Ryanair seating policy changes

Blut2

IngazZagni wrote: »

I just flew on a short flight within mainland Europe this eveninng with Ryanair. The flight was about half full. I was one of the last to board. As I looked up the cabin I noticed that almost every middle seat was taken from front to back and only the odd window or aisle was occupied. Once the door closed the game of musical chairs commenced. People were getting up and moving everywhere. The cabin crew were trying to get people to sit down without much luck. The plane started pushing back and still people were standing up. It was very funny to watch. Poor cabin crew though that have to put up with this new seating system. It was never like this before.

I think this is the most likely outcome of all this on every flight. Its all very well saying "people should just pay up for the assigned seat if they want it!". But in reality we know thats not going to happen - people will instead just cause huge hassle at boarding by trying to swap seats.

Hopefully this results in enough delays that Ryanair decide to rescind the policy sooner rather than later.

L1011

I get the strange feeling that a gradual change was intended in the algorithim here to slowly make people more likely to buy reserved seats; and they've screwed it up.

Spanish Eyes

I said it on another thread.

Why is Ryanair making a dog's blx out of this. It is so complex for people trying to beat the system by not paying for their seats and still sitting next to travelling companions no matter what! lol

Why not just incorporate the seat charge, say a fiver or less into the fare structure and you get the seats you want every time. Extra charge for exit and front row seats of course.

Can someone explain the logic of this complex arrangement to me, as opposed to just fekkin charging everyone (even though they don't really realise it!). I am sure I am missing some marvellous corporate idea. I must be. I am.....

Blut2

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

I said it on another thread.

Why is Ryanair making a dog's blx out of this. It is so complex for people trying to beat the system by not paying for their seats and still sitting next to travelling companions no matter what! lol

Why not just incorporate the seat charge, say a fiver or less into the fare structure and you get the seats you want every time. Extra charge for exit and front row seats of course.

Can someone explain the logic of this complex arrangement to me, as opposed to just fekkin charging everyone (even though they don't really realise it!). I am sure I am missing some marvellous corporate idea. I must be. I am.....

Because people will generally book the cheapest possible flight, then worry about the ancillary costs later. If Ryanair were to increase all flight costs by 5eur their flights would potentially now be X eur more expensive than competitor's flights who do not do likewise, resulting in Ryanair losing business.

plodder

Blut2 wrote: »

Because people will generally book the cheapest possible flight, then worry about the ancillary costs later. If Ryanair were to increase all flight costs by 5eur their flights would potentially now be X eur more expensive than competitor's flights who do not do likewise, resulting in Ryanair losing business.

The general theory, that gives it a layer of respectability, is that by picking apart all the different costs involved, you are giving people the option of only paying for the bits that they actually want. So, if you don't need checked baggage, then you should pay less than someone who does, because there are real costs associated with baggage handling. Same goes for meals/food etc. All services that everyone used to get whether they wanted them or not, and nobody disagrees with the way it's done now.

The theory kind of breaks down in this case, because it's hard to identify costs associated with sitting people together, that are saved by spreading them randomly throughout the plane. You are still transporting the same number of people. Yes, there is a benefit from being guaranteed seats together, but deliberately spreading them around the plane, is a bit of a 'dog in the manger', ie. depriving people of something useful deliberately, and for no good reason than to extract a few more euros out of them.

trishasaffron

trishasaffron wrote: »

I don't really understand people being annoyed. Sitting together is an optional extra that Ryanair want you to pay for. If you don't want that option don't pay for it. The fact that you were able to get the option free in the past is neither here nor there.

It's not paying for an extra service though, it's a protection racket.

"Oh look, we've split up your family at 'random' on the flight. But if you pay us, we'll sit you together".

It's not the same as paying for baggage or other extras, it's taking away something that has been standard since the year dot in the airline industry, and doing it not to save money but to make money. Of course it is going to annoy people.

It's like sticking a big spike in each seat and cheerfully asking punters if they'd like to pay a fiver to remove it. By your logic that's all grand because hey, if you don't want the spike just pay the money.

frag420

Deleted User wrote: »

It's not paying for an extra service though, it's a protection racket.

"Oh look, we've split up your family at 'random' on the flight. But if you pay us, we'll sit you together".

It's not the same as paying for baggage or other extras, it's taking away something that has been standard since the year dot in the airline industry, and doing it not to save money but to make money. Of course it is going to annoy people.

It's like sticking a big spike in each seat and cheerfully asking punters if they'd like to pay a fiver to remove it. By your logic that's all grand because hey, if you don't want the spike just pay the money.

Or you could could look at it this way, "Oh look, if we are smart and pay a little extra we can all sit together and have an enjoyable flight together"!

Its not like they are hiding the charges, its there in black & white. Ryanair are not into the business of keeping families and couples happy, their business is about getting you to your destination. If you want the extras then pay for them, if you don't then stop moaning about it!!

