Cheap Flights With Ryanair

Sometimes I have found Ryanair a little bit dodgy, but I choose to fly with them because the service is generally fine and it is at worst affordable flying, very often quite cheap and sometimes really cheap.

I was on a Ryanair flight from Bristol to Dublin this morning, which cost me 1 Euro each way, plus 10 Euros handling charge, 12 Euros in total. I have taken around 25 Ryanair flights within the last 15 months or so. I'm really happy. I would not have afforded British Airways flights, even though their prices have dropped a lot since 15 years ago.

Over a month ago both outgoing and return flights had time changes, to a couple of hours earlier. Sometimes it happens. On the plane I was talking about planning going skiing in Austria this winter with a lady who is also planning going skiing in Austria. Her Innsbruck flights had been changed for that holiday also, by Thomas Cook.

Many people experience things which aren't perfect regarding flying. I think Ryanair and Easyjet are just targets that people like to complain about. It is a silly thing. People don't complain about Jet2 etc., a little because they have much fewer flights than Ryanair with so many flights, and so many nationalities flying, nearly any airlines would make mistakes. But it's kind of a comedy discussion, making Ryanair a target. The service might not be as consistent as B.A. or Air France etc. but is usually O.K. or fine. It's not fair, both airlines' prices are often excellent, the service is usually at least O.K., very often good or very good.

I've paid more ofen 75 pounds each way than cheaper flights - but at short notice, to my destinations, even that Ryanair price is less than 2/3 of getting to the same destination 15 years ago, albeit having been with a tiny meal and a drink. Though Ryanair did destroy my nearly new trolley bag, its 3rd use, and refund a 2nd hand value of around half the new price!

Ah, Ryanair - everybody's favourite airline to rant about :!:

I use Ryanair occasionally for a few reasons:

- they are usually, though not always, cheap and here I do mean the all-in price - not the nonsensical starting price;
- they fly to lots of places so they may be the best or even the only option to get where I want to go;

- they sometimes will fly at times that suit better than the alternatives.

As for extra charges, yes they are extremely irritating but hardly unexpected. My attitude is accept this and get on with it - I don't compare flights based on the initial advertised price but on the final end of process price.

Lack of allocated seats: so what? By definition, once you have got you boarding card, there will be a seat for you. I usually sit back until most of the queue has boarded. The worst that can happen is that you end up in a middle seat but I am not sure that I can ever remember that happening. You may get separated from your mates but its not really that big a deal on a relatively short flight.

General attitude: appalling but, again, so what? If the flight/price suits, accept that this is the attitude you will get and move on.

Dependability: this is one area where I think is a real problem. While their punctuality rates are as good as anybody else's at this stage, it is when a problem arises that things can go really wrong. Diverted flights can leave you stranded in a tiny airport with no facilities and often no hotels and they will take no responsibility whatsoever. We are probably all familiar with such stories. However, given the number of flights that they now run, I wonder how often it happens?

Bottom line: if its cheap enough, I would be happy to put up with the rest of the crap :wink:

Wanderer's attitude looks like a typical one amongst those who just complain about Ryanair for normal things which happen all over the skies and airports to any airline, in a 'kick the cat' mode. It's as if complaining about a wretched day walking home in pouring rain and not Ryanair itself.

At least Wanderer kind of admits it at the start of the reply.

The general attitude is not appalling. I have seemed to find this in a few members of staff, but a few air hosts and check-in assistants having this doesn't mean the whole airline has an appalling attitude. I certainly haven't found that, and quite the opposite.

Wanderer gives away irrationality by claiming there is a real problem with dependability. Ryanair are away at the top of European airlines for dependability in nearly all areas. Wanderer chooses to shovel everyone's fears about flying onto one of the most dependable airlines, for no reason at all but to attack them.

Unless Wanderer is complaining about Ryanair not giving immediately a night in a hotel, transport there and food money or vouchers when there is a problem. I know that Easyjet often don't give a hotel room and food when passengers are delayed overnight.

