The RYANAIR thread
 

Hello fellow FTers!

After being on this forum for a while I would like to do some contributions! I was looking for information on Ryanair and, although I know that this is not a dumpable airline (of course) and that I would obviously not find it in main posts, I thought I was going to find something. But I didn't!

So I would like to start this post with some tips that are very useful when flying with them:

24h grace period
When you buy a ticket you have, as the name implies, a 24h period for FREE changes in routes, times, name... anything. You can even do a RT from a different airport, if you ask (something you can't do when booking), i.e. BCN - BRU, CRL - GRO. You can only touch two countries, though.

Free Priority Q
If you are one of the last passengers to check in, chances are high that you get a "paying seat". The reason is simple: as people check in the system assigns them a free seat. If they run out of free seats, they will start giving the non-free seats. And these seats come with Priority Q!

Mobile APP
When you're travelling with Ryanair it is nice to have that app, specially because you can check in with your mobile phone and have the boarding pass right there. This means no need for printing and being environmentally friendly! ;)

Luggage
There have recently been changes in their policy regarding cabin luggage. The last times I've flown with them I was carrying a big suitcase and a normal backpack and had no problems.

Flight prices
This might be one of the trickiest, but still there are some interesting tricks. You can know almost for sure that a price is not going to go down if you see the "X seats remaining at this price" mark. And you can see the next price if you do a search with more passengers than seats remaining! If you don't see the scary sentence, then the price might get lower during one of their usual promotions.

When to book
I think the best time is 3 to 5 weeks in advance of the flight. Anyways if you find what you think it's a good price get it! The lowest it can get recently is 5 - 6€, but that is rare. Normal lowest is 10€.

That's more or less all I have to share at the moment! I hope it is useful for your next trips with them. It is deffinitely not the best airline, but by far the cheapest. And please feel free to contribute if you have anything to add!

Wow - I never knew about the grace period ... let alone being able to change the routing. Can you do the routing change online yourself ?

Although, I find it's sometimes cheaper to book to singles separately anyway.

There was a page on Ryanair about their grace period, but I can't find it on their renewed website.

My bolding. I'm afraid that's not correct - sometimes Ryanair later go on to offer the flight at a lower price after that message has appeared (e.g. if they're trying to fill up the plane). What they don't do is actually offer a fare at that very same price level - so the sentence is accurate on a literal level.

Skyscanner's Price Alerts email service (prices checked daily) can be useful for tracking price fluctuations, though note it covers all airlines flying a route - but if Ryanair is the only airline flying between two airports then you can use it to get an idea of how their pricing works.

You can change the routing if you talk with them through the online assistants. I think you can yourself but you're gonna have to go through the normal procedures, and they will charge you.

Interesting the single ticket thing, I have never seen that but will try! Anyways I think it is better to book separate tickets specially because of this 24h period, so if you want to change one flight it won't affect the other.

Yeah you might be right, I was doubting into putting "almost sure" or "sure", although I have never seen prices going down after the message. Good to know! I don't understand the last sentence: they won't put the same price again?

This is very true.

Ryanair prices can vary, upwards and downwards, at any time.

Of course, the trend is usually upwards, but this is not always the case.

(For instance, it would be crazy to book now for flights approaching the end date of the booking window- selling these seats is not currently a priority for the airline, so it will charge over the odds for those suckers that are anxious to book several months in advance)

This may happen more often for returns starting in the UK (particularly London) - so booking a single *to* London can be cheaper than adding a return leg to the outbound ticket.

This is not a very good example as you would be very unlikely to see the '"X seats remaining at this price" mark' tag, which was what the_gironian's point was about but the more general point made is, of course, correct even though the_gironian also has a point, in that this indicates that this fare bucket is getting full so the odds of a lower fare are towards the lower end of the spectrum.

Interesting points indeed. Have you seen the new website? It is quite useful, specially the option to search for flights departing from an airport depending on dates and maximum price! The website still has some bugs but I always thought the old one was lacking this option.

Also, I've seen something new on the price windows. On some flights (not a lot) a higher price appears crossed above a new, cheaper one. I've seen this on a flight that was first 33€, then 27, and now 33 again. Could this be the option that we are discussing: Ryanair trying to fill up the plane?

