I've read some negative comments in this forum about Ryanair. I am flying from DTW to LGW on NW 12/3 with a 10:00 arrival in LGW on 12/4. From there I am connecting on Ryanair at 13:25 to DUB. Will I have any problems claiming my bags from NW and checking in for Ryanair in this time? Also, what can I expect from the flight itself. I can't seem to find any info about their fleet. This is my first trip to Ireland, so any advice is appreciated.

Three and a half hours should be plenty of time to collect your bags, change terminal (short bus ride)and check in again. But be warned, Ryanair will be merciless if you are late - if you plane from DTW is seriously late, goes tech. etc. well then you've a problem... you might consider an interline ticket instead, just to be sure?

Also, Ryanair can be savage about the weight of your baggage (16kg), and can be pretty inflexible about the weight of your hand baggage (5kg). If you're one of those travellers who brings a giant roll-on on-board, well you may have a problem.

What can you expect on board? A seat

Not a pre-assigned one either. No food, no drinks, maybe a smile. All craft are 737, of various varieties. If memory serves, LGW is served by 735s (open to correction).

Have a good trip.

Here are the corrections!

Ryanair don't have any 735s. Of their 5 flights from Gatwick on December 4, three are scheduled for their old 737-200s (which they still get amazing reliability from) and two, including the 1325 departure, for their new 737-800s.

Unreserved seats, and old-style open steps are used for boarding rather than jetways. Choose the rear steps, usually less of a crowd and less "novice" passengers (of whom Ryanair have more than their fair share). Inside, try for the emergency exit seats in the centre of the cabin, the ones with yellow headrests, as these have the better legroom.

I have corrected several postings on FT about "no food" on Ryanair. In fact FR, just like competitors EasyJet, take off on each flight with cartloads of food and drink, and spend much of the flight serving it. It's just that you have to pay for it. There are even little menu cards, sponsored by their coffee supplier. The cabin crew are on commission for what they sell, and often you will get two runs of the cart in a one-hour flight to Dublin.

Ryanair in-flight service standards are not always bad, just variable. Glasgow Prestwick base seems to have the best, but I'm afraid that Dublin base without a doubt has the worst (in contrast the ground crew at Dublin are good).

tev9999: here's the fleet you asked for:

http://www.jethros.i12.com/FLEETS/Listings/RYANAIR.html

Ryanair in flight is OK compared to how bad others can be at times... The ground check in, getting your bags, etc is as cheap as it can be... expect LINES, LINES, LINES... Expect to be charged for excess baggage, RIGHT away.

Thanks for all of the info. One more question on baggage - their terms read one piece of carry on baggage. Does this include a laptop bag? Would I be allowed to carry the laptop and a second small bag? I am going to try to pack everything in my laptop bag, but may want to have a second carry on.

What would be a safe time to arrive at DUB for my 8:15 am outbound flight? 6:15 am?

I have 3.5 to 4 hour layovers between my NW and Ryanair flights both ways, so I should be OK on transfer time. Will I need to clear customs at LGW either way?

Thanks again.

Tom

[This message has been edited by tev9999 (edited Nov 30, 2003).]

tev9999:

They are variable in how the rule is enforced. Ryanair check you in with their own staff at Dublin, but use handling agents at Gatwick. I have got on with laptop and overnight bag, I have also been asked to check the bag. Bear in mind that a 737-800 with 189 seats (which you will not be used to in the USA) just does not have the overhead bin space on board for more than this, especially in winter when people put heavy coats up there as well. American put 134 seats in the same airframe.

1 hour check-in is fine at Dublin, they may not even be open 2 hours before. They cut rigorously 30 minutes before departure, but as at Dublin there are separate queues for each flight, as long as you are in the queue before this you are OK, they will rush in the last few minutes to process the queue with extra staff.

