Ryanair: to thieve or not to thieve

Kensington Chap

Yes, this is my second moan in the first 2 minutes I´ve been a member here.

I booked ryanair flights 2 years ago; 1 baggage cost €12, credit card charge €5.
I booked a few flights 3 months ago; 1 baggage cost €15, credit card charge €10.

Inflation and price of oil rising over two years? Fair enough. but wait....

I booked another flight today; 1 baggage cost €30, credit card charge €20.

Do I feel ripped off? Heck yes I do.

Dont be at yourself

I don't understand people who complain about Ryanair's extra charges. That's their whole business model - you're getting a no-frills, cheap seat, and you pay the extra for extras.

Kensington Chap

Extras, you say. What extras? Seems to me 1 lousy bag and paying by credit card is the most standard of standards.

"No frills". What are the frills?

Tails142

Kensington Chap wrote: »

Extras, you say. What extras? Seems to me 1 lousy bag and paying by credit card is the most standard of standards.

"No frills". What are the frills?

One would presume that you are actually flying somewhere.

Incase you havent noticed the cost of a barrel of oil has doubled in recent years.

chump

Kensington Chap wrote: »

Extras, you say. What extras? Seems to me 1 lousy bag and paying by credit card is the most standard of standards.

"No frills". What are the frills?

The cost of flying is sure to rocket. People who complain about the cost of flying today are going to be in for a serious shock in the near future. It is as cheap as chips.

I agree that the 'extras' should be frontloaded, however, so the price is more representative when you look at the "headline" price.

Dont be at yourself

Extras, you say. What extras? Seems to me 1 lousy bag and paying by credit card is the most standard of standards.

"No frills". What are the frills?

Not everybody checks-in a bag with Ryanair, so why should the charge be included as standard? By discouraging people checking-in baggage, it also means queues are quicker, turn around times are shorter and there is less chance of delays.

The whole point of Ryanair is that you only pay for the seat - everything else is extra. If you want a ticket with inclusive baggage, a hot meal or other extras, there are plenty of airlines out there. Your seat may only earn a couple of quid for Ryanair, so of course they'll stick the arm in if you want to check in baggage, eat in-flight etc.

If Ryanair included all these extras in the ticket price, people would complain that they're paying for things they don't want.

Run_to_da_hills

I have been using Ryanair to get to London over the last number of years, just two week ago I decided enough was enough with all these creeping charges. I weighed up everything and decided to take the Sealink Hss/Rail route.

I paid e88 return to the heart of London irrespective of what I was carrying and did not have to pay an extra 20quid to commute from a London airport. I arrived 4 hours later than If I flew. I think with the way things are going it will get like the old days again when we all took the boat.

latenia

To make Ryanair 'work' you have to be totally organised. Book well in advance, show up at the airport on time, keep your baggage under weight, don't sign up for any of the extras, bring a sandwich with you etc. It takes a few times to get the routine down. Check out how much it would have cost you to fly regularly to London 20 years ago then tell me you're being ripped off.

ScouseMouse

I have just got back from Tenerife at 3pm today. I booked 3 flights return, Dublin to Tenerife for my family and I. I booked them back in January, so got good prices. Three people, return flights, direct, including one case each checked in, free priority booking (since made chargeable) and with all charges and taxes included.

Total ?


447 euros, yes 447 euro for 3 people.

Ok, I paid 25 euro on board for sandwiches and drinks going out, but only seven euro on the way back as I brought my own sandwiches. I just had to buy the drinks.

O'Leary is a mouth, but boy does he know how to run an airline AND make money. If you dont like it, dont book it.

Latchy

The £6 CC booking online fee and the extra baggage fee was the first increases i noticed back in april when i last flew with Ryanair .

Scottie99

Incase you havent noticed the cost of a barrel of oil has doubled in recent years.

They keep telling us that they are not putting a surcharge on because of oil prices. When its quite clear they are because of continual increases throughout the "Ryanair Model!;)".

craichoe

Ha ! ..

Try flying KLM, 750 euro on way from Amsterdam to Bremen !! ..

And you complain about Ryanairs 'rip off'

Give me a break

axer

Kensington Chap wrote: »

Yes, this is my second moan in the first 2 minutes I´ve been a member here.