It's unacceptable for an airline to do that. For an airline to first go into business they should be required to offer those things for delays as short as 7 hours, or 5 hours at night time, and no airline should be allowed to operate if they don't have those provisions to give.

An airline which doesn't give that is disgraceful, Wanderer is right if that's what was meant, but the government are much worse for not making it a legal necessity.

The low cost airlines,including Ryanair are well known for trying to wriggle out of their obligations under current law. This is law, not an advisory.

http://wiki.smartertravel.com/index.php/Air_Passenger_Rights_in_Europe

here is a link to an analysis site which shows Ryanair ranking 9th for delays.

http://www.flightontime.info/scheduled/scheduled.html

factual wrote:Wanderer's attitude looks like a typical one amongst those who just complain about Ryanair for normal things which happen all over the skies and airports to any airline, in a 'kick the cat' mode. It's as if complaining about a wretched day walking home in pouring rain and not Ryanair itself.

At least Wanderer kind of admits it at the start of the reply.

The general attitude is not appalling. I have seemed to find this in a few members of staff, but a few air hosts and check-in assistants having this doesn't mean the whole airline has an appalling attitude. I certainly haven't found that, and quite the opposite.

Wanderer gives away irrationality by claiming there is a real problem with dependability. Ryanair are away at the top of European airlines for dependability in nearly all areas. Wanderer chooses to shovel everyone's fears about flying onto one of the most dependable airlines, for no reason at all but to attack them.

Unless Wanderer is complaining about Ryanair not giving immediately a night in a hotel, transport there and food money or vouchers when there is a problem. I know that Easyjet often don't give a hotel room and food when passengers are delayed overnight.

It's unacceptable for an airline to do that. For an airline to first go into business they should be required to offer those things for delays as short as 7 hours, or 5 hours at night time, and no airline should be allowed to operate if they don't have those provisions to give.

An airline which doesn't give that is disgraceful, Wanderer is right if that's what was meant, but the government are much worse for not making it a legal necessity.

Sorry Factual - I think you missed my point. I don't believe in attacking Ryanair - they are what they are and that can be damn useful sometimes.

I just wish they didn't make such a virtue of being obnoxious towards their customers (even if the customers are being unreasonable, as they often are, when it comes to levels of expectations from a budget carrier) and, indeed, everyone else - Governments, airport operators, other airlines, etc.

As regards dependability, I acknowledged that their punctuality record is excellent. My primary concern is about their attitude when the plane doesn't show up for whatever reason (and there are those who would suggest that technical problems tend to happen a lot more with late evening flights with low passenger loads). It doesn't happen often but when it does, the consequences for the passengers can be awful and, as I said, Ryanair make no effort to provide for those who are stranded as a result.

No, they dont, but they also dont have to, which is what people seem to forget. If you book with the likes of Ryanair and your flight is cancelled for whatever reason, be prepared to either book yourself in somewhere or pay for alternative transport. They dont HAVE to do anything, yet so many people want to waste time arguing with airline or airport staff when their flight isnt on time.

Perhaps people need to take a long look at themselves, and find something worth getting upset about, rather than taking an opportunity to claim a free drinks voucher. Make cheap travel arrangements - deal with the consequences, sorry but thats the reality of it.

Tony_H wrote:No, they dont, but they also dont have to, which is what people seem to forget. If you book with the likes of Ryanair and your flight is cancelled for whatever reason, be prepared to either book yourself in somewhere or pay for alternative transport. They dont HAVE to do anything, yet so many people want to waste time arguing with airline or airport staff when their flight isnt on time.

Perhaps people need to take a long look at themselves, and find something worth getting upset about, rather than taking an opportunity to claim a free drinks voucher. Make cheap travel arrangements - deal with the consequences, sorry but thats the reality of it.

Actually, Tony, if you follow the link in my post above, you'll be able to read up on Passenger Rights in Europe. It's law in Europe and even includes Ryanair despite their best efforts to ignore it on occasions.