Same thing happens with legacy carriers in the US.

Tight pitch - same as other LCCs like Vueling. If you want more legroom - you have to pay for it.

I'm not an FR apologist, but given the prices I've paid, I've been happy with what I got.

Ryanair has always been a step forward in its smart business model.

Funny to see how legacies are always sweating to frantically catching up. And a good 3-4 years late on average.

I did fly with them since the "Go" times, stopping at the madness of loud onboard announcements and their artistic tendency to extort money out of you in a way or another.

After the drastic change of direction wanted to give a try again (and tbh their airfare are simply unbeatable) and can't help but noticing the improvements.

It feels almost another airline compared to 2007/2012 and I genuinely glad they changed the aviation landscape of this continent.

Now if you wanna really enjoy the FR of the old days (or even worse) help yourself with Wizzair.
I always wonder how good at greasing the right wheels they must be to be allowed to stay on business.

OK... but what about IRROPS

Are you still basically screwed at many of their outlying airports when things go wrong?

Yup, just like with other LCCs, though FR's OTP is better than industry average.

EU261 still applies and accommodation/food must be provided as specified in the legislation.

The 90 bag rule is not exactly a secret, it's clearly stated on their website and usually on the bag sizers at the gate. It's not always enforced. Squishy bags tend to attract less attention on most airlines.

FR seat pitch is 30 inches, the same as BA, same/more than U2 depending on aircraft and more than (for example) VY and I2. So that would make BA also the tightest you've ever seen on a plane...

The absence of a magazine pocket is deliberate, it makes it quicker to clean the aircraft and maintain turnaround times. The announcements are less than they were, but I guess still more than other airlines. Easy enough to ignore though.

Different people's perceptions are interesting. I usually only do 4-5 sectors a year on FR, primarily because I don't like STN, but while it isn't my favourite airline, I find it perfectly comfortable and acceptable when I use them and for the price.

I would add that the supposed added annoyances are hugely offset by a direct flight to your destination rather than a 2-segment connecting at the hub.

It can easily be 2 hours ding dong announcements (but again what they left now is the scratch cards lottery if I recall it right) opposed to effective 4 hours butt in seat with main carriers, plus connection time. But no announcements.

No brainer for normal people, thus not for FTers :D

There are irritations with flying FR, but you can't fault them on the way they promulgate their baggage policy. Black and white, on the website.

Tried economy class on Lufthansa (tight but clean), British Airways (tight but grubby)?

I did Dublin last week. They offered refreshments, scratch-cards and tickets from DUB into town. There was value in that for some passengers. I just get on with whatever is occupying my time.

That doesn't make sense.

Additionally, these smaller airports utilisied on some Ryanair routes can actually be beneficial.

For example, flying into Bergamo made much more sense than Milan for travelling onwards to Trento (there was no direct flight with any airline to Verona at that point). It saved around one hour on the train journey time.

Equally (the now closed) Gothenburg City Airport only had a few flights per day. You could get from the car park, through security and to the boarding gate in around three minutes. That wouldn't have been possible at any airport used by a legacy carrier.

Yep, the first 90 cabin bags allowed on board policy is hardly a secret - from the Ryanair website...


As has been observed, soft sided bags often seem to get a pass regardless - so one could say this is something of a 'secret', contrary to advertised policy. My soft sided 55x40x20 backpack hardly attracts any attention on FR, even when pretty stuffed. It's been weighed a few times at smaller airports but that's about it.

Although it isn't massively clear which 90 cabin bags are allowed. I have seen the policy enforced differently.

The worst offenders (in my experience) are Warsaw Modlin who were choosing people at random. Even those who had baggage not suitable for the hold (as defined by Ryanair's own terms) were still getting yellow tags. The staff then seemed surprised that they had fewer bags in the cage at the bottom of the stairs than yellow tags they had handed out.

Stansted seem to permit the first 90 bags, which seems fair and provides an incentive to reach the boarding gate early. Soft bags (regardless of size) are never counted. My 55x40x20 soft bag fits easily under the seat anyway.

Most airports ask for volunteers, then head to the back of the queue and work forwards. Those arriving at the last minute are normally allowed to take their bag onboard as the yellow tags have already been distributed.

Regardless, I have seem many yellow tags being discarded between the boarding gate and arriving at the plane. Presumably they give out more tags than necessary, to allow for this scenario.

Really, have there not been a number of cases where they did not load enough fuel to save money and had to call an emergency landing?

Yes if you can screw it out of them. I hear the LCCs that can be difficult and they use every loophole in the book.

I had an experience last year when one of my staff was stuck in BCN due to flight cancellations. BA booked him a hotel, a taxi to and from the hotel, tickets for the following day to MAD and a flight home from MAD, plus food vouchers. Could not have been more helpful.

Apparently U2 and FR were telling people to make their own arrangements and put in claims afterwards. Some people clearly were unable to do this and I suppose were left to sleep in the airport.

Not that I know of.

If you know of such situations, it would be helpful if you could provide references.

Yeah there were a few things 3 or 4 years back, at a couple of Spanish airports I believe. But I can't provide any extra info either, I just remember it being on various news outlets. The media probably exaggerate at the slightest inclination.