Ryanair - New reserved seating structure(s)

A Dub in Glasgo

Difference with AL is that you can choose seats together for free when you check in online (opens 30 hours before departure)

Ms.Sunshine

mambo wrote: »

Isn't it too late at that stage? She had already chosen NOT to pay the extra charge, so was allocated seats automatically (and not contiguous) and by then it's too late to go back and choose to pay?

As far as I know you can go into Manage Bookings up to the day you fly and book reserved seats. I have done this in the past without a problem!
I also flew with Ryan air recently and we had their own reserved seats and we all got to sit together..

mambo

Ms.Sunshine wrote: »

As far as I know you can go into Manage Bookings up to the day you fly and book reserved seats. I have done this in the past without a problem!
I also flew with Ryan air recently and we had their own reserved seats and we all got to sit together..

Can any confirm this for sure? i.e. that if you refuse to pay to choose seats, and are allocated seats automatically and don't like them, you can subsequently go in and pay the fee to choose better seats?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

A Dub in Glasgo

Ms.Sunshine wrote: »

As far as I know you can go into Manage Bookings up to the day you fly and book reserved seats. I have done this in the past without a problem!

That is not relevant in this case as the person had already checked in

languagenerd

Booked flights ages ago with a friend, separately, like we've always done. Now we probably won't be seated together unless we pay €20, which I can't really justify cause the flights themselves were €30 :v Just annoying for me, cause I'm a nervous flyer and would like to be able to talk to my friend as a distraction!

Funny how they market this as a new "customer friendly" move when it's really just money-grabbing! :P

padser

mambo wrote: »

Another good reason not to fly Ryanair, especially families.

I don't need any more reasons not to fly Ryanair. I end up on about Ryanair 10 to 12 Ryanair flights every year and I hate every one of them.

I used to be of the opinion that I was happy to pay a premium to avoid the experience, but over the last 2/3 years increasingly there doesn't even seem to be much a premium, if any, to the other low cost airlines (I mostly fly Aerlingus or carrier from the country I'm flying to).

Easyjet is a fantastic airline, every bit as cheap as Ryanair but with a genuine customer service mentality (insofar possible on a budget airline obviously, it's not like they will change flight dates etc for you)

thomasm

Flew Ryanair over weekend with wife and 3 young kids. Had five seats in a row without having to pay going over and coming back.

The part where Ryanair call those with kids and people who need assistance boarding needs to be monitored a bit more. Everyone just jumped up when this was called and staff made no effort to stop them. It's not easy getting 3 young kids and bags through the scrum on the plane and as a previous poster mentioned one family in row 32 got on at the front of plane and caused all sorts of issues getting to seats. Someone should be at the bottom of the steps checking this.

Noticed also they were randomly taking bags off people on the steps. Guy beside us had a smallish bag and we had 3 cabin bags and two small back packs and they took his and ignored ours.

There is a lack of room on the plane for the luggage and staff spent a good bit of time rearranging this.

legendary.xix

ProudDUB wrote: »

I just checked in for a flight to Glasgow that I am taking tomorrow. My boarding passes have me in assigned seats. On the outbound leg, it says "Priority Q Seat 12 G" and the return leg says "Other Q Seat 30D". Anyone know what is up with that? I did not select, or pay for priority boarding either when I first booked the ticket, or when I checked in.

Someone at work was asking me that question today. They've been put on priority Q for an outward journey and other Q for return though they hadn't selected priority. Was there a reason for this?

languagenerd

legendary.xix wrote: »

Someone at work was asking me that question today. They've been put on priority Q for an outward journey and other Q for return though they hadn't selected priority. Was there a reason for this?

Flew last week - was Priority on the way out (sitting in row 2) and Other on the way home (row 23). My friend was the sane, though she had rows 1 and 9. I just assumed the first 2 or 3 rows were given Priority, maybe so that they can put their bags up and not block the aisle right at the front when everyone's trying to board?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

spurious

Flew Ryanair again at the weekend. Still, a large herd rushes to queue and stand for 30 minutes before anything happens. Do they think the plane will go without them?

There are also still a number of goons who ignore the assigned seating and plant themselves anywhere - usually with an enormous bag jammed over some other seat 4-6 rows away. Lots of fun for the staff to move these idiots.

ScottSF

As far as I'm concerned, nothing has changed with Ryanair. You always had to learn and follow the rules to have a stress-free and almost always on-time flight. Now the only difference is you have to pay if you MUST have a window or aisle seat. Or if you have a family or group of people and you don't want to risk not getting seated together (which can be dealt with if you check-in early). My advice is to factor in the reserved seating cost into the ticket price when comparing your options.

thomasm wrote: »

Noticed also they were randomly taking bags off people on the steps. Guy beside us had a smallish bag and we had 3 cabin bags and two small back packs and they took his and ignored ours.

The one thing I don't like hearing about is the flight crew taking away people's carry-on bags at the stairs/jetway. Why should they ever take away carry-on bags before the under the seat and overhead storage bins are completely full?

The only reason to queue up in advance now (same on most airlines) is if you really need overhead bin space and don't want it to run out. I hope Ryanair isn't arbitrarily taking away bags as the poster above says. Ryanair needs consistent rules on this and I'll be happy to follow them to get a good airfare deal.

spurious

ScottSF wrote: »

The only reason to queue up in advance now (same on most airlines) is if you really need overhead bin space and don't want it to run out.

If the bag is within the stated limits, it should fit under the seat in front, no?

ScottSF

spurious wrote: »

If the bag is within the stated limits, it should fit under the seat in front, no?