I booked ryanair flights 2 years ago; 1 baggage cost €12, credit card charge €5.
I booked a few flights 3 months ago; 1 baggage cost €15, credit card charge €10.

Inflation and price of oil rising over two years? Fair enough. but wait....

I booked another flight today; 1 baggage cost €30, credit card charge €20.

Do I feel ripped off? Heck yes I do.

How much would the same flight have cost you with another airline?

Why should I pay for the cost of your baggage if I do not bring any?

Usually you can pay all their charges and eat on the plane AND still work out cheaper than other airlines.

c - 13

Whatever about the Baggage charge I feel that the charge for paying by credit card is truly ridiculous. Thats a big chunk to be forking over just because you used your card.

Saint_Mel

Flew to Edinburgh recently with Ryanair and they had another way of cutting down on turnaround time which I havent seen before ... they didnt bother to clean the plane! We got on and the airvcraft was filthy, rubbish everywhere, seats wet from having something spilled on them and they didnt give a flying funk.

Saint_Mel

c - 13 wrote: »

Whatever about the Baggage charge I feel that the charge for paying by credit card is truly ridiculous. Thats a big chunk to be forking over just because you used your card.

I think you can avoid this charge though if you sign up for a Ryaniar credit card.
Wonder if your using it does it occassionally pay close the correct amount

MOH

Kensington Chap wrote: »

Yes, this is my second moan in the first 2 minutes I´ve been a member here.

I booked ryanair flights 2 years ago; 1 baggage cost €12, credit card charge €5.
I booked a few flights 3 months ago; 1 baggage cost €15, credit card charge €10.

Inflation and price of oil rising over two years? Fair enough. but wait....

I booked another flight today; 1 baggage cost €30, credit card charge €20.

Do I feel ripped off? Heck yes I do.

If you paid €50 for one bag and credit card charge on one single flight, then you were definitely ripped off!

axer

Saint_Mel wrote: »

I think you can avoid this charge though if you sign up for a Ryaniar credit card.
Wonder if your using it does it occassionally pay close the correct amount

I don't think you can avoid the charge unless you are lucky enough to have a VISA electron card.

calex71

I remember on the news recently there was a story about ryanair, and how they got stung by not booking their oil early when it was $98 a barrel.
They decided to wait till prices fell,

Oh sweet sweet karma, unfortunately old Joe would-be-ryanair passenger will end up footing the bill for that mistake

Saint_Mel

axer wrote: »

I don't think you can avoid the charge unless you are lucky enough to have a VISA electron card.

Ah, sorry, got mixed up with them.

nava

What I have to say about Ryanair is that their flights are always on time, I don't think in all the flights I taken over the last few years ever had a delayed flight. Took a a couple with Aer Lingus and both delayed for at least 30min.

dudara

I do think that Ryanair have done wonders for the aviation industry. I just wish that they'd be clearer from the outset about fees.

In general, I despise this credit card booking fee that Ryanair, Ticketmaster and others impose upon us.

axer

nava wrote: »

What I have to say about Ryanair is that their flights are always on time, I don't think in all the flights I taken over the last few years ever had a delayed flight. Took a a couple with Aer Lingus and both delayed for at least 30min.

Have to agree with that. I took aerlingus about a week ago for a return trip. Both flights were delayed. The first by only 15 mins and the second by 30 mins. I can't remember any time I was delayed by Ryanair in the 35+ times I have flown with them in the last 2 years.

evil-monkey

Booked flights with Ryanair the other night. Flying to London next month with my girlfriend for a few days.

We also had to pay to 30quid for 1 bag (and I'll tell ya, they way she packs it'll be more than one bag she needs) and a handy CC charge.

But the flight still came to only about 110 euro all in all for the two of us!! That's 55 quid each!! Hardly breaking the bank!! And we're flying from Cork, and we had a good few times a to choose from.

Sure it's expensive when you break it down, but when you look at the overall picture, 110 euro for two people + 1 bag return, from the airport of their choice, at the time of their choice, is not bad. in my book anyway...

dunno OP, can't say i'm with you on this one...

axer

evil-monkey wrote: »

Sure it's expensive when you break it down, but when you look at the overall picture, 110 euro for two people + 1 bag return, from the airport of their choice, at the time of their choice, is not bad. in my book anyway...