You can even do a RT from a different airport, if you ask (something you can't do when booking), i.e. BCN - BRU, CRL - GRO. You can only touch two countries, though.

I don't understand this part of the comment. Can anyone explain? We use RyanAir about once a month & love it. Always glad to learn things that can keep the price down or make the experience better.

I think the idea is you initially book (online) a return
e.g. BCN - BRU / BRU - BCN

But within 24 hours (during the grace period) you realise that actually CRL - GRO would be a more convenient return leg, so you contact Ryanair and they will amend your booking.

But what you can't do is change the return leg to a flight from Netherlands - Spain (if they even fly it).

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Ryanair virgin here
 

I have never flown Ryanair, but need to get from DUB to BRU on a day where Ryanair provides the best flight timings. I need to catch an onward flight from Brussels and cannot afford to be late in arriving in BRU.

How reliable is Ryanair in terms of punctuality?

My experience is that they are very reliable in terms of on-time landing. However for your requirment, an issue could be that a lot of their flights actually use Charleroi (CRL) airport, which is some distance south of BRU.

No, they use BRU for some flights to/from DUB. I have used this route a number of times.

Punctuality was pretty good, and BRU isn't too bad for transferring.

how much time are you leaving between flights ?

with separate tickets you would need to leave plenty !

Ryanair is quite punctual, especially because they always put longer than real times on the ticket, usually around 30 min. So you would barely leave on time, but always get to the destination ahead of schedule.

Indeed! Especially if you have to drop some luggage off. Today I flew Ryanair to BRU and I left the airport via the departure area, but this might be different depending on the flight. So, maybe, if you only fly with carry-on luggage and you can check in on-line for the other flight, you'll be fine!

Anyways, has anyone ever tried it? I once had a connection at CRL, both flights with Ryanair. My intention was to stay inside, but had to exit and go through controls again because arrival and departure areas were not connected.

Thanks OP for starting this thread! Was going to purchase tkts on Ryan & thought I'd check here for some RA tips first. As my flights aren't until end of May, I won't buy now but will keep an eye on prices. Only 1 hr flt, DUB-EDI, thus not seeing much value in purchasing advance seat selection.

On such a short flight, it really isn't worth it unless you want an extra leg room seat. The "random" seat allocation is done in a specific order (see http://flights-blog.lowcostroutes.co...at-on-ryanair/). I always check in early on the 7th day before the flight and nearly always get row 33 (the row at the very back). You can view the seat map before choosing that you want a free seat, so can guess which row you are likely to be allocated in.

A few questions . . . .
 

I HAVE flown Ryan before, but YEARS ago.

I'm flying SXF/BTS/SXF for a 1 nite trip. I will be OK going to BTS, but, I'm a shopaholic, and I really don't know what I might buy while I'm there. I will TRY to get it all into a carry-on, but, I'm a little concerned about this "90 cabin bag" allowance on each flight, before forcing people to check bags. I know it's free, but, I don't want to be forced to check my important personal stuff. How do they manage this at the gate? Does somebody stand there with some sort of a counter?

It says that, if you pay for priority boarding, you'll never be forced to check your carry-ons, but I can't find a way to add it onto an existing booking, plus I really only want it on the return flight.

Also, how is boarding done? After priority, is it first come - first served? Zones?

Please advise.

Thanx!

Dave / USA

:)

The selection of the 90 items is a bit random, depending on the preference of the local staff. Here are some of the variations I have seen:
1. Selection of people as they pass through the boarding gate. Certain types of passenger appear to be targeted, e.g. young couples and groups who won't argue and those with paper boarding passes.
2. Offering it to passengers in the queue like an extra service you're getting for free.
3. Offering it to passengers at the bag drop and/or ID check desk as an extra service you're getting for free (but you still have to carry it through to the gate).
4. Forcing it on random people in the waiting area (e.g. Warsaw Modlin). The key in these cases is to hold back, so they don't know which flight you're on.

I'm confident they let more than 90 bags on, as many people (e.g. myself) will happily put a rucksack under the seat on a short flight.

There's a few arguments to keeping your bag, e.g. there are items which the Ryanair T&Cs prohibit from travelling in the hold. This didn't work for another passenger at Modlin. Should the worst happen, the yellow bag tag could easily disappear between being attached and arriving at the plane where you deposit the luggage in cage.....