Yes, you will have to go through customs both ways, this actually takes no time at all. Ryanair do not interline baggage with anybody (even themselves) so you will need to check in again in the main area. Fortunately both FR and NW use the South terminal at Gatwick. From the USA will take you time to get through immigration as a non-European, but this just absorbs time spent waiting for the bags to be delivered. From Ireland to Britain there is no immigration check and there are special routes for such passengers signed "Arrivals from Ireland". Also when exiting the customs on your return trip take the "European arrivals" blue channel (you bags will have blue-edged baggage tags) When you come out into the terminal just find the appropriate airline check-in counter (plenty of information on where they are) and start again. On your way out, having found the FR counter, you might just want to spot the NW counter's position for the trip home.

If you have a few hours to kill at Gatwick the main catering etc area is upstairs, called "Gatwick Village". From here you can keep an eye on how long the line is for security into departures. Sometimes good, sometimes BAAAAAD!

(Edited to add the customs etc bit).

[This message has been edited by WHBM (edited Nov 30, 2003).]

Here is what I found:

NW flight arrived on-time. Passport check only took a few seconds. Customs took no time at all since there was nobody manning the blue or green channels, as far as I could tell. Walked right through without talking to anyone. Found the Ryanair check in desk, but it was not open yet, so we went up to Gatwick Village to have a beer and window shop. Found several things I planned on picking up on the way back home.

Went back to check in about 1 1/2 hours before the flight and ended up being #46. I did not see the weight of my bag, but they did not give me any problems or ask to weigh my laptop. The plane was a 737-400, but not in Ryanair decoration - can't remember the airline name on the plane. They call numbers 1-65 first, so there is still a big crush to get on the plane. We left pretty much on time, but I swear we taxied to the runway at about 90 MPH.

The return from DUB was not as straightforward. Got there about 6:45 for an 8:15 departure. Was #14 to check in. I was told my checked bag was 3kg overweight and was asked to weigh my laptop. Was told that was 2kg over and that I would have to take something out and put in my checked, which I would then have to pay 6 euro per kg for. I ended up moving some stuff to my friends checked bag since his was well under to avoid the charge.

Boarding was the same with # 1-65 being called first. We were ready to depart on time, but fog was causing delays. We ended up in LGW within 15 or 20 minutes of our scheduled landing. My biggest annoyance was remembering the shops I wanted to revist were outside security, after I had already entered the departures lounge. They would not let me back out since I had "technically left the UK", so I could not get to the stores I wanted.

They did offer drinks, food, perfume and gifts on each flight, but I did not see anyone buy much.

It was not a bad experience, but I don't know if I would want to fly them on a long flight due to the cramped conditions and baggage limitations. For $52, I got my moneys worth.


[This message has been edited by tev9999 (edited Dec 10, 2003).]

It is amazing the speeds they get up to sometimes - it's one of the side effects of the loco model.

Was the aircraft ex-Buzz, by any chance?

To keep in fitting with the 'miles' forum - it would appear that Ryanair now has a frequent flier scheme of sorts. Get a Ryanair visa card, and every 10th flight is free. Interesting...

Unless you're into aviation history, I think you're pretty lucky not to have got one of the 732s. I've had a couple of flights on these, and they were awful. Others have been fine. You get what you pay for, and with EireO'Flot, you're barely paying anyting...

* Terms and conditions apply. Free may not mean free. A flight may not include air travel. 10 is a subjective filter for reality. Seats subject to availability; standby only. Taxes and other charges may apply. You must buy food and drink on board.

Looks like you got the Islandsflug aircraft. Ryanair had sudden problems with their old 737-200 fleet and currently have a motley bunch hired in as cover. 737-800 from Excel, 737-400 from Islandsflug, and the old stalwart that turns up when any British airline needs sudden cover, a noisy, rickety old 737-200 from European Aviation.

Ah, BD must be so proud to be sharing a fleet with FR

stut:

BMI returned the one they were using in the summer, but the European Aircharter fleet (they have 8 737s) will be turning up spasmodically for some time to come. BA have recently discovered their charms too. I think the charms fall mainly in the accounts department with the cheap ACMI rates. Next month some of them will be 30 years old. By the way, Ryanair have used them for years, back to the days when European had One-Elevens.

There is one 737 (G-CEAC) used mainly by EA owners Bath Travel on holiday charters out of Bournemouth, which is apparently kept in good nick, and even has less rows of seats installed.

Don't worry about aircraft age. My Cessna is older!