Exactly, and if you wanted to then you *have* the option to get it even cheaper because they separate the charges.

evil-monkey

axer wrote: »

Exactly, and if you wanted to then you *have* the option to get it even cheaper because they separate the charges.

Exactly!! If you want to bring a bag, you can, but you'll pay for it, if you don't, you don't...i like it...

StormWarrior

Easyjet is MUCH better than ryanair. They have much fewer added charges and give much better customer service. They let you have 1 bag checked in for free. Once I travelled with ryanair with 2 extra bags and they charged me £130 excess baggage! The plane ticket was only £20! On the way home, with the same baggage, I flew with easyjet. They let me off without paying anything extra for the bags. Easyjet are always much better in my experience than ryanair. In future, go with easyjet!

axer

StormWarrior wrote: »

They let you have 1 bag checked in for free.

I would rather not have to pay for other peoples checked in luggage when I don't bring any.

StormWarrior wrote: »

Once I travelled with ryanair with 2 extra bags and they charged me £130 excess baggage!

Well, you did bring two bags - did you not know before? It is written clearly in their T&C's.

StormWarrior wrote: »

The plane ticket was only £20! On the way home, with the same baggage, I flew with easyjet.

Was the easyjet plane ticket only £20?

StormWarrior

The easyjet plane ticket was £27, much cheaper than the £150 I paid ryanair when you take the excess baggage into account. And £130 for 2 bags is quite excessive.

axer

StormWarrior wrote: »

The easyjet plane ticket was £27, much cheaper than the £150 I paid ryanair when you take the excess baggage into account. And £130 for 2 bags is quite excessive.

But most would know that there is a charge for extra baggage - it is in the T&C's so I fail to see how Ryanair are bad for charging it when you agreed to the T&C's. If you had followed the T&C's you would have gotten a cheaper flight by £7 than with easyjet but you didnt follow the rules and thus paid the price.

StormWarrior

I would not have got a cheaper flight, the would have charged me for excess baggage still. The point I was making is that easyjet, in my experience, have always offered much better service than ryanair. Even if it was not bad of ryanair to charge me so much, it was still very nice of easyjet to let me off without paying anything extra when they could probably also have charged me £130.

BistoKid

I only take hand luggage when travelling ryanair, and I never take priority boarding either. I normally find that while the priority boarders are gridlocked at the front of the plane, I just saunter up the back steps and always get a window seat :cool:
Also I find that if I have a decent dinner before going to the airport, I dont need to buy any overpriced food/drink onboard. :cool::cool:

axer

BistoKid wrote: »

Also I find that if I have a decent dinner before going to the airport, I dont need to buy any overpriced food/drink onboard. :cool::cool:

or I just throw together a few ham sandwiches - saves a fortune!

P_1

axer wrote: »

or I just throw together a few ham sandwiches - saves a fortune!

Time to become cynical, I wonder when they're going to discover some arab smuggling a bomb in a bacon bap?:eek::pac::D

Kashkai

More to the point, when will Ryanair start charging you to use their toilets? They have to get that sewage pumped off the plane - that costs money and then it costs extra in fuel to be carrying that sewage in the first place. The way things re going with fuel, they might even remove the toilets from the plane altogether and squeeze in another couple of seats.

I can't understand why people extol the virtues of Ryanair - they are a cheap and nasty outfit that treat their customers with utter contempt. Sure you can fly from Dublin to a field an hours drive from Paris for a few euro (providing you book well in advance) but you get charged if you bring luggage? What are you supposed to do, wear the same clothes for 3 days?

axer

pithater1 wrote: »

Time to become cynical, I wonder when they're going to discover some arab smuggling a bomb in a bacon bap?:eek::pac::D

A pig fed plastic explosives before being made into ham slices.

One thing I found strange was I was allowed to bring 8 tins of baked beans through security (don't ask) even though they were liquid. You would think the risk of gassing the whole plane to death would have been enough of a risk even without the fact that there was liquid in the cans.:pac:

evil-monkey

StormWarrior wrote: »

The easyjet plane ticket was £27, much cheaper than the £150 I paid ryanair when you take the excess baggage into account. And £130 for 2 bags is quite excessive.

What airports does EasyJet fly from?? And to what destinations and how frequently??