I've flown 13 Ryanair sectors in the last year and never been asked to check in my carry on. I have been approached in scenario (2) and (3) above, but it has never been forced on me when I declined.

In terms of boarding order:
1. Disabled and priority boarding
2. Everyone else in the order they are in the queue

If you really want to pay for priority boarding, you can do this for each sector separately when you check-in, or through "Manage Your Booking" now.

Backpacks normally don't get targeted.

Very Interesting. Thanx!

So, after priority boarding, how can I be sure to board as early as possible? Is it simply a matter of who's closest to the door first?

Also, my 7 day check-in will be in about 3 hours. Is there a check-in strategy to getting an aisle seat? The seat map looked nearly empty a few days ago when I booked this.

Yes, how early you are willing to queue in front of the door/desk. At the moment actual boarding begins there is usually already a queue of 60-70 ppl - so if its important to you, prepare to stand for quite a while.

From my experiences when traveling alone:

- check in at the earliest moment, and you get the middle seat. (To piss you off and make sure next time you perhaps pay for seat selection)

- as late as possible, and you not only get a window or aisle seat, but often one in the front rows or with extra space as well. (As obviously, on a full plane they hold back the most expensive seats to the last moment to see if anyone is willing to pay for it!).

So while there is no guarantee of an aisle seat or a particular strategy for that, for sure waiting the longest will get you the better seats (when traveling alone)!

The seats are allocated in a specific order (see http://flights-blog.lowcostroutes.co...at-on-ryanair/). I always get 33C or 33D by checking in early and ensuring 33A and 33B are already allocated.

(You can view the seat map as if you want to buy a seat before choosing a free "random" seat)

If you check-in on the website (not the mobile app), the 7 days starts from midnight and not the time of the flight.

That is not true. The seats are allocated row-by-row, across the whole row.

Now, a boarding pass question. . .
 

Thanx for all the great info!! I'm gonna try that strategy for a good seat, & I'll post my results! :)

I think I read that anyone who doesn't have an EU passport (mine is US) has to go to the check-in desk, even if you already hava BP for a document check. Can I still do that if I check-in on the RyanAir app, or will I need a printed BP, so the agent can write "Docs OK", or similar on it. I'm not sure if I'll have access to a printer.

The website previously specified a paper boarding pass was required for non-EU passports. They don't say this anymore, but still refer to having "travel documents stamped".

To be on the safe side, I would strongly recommend getting a printed copy. Most hotel receptions in Europe will happily print a Ryanair boarding pass if you email them the PDF (they are well used to low cost airline passengers). Otherwise paying for 15 minutes at an internet cafe is much cheaper than paying Ryanair's "boarding pass reissue fee" of €15 or £15.

Well, when I read the page on the RyanAir website about mobile BPs, it says that only people with EU ID can use them.

So, I'm in Chicago right now, on my way to Berlin, and I'm flying out on Ryan Tuesday and back Wednesday. I decided rather than trying to stress over finding an internet cafe, or other place to print, AND time it such that a seat I'm interested in seems to be the next available one, I just decided to check-in from my hotel in Chicago, that offers free printing.

I got 23A & 12D. No middle seat, of course, is the main thing, plus, it's only showing 75 minutes from gate to gate, so I'm sure I'll live!! :D

Thanx again for all yer help! I suppose, if I need to check a bag on the way back, I can do a re-check in, somehow, and add a bag?

A few months ago I tried using the mobile app to get my (non-EU) BP and it said I needed to print it.

[...deleted...]

There used to be something called a (wait for it....) "Flight Uncheck Fee" for unchecking in from a flight! I can't see any mention of this on the website anymore.

In the worst scenario, you can always pay for checked luggage at the airport, albeit at a higher fee.

Remember Ryanair now allows two carry on bags (although the second is quite small) and they are far more relaxed about the maximum size than previously. Nowadays, the measuring "cage" gets wheeled out before some flights but they rarely ask anyone to actually put their luggage into it.

tips from MSE
 

some of these are generic (to LCCs) ... but a useful summary ...

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/ryanair-tricks

Only holders of EU/EEA passports can use the mobile boarding pass.

