria then Easybus to STN or LTN for 3 pounds, also cheap. But sometimes these bus journeys drag on.
Its nice to have lounge benefits, but for some sometimes it's just nicer to fly BA as going to LHR from the SW is much easier. Granted if I lived in London I know what I would pick more often.
I'm hoping that one day BA has more flights from BRS, or even a good EK,EY,QR 787 service, Thomson have no problem flying the 787 from BRS to Orlando.
Ryanair
Luton to Copenhagen - 10 GBP one way or 22 GBP depending on flight
British Airways
Heathrow to Copenhagen - 80 GBP one way or 137 GBP or 167 GBP depending on flight.
If leaving from Bristol I can get the heathrow in 2 hours. I normally take the national express and since Megabus started the same service they are having an excellent price war. Bristol to Heathrow could cost 36 GBP one way at times, now its just 10 GBP and its fantastic.
Getting to stansted/luton for a reasonable cost is a 4 pound bus from Bristol to Victoria then Easybus to STN or LTN for 3 pounds, also cheap. But sometimes these bus journeys drag on.
Its nice to have lounge benefits, but for some sometimes it's just nicer to fly BA as going to LHR from the SW is much easier. Granted if I lived in London I know what I would pick more often.
I'm hoping that one day BA has more flights from BRS, or even a good EK,EY,QR 787 service, Thomson have no problem flying the 787 from BRS to Orlando.
Jun 2, 2017, 7:18 am
#29
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
Yea, - couple of poeople has posted whilst I was replying (and making more daily mail style typos), so for clarity I added in who I was replying to
Jun 2, 2017, 7:22 am
#30
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,211
I last flew FR around 2002 when we had to do the trek to PIK to fly to CRL and DUB. The flights were fine and all on time however getting back from PIK on public transport was a pain and added a couple of hours on to the journey.
If we ever get the chance to use them again from GLA I would have no hesitation as long as the price was right and the schedules suited which they invariably didn't from PIK. That's where the major carriers easily beat the LCC's from the regions.