Fact is, Ryanair is too things; a. the cheapest airline b. the most consistent ie; they fly regularly out of more airports than Dublin

Whatever about Ryanair's charges, fact is even when it all adds up they are still the cheapest...

StormWarrior

Check out easyjet.com. Ryanair do fly to more destinations, so I have to use them sometimes, but wherever possible I go with easyjet. Easyjet fly to some less popular places such as Denmark, and all the very popular places like Ibiza, Amsterdam, Spain, etc.

eth0_

StormWarrior wrote: »

Check out easyjet.com. Ryanair do fly to more destinations, so I have to use them sometimes, but wherever possible I go with easyjet. Easyjet fly to some less popular places such as Denmark, and all the very popular places like Ibiza, Amsterdam, Spain, etc.

Yes, and then you have to get to Belfast, and then get to Aldergrove airport which is nowhere near Belfast City.

From Dublin it could take you four hours just to get to the airport...

I do hope Easyjet start flying from Dublin though, have used them a few times and they were great.

axer

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

More to the point, when will Ryanair start charging you to use their toilets?

I very much doubt they ever will. Anyway they charge for toilets in many shopping centres and I don't hear people constantly giving out.

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

I can't understand why people extol the virtues of Ryanair - they are a cheap and nasty outfit that treat their customers with utter contempt.

Thats what you think. I think they are just a cheap airline and I do not understand why people need to be treated any differently than if they were in a bus when flying with regards legroom or anything else. In fact, I don't believe the citylink buses (can't speak for bus eireann) have toilets. I take a 2.5 hrs bus ride to the airport before I get on a 2 hour flight to germany. I still find Ryanair more comfortable in all its cheapness than citylink - who operate one of the more comfortable buses.

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Sure you can fly from Dublin to a field an hours drive from Paris but you get charged if you bring luggage? What are you supposed to do, wear the same clothes for 3 days?

Bring hand luggage. You can bring 10kg with you for free. How much clothes could you possibly need for 3 days?

kmick

Aer Lingus tends to be a few quid more expensive but at least you dont feel angry at every stage. Plus they are friendly. Its worth the extra few bob. Dont fly Ryanair anymore - you have a choice. I switched and never looked back.

To me its akin to eating in McDonalds. Its cheap and nasty.

axer

StormWarrior wrote: »

Check out easyjet.com. Ryanair do fly to more destinations, so I have to use them sometimes, but wherever possible I go with easyjet. Easyjet fly to some less popular places such as Denmark, and all the very popular places like Ibiza, Amsterdam, Spain, etc.

Not much use to most Irish people when they only fly from Belfast. They look like they have some good prices though and seem to include all charges in the price. Is there any credit card charges or is the price they give the complete charge?

MOH

nava wrote: »

What I have to say about Ryanair is that their flights are always on time, I don't think in all the flights I taken over the last few years ever had a delayed flight. Took a a couple with Aer Lingus and both delayed for at least 30min.

Was delayed Friday before last for an hour, nearly missed my connection despite allowing over 2 hours. They were pretty rude about it too, didn't bother apologising or even making up an excuse, plus started telling people to sit down quickly or we'd missed our ATC slot - never mind that we were already an hour late thanks to them.

StormWarrior wrote: »

Easyjet is MUCH better than ryanair. They have much fewer added charges and give much better customer service. They let you have 1 bag checked in for free. Once I travelled with ryanair with 2 extra bags and they charged me £130 excess baggage! The plane ticket was only £20! On the way home, with the same baggage, I flew with easyjet. They let me off without paying anything extra for the bags. Easyjet are always much better in my experience than ryanair. In future, go with easyjet!

StormWarrior wrote: »

Check out easyjet.com. Ryanair do fly to more destinations, so I have to use them sometimes, but wherever possible I go with easyjet. Easyjet fly to some less popular places such as Denmark, and all the very popular places like Ibiza, Amsterdam, Spain, etc.

Yes, easyjet are great. Except they don't fly to the Republic of Ireland.

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

I can't understand why people extol the virtues of Ryanair - they are a cheap and nasty outfit that treat their customers with utter contempt. Sure you can fly from Dublin to a field an hours drive from Paris for a few euro (providing you book well in advance) but you get charged if you bring luggage? What are you supposed to do, wear the same clothes for 3 days?