All non-EU/EEA passport holders need a paper boarding pass, as they must present a pass with the Flight Documentation Desk stamp on it to be accepted for travel.

Ryanair - what to expect; OLCI or not?
 

Hi,

I'm with a group on a Ryanair flight later this month, two quick questions:

1. We're probably around 10-15 people, mostly teens with a couple of adults. All the kids will be in the middle of a month-long stay in Europe, they'll each also have a bag of fencing equipment (think golf bag). We're flying from Rome, nobody speaks Italian, we're on separate reservations, and I'd be surprised if any of us has flown Ryanair before. How much of a sh*t show is this going to be and how can we minimize it?
   
2. I've paid for seat selection, sports equipment, and probably one more checked bag than I need, just out of an abundance of caution. Will OLCI make any difference for me? Should I just do it now even though I assume I'll have to deal with a person for the checked stuff?

As for the rest of it, I'm prepared to suck it up for a couple of hours, so no worries there.

Thanks!

Unless you have paid for the Business Plus fare, you need to OLCI - otherwise you will be charged a fee. FR is an OK airline (better seat pitch than BA on some aircraft, huh) as long as you understand and accept the limitations (e.g. 2 pieces of hand baggage per person, but only the first 80 wheeles are accepted on board, the rest are sent to the belly of the aircraft for free, this is why people queue up early).

You haven't specified the route or what nationality(it's) of your party. If not EU passports, you may need to go through an airport documentation check before you can go to bag-drop. If this applies to your party it's essential you understand what's required and allow sufficient time.

If you or anyone in your party does not hold a passport/national identity card issued by a European Union or European Economic Area member state, then those passengers must print their boarding pass on A4 paper, one sided [i.e. each person must hold their own individual boarding pass, do not print a second boarding pass on the reverse side of the page], and present this to the document check desk at the airport of departure prior to going through security. Passengers without an EU/EEA passport who present a boarding pass at the boarding gate without the document check stamp will be refused travel. At that stage, it may be too late to go back landside to obtain the stamp; so make sure those passengers who need it get their boarding passes stamped landside before going through security.

This holds true for every Ryanair flight that these passengers take. It is not acceptable to show an "old" boarding pass from a previous Ryanair flight with the document check stamp.

All passengers must check in online (except if you opted for the very expensive Business Plus fare) but people who do not hold an EU/EEA passport cannot use the mobile app to checkin and instead must print out their boarding pass as advised above.

You can check in online well in advance. Note that checking in at the airport (fee: £50/€50 per passenger), or having a replacement boarding pass issued at the airport (fee: £15/€15 per boarding pass), is subject to additional fees. They are not as high as they once were - but they are quite high.

Ensure that you are familiar with Ryanair's baggage policies, and that everyone has bought a sufficient luggage allowance in advance. Buying luggage or paying excess baggage fees at the airport on the day of departure is always far more expensive than buying the requisite allowances in advance.

Also note that if your group wants to sit together, you would be highly recommended to buy advance seat selections.

Ryanair's fees.

Yow, I had no idea about that. Flight is Rome-Prague, most or all US passports, maybe an Australian or Chinese in the mix. So even for intra-Schengen we have the extra hoops to jump through? The A4 is a nice touch for those coming from the US.

We're a group, but not organized. Everybody has to buy their own tickets and hope they got the right flight. Considering that before the flight we have to get from Pisa to Rome and after we have a bus ride to Poland, I'll take it as a minor miracle if everything and everybody ends in the right place. Especially since it's mostly minors travelling.

Yes, unfortunately so, just make sure that everyone has a printout and all line up for the document check desk. You'll need to line up for baggage drop anyway.

https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/useful...ent-visa-check

It might not be so critical that it is A4 - US "Letter" size should be OK - just make sure that you print the boarding pass at actual size (if the barcode is compressed or expanded by printing to vastly different paper sizes, it may not scan correctly).

For future reference, you can request a group booking quote, which should work out cheaper than buying individual tickets, and which is easier to co-ordinate.

That would require a level of organization beyond us, but would certainly be less stressful.

​​​I printed the boarding passes, but will don't again in Italy just in case. Don't want to get hit a non-standard paper size fee.