With the old Ryanair that SHOULD be true. However now you can bring a personal item (within limits) similar to Aer Lingus. So someone may have a large purse and also a maximize size wheelie carry-on bag. The purse must go under the seat, therefore the overhead space is also needed.

My only issue is if you only have one bag, they should never take it away because you should always be able to fit it until the seat. Anyone have experienced this?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

grimm2005

Potentially some more new customer friendly initiatives coming from Ryanair: http://www.independent.ie/business/ryanair-flies-over-70-journalists-to-london-in-major-charm-offensive-30128263.html

Possibly free checked in baggage for families and free allocated seating for kids (not sure about that one, surely it means the parents would still have to pay for their chosen seats?), as well as free milk warming facility. New "family fares" will come in in April.

I'm quite surprised by the free checked bag comment considering MOL's hatred for checked in baggage but I'm guessing this cost might be hidden in the "family" fares (albeit at a lower cost then the usual stand-alone charges).

Also of note is that the new website will launch April 10th (possibly sooner) apparently making it far easier to find the cheapest prices. Would be interesting if they implemented their own type of skyscanner system on the site, although I understand that they are doing something with Google on this front.

I'm personally looking forward to mobile boarding passes which I think they previously said are coming in June.

cullenswood

I booked my flights a few months ago for the family holiday around about the time allocated seating came into effect, but unfortunately I think I missed the option when booking. I paid €7 each for priority boarding for each family member so we could get seats together. I since learned about the allocated seating and tried to pick my seats via Manage my Booking but it is not letting me do it. Do I have to wait until 15 days before, despite paying the €7 charge (which is equivalent to the €5 allocated seating charge, plus €2 extra for priority boarding)?

Thanks

languagenerd

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Flew to Scotland and back with them last week - they didn't measure at all on the way out, but one staff member was measuring on the way back. Meant you had a 1 in 4 chance of being checked, although he was too distracted by the girl ahead of me to even look at mine.

It's less likely than it used to be, but they are still occasionally checking. If people start taking the absolute piss with it, they won't be long going back to their old ways...

Jimmy Iovine

mambo wrote: »

Can any confirm this for sure? i.e. that if you refuse to pay to choose seats, and are allocated seats automatically and don't like them, you can subsequently go in and pay the fee to choose better seats?

Any confirmation on this?

I'm flying with my girlfriend in a week's time. I don't want to check-in before I know for definite.

grimm2005

Jimmy Iovine wrote: »

Any confirmation on this?

I'm flying with my girlfriend in a week's time. I don't want to check-in before I know for definite.

I just checked in for a flight, was allocated a random seat and I was able to go back into "manage my booking" afterwards and I was able to choose and pay for a new seat.

A Dub in Glasgo

I checked in for a flight in 2 weeks and we got 4 seats across (C, D, E & F) for the family. Happy with that

kingshankly

Can not for the life of me understand why people with kids would take the chance of not getting seats together by not paying for selecting seats

mambo

kingshankly wrote: »

Can not for the life of me understand why people with kids would take the chance of not getting seats together by not paying for selecting seats

Just booked flights with both Ryanair & Vueling. Paid €5 extra for allocated seating to be 100% sure mum & dad & toddler would all sit together. I know the toddler would never be allowed sit on their own, but I wanted to be 100% sure all 3 of us will be together in a row. Flights were still dead cheap, even with the "emotional blackmail" extra fee, which I just factored into the overall price.

ger664

cullenswood wrote: »

I booked my flights a few months ago for the family holiday around about the time allocated seating came into effect, but unfortunately I think I missed the option when booking. I paid €7 each for priority boarding for each family member so we could get seats together. I since learned about the allocated seating and tried to pick my seats via Manage my Booking but it is not letting me do it. Do I have to wait until 15 days before, despite paying the €7 charge (which is equivalent to the €5 allocated seating charge, plus €2 extra for priority boarding)?

Thanks

My sister in law did the same and was allowed to allocate her seats at no extra cost 2 weeks ago and not flying until June. We are on the same flights I didnt book priority as I want to get away from my teenage kids for a couple of hours

languagenerd

kingshankly wrote: »

Can not for the life of me understand why people with kids would take the chance of not getting seats together by not paying for selecting seats

If a couple had three kids, it'd cost €60 to select seats together. I'd say that's probably why - people have already paid the fare and baggage fees, so they're willing to take a chance in the hope they'd get to sit together anyway. People now know about it, but there are those like some posters above who booked before all these changes came in, paid extra for the priority queue so they could get on first (as they thought it was unallocated) and now will have to fork out another €40 to €60 on top of what they already paid because the terms have changed in the meantime...

Jimmy Iovine

grimm2005 wrote: »

I just checked in for a flight, was allocated a random seat and I was able to go back into "manage my booking" afterwards and I was able to choose and pay for a new seat.

Cheers. I just checked in there and we're beside each. Window seat as well. Hate the aisle ones.

A Dub in Glasgo

kingshankly wrote: »

Can not for the life of me understand why people with kids would take the chance of not getting seats together by not paying for selecting seats

£40 extra to select seats, 30 minute flight. Kids are 11 & 14, I will save my £40 tyvm now that I know Ryanair will seat a party together if you check in early enough

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

kingshankly

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

£40 extra to select seats, 30 minute flight. Kids are 11 & 14, I will save my £40 tyvm now that I know Ryanair will seat a party together if you check in early enough

At that age it's ok but someone say with a 3 and 5 year old there's no way I'd chance it regardless of price which will still be cheaper than any other airline