No, pack them in your carry-on. Myself and the gf regularly go away for up to a week with enough gear packed in our carry-on luggage. And while some Ryanair airports are a long way out like "Paris" and "Frankfurt" , in other cases (e.g. Riga) they use the same one as AL, and some (e.g. Milan) are actually closer to the city.

StormWarrior

axer wrote: »

Not much use to most Irish people when they only fly from Belfast. They look like they have some good prices though and seem to include all charges in the price. Is there any credit card charges or is the price they give the complete charge?

Most Irish people I know fly from Belfast to London and then from London to wherever they want to go. Still cheaper than a normal plane ticket.

axer

StormWarrior wrote: »

Most Irish people I know fly from Belfast to London and then from London to wherever they want to go. Still cheaper than a normal plane ticket.

Depends where you live in Ireland I guess but flying through london can be expensive in taxes and charges etc and delays etc.

Kashkai

axer wrote: »

I very much doubt they ever will. Anyway they charge for toilets in many shopping centres and I don't hear people constantly giving out.

Thats what you think. I think they are just a cheap airline and I do not understand why people need to be treated any differently than if they were in a bus when flying with regards legroom or anything else. In fact, I don't believe the citylink buses (can't speak for bus eireann) have toilets. I take a 2.5 hrs bus ride to the airport before I get on a 2 hour flight to germany. I still find Ryanair more comfortable in all its cheapness than citylink - who operate one of the more comfortable buses.

Bring hand luggage. You can bring 10kg with you for free. How much clothes could you possibly need for 3 days?

Right then.....

Point one - toilets
I see sarcasm is lost on you then....;)

Point two - customer dis-service
If you pay for a service (at the price the company quoted), then the very least you can expect is a little courtesy - not the thinly veiled contempt their staff have towards their customers, i.e. the ones paying their wages.

Point 3 - luggage charges
Now let me see - my clothes, my wife's, the 4 kids, the bottles, the nappies, the prams etc. I take it you don't have a family then or do you all like to get down and dirty :rolleyes::D

craichoe

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Right then.....

Point one - toilets
I see sarcasm is lost on you then....;)

I think it would last until someone had a dirty protest

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Point two - customer dis-service
If you pay for a service (at the price the company quoted), then the very least you can expect is a little courtesy - not the thinly veiled contempt their staff have towards their customers, i.e. the ones paying their wages.

You pay for what you get, if you want Customer service, a coke and a smile use British Airways or KLM.

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Point 3 - luggage charges
Now let me see - my clothes, my wife's, the 4 kids, the bottles, the nappies, the prams etc. I take it you don't have a family then or do you all like to get down and dirty :rolleyes::D

Thats the point though itsn't it, it doesnt suit you, so its rubbish. The reason the flight is cheap is because the extras are taken out and optional. Just because they give people a choice doesn't mean someone else should have to pay for you bringing a load of luggage, 4 kids and prams etc.

It was your choice to have all those sprogs at the end of the day

Tar.Aldarion

I can fly to england and back for cheaper than a train return to dublin, hardly a rip off. As fo rht boat, I have used that too, it takes way longer to get a boat, way way longer. You alos have to get the train after you arrive which is more time.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Prosperous Dave wrote: »

Point 3 - luggage charges
Now let me see - my clothes, my wife's, the 4 kids, the bottles, the nappies, the prams etc. I take it you don't have a family then or do you all like to get down and dirty :rolleyes::D

So you travel with a load of baggage! You can pay for it! I won't!

I got to Prague and back last month (incl luggage) for less than the rail fare to Dublin. I'm not a fan of Ryanair (their Union views and Mr O'Leary's general attitude) and use other carriers when I can, but when they are offering what is a cheap Air-bus service what do you expect? I don't get friendly cabin staff on the train or bus either. I don't get any food on the bus and many don't have toilets. You get what you pay for. Fly full price with the other carriers if you want all the trimmings. It's your choice.

BistoKid

Yeah, fly Aer Lingus and get all the trimmings. :rolleyes:

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

BistoKid wrote: »

Yeah, fly Aer Lingus and get all the trimmings. :rolleyes:

I usually fly Aer Lingus for less than Ryanair quotes. The service is fine for the money I pay. As said earlier, it's cheaper than the bus or train where there's no service at all except getting from a to b (even if that means standing all the way! ;)