If a family of four were traveling it would be about another twenty euro each way give or take a couple of euro to sit together. If they don't want to pay it then fine but (form what I see as I travel frequently) they are happy to splash the cash on pints, g&ts and minerals for the kids when at the airport before going on their hols or wherever. A bit of forward planning and all would be ok!!

I know that when I pay the extra for priority boarding and seat allocation then I know where I am sitting, that my bag is above me and that I will get on and off very quickly due to where I book my seat. If others cant get their head around this then they should take a ferry or go to Kerry!!

As for your spike analogy...such nonsense!!

frag420

frag420 wrote: »

As for your spike analogy...such nonsense!!

Why is it nonsense?

martinsvi

I'm just thinking - whenever I have bought a reserved seating, I typically do that upon checking in when I'm not happy with my randomly allocated seats (11A for example, what a joy!) If everyone is now allocated middle seat by default - that takes one third of the plane to check in before me when I'm already are out of options to pay for the seats so my family can sit together? The very same strategy that forces people to buy seats is then effectively working against itself is how I would describe it..

yeah yeah, I'm sure there will be people asking me to buy my seats before check in opens, but you have to take in people's habits and previous experiences into account..

jackinthemix94

Deleted User wrote: »

Why is it nonsense?

Because they are providing you with a service, and a seat for the trip. Not being able to sit next to friends or family doesn't constitute an unreasonable inconvenience that a spike in the seat would.

Ryanair won't backtrack on this, the cabin crew will just be pressured to make sure people are where their allocated seat is.

jackinthemix94

jackinthemix94 wrote: »

Because they are providing you with a service, and a seat for the trip. Not being able to sit next to friends or family doesn't constitute an unreasonable inconvenience that a spike in the seat would.

Ryanair won't backtrack on this, the cabin crew will just be pressured to make sure people are where their allocated seat is.

No, they are removing an aspect of the service (comfortable seating) and then making you pay to get that service. It's exactly the same thing.

jackinthemix94

Deleted User wrote: »

No, they are removing an aspect of the service (comfortable seating) and then making you pay to get that service. It's exactly the same thing.

Ryanair don't state that 'comfortable seating' is in the deal - the ToCs state that they'll get you from A to B.

jackinthemix94

jackinthemix94 wrote: »

Ryanair don't state that 'comfortable seating' is in the deal - the ToCs state that they'll get you from A to B.

Yes, that's my point exactly.

Bring on the spike!

LirW

I'm neutral to that policy, the only thing that bothers me is the separation from parents and kids under 12.
Booked flights and they allocated my 6 y/o to an A-seat, while I was in the same row but on an F-seat. I can't get my head around why this is possible, really.
My son is cool about it but I'm just thinking of families with like 3 kids and all allocated anywhere and then kids are rioting.

plodder

jackinthemix94 wrote: »

Ryanair don't state that 'comfortable seating' is in the deal - the ToCs state that they'll get you from A to B.

The possibilities here are endless. I'm sure Boeing could organise for drops of water, to come out of the panel over your head, or continuous hot air in Summer, or cold air in Winter, with a small fee to disable these "features". You could provide a whole menu of comfort features, that you can select from.

It's amazing what people will justify. Recently, there was people saying they aren't even under an obligation to transport checked baggage, which you have paid for!

ohlordy

frag420 wrote: »

Or you could could look at it this way, "Oh look, if we are smart and pay a little extra we can all sit together and have an enjoyable flight together"!

Its not like they are hiding the charges, its there in black & white. Ryanair are not into the business of keeping families and couples happy, their business is about getting you to your destination. If you want the extras then pay for them, if you don't then stop moaning about it!!

If a family of four were traveling it would be about another twenty euro each way give or take a couple of euro to sit together. If they don't want to pay it then fine but (form what I see as I travel frequently) they are happy to splash the cash on pints, g&ts and minerals for the kids when at the airport before going on their hols or wherever. A bit of forward planning and all would be ok!!

I know that when I pay the extra for priority boarding and seat allocation then I know where I am sitting, that my bag is above me and that I will get on and off very quickly due to where I book my seat. If others cant get their head around this then they should take a ferry or go to Kerry!!

As for your spike analogy...such nonsense!!

The point of all of this, in my opinion, is that they have changed their behaviour.
Previously you had the option of not paying to reserve a seat and taking the chances that when it came to free check in time that you would be seated with others on your booking. Yes, it was possible that come the free check in time there would not be any unallocated seats available in a cluster to accommodate the members of your party, but it was a chance.
Now it is not a chance, it is guaranteed that you will not be seated together unless you have paid. This is the type of price gouging that is entirely unnecessary and will only cause reputational damage.

They are within their rights to do it. I (and others) are within my rights to call them a**holes for doing so.

I hope the many inconveniences that this may cause to flight crew during boarding etc will cause a reversal

markpb

frag420 wrote: »

Or you could could look at it this way, "Oh look, if we are smart and pay a little extra we can all sit together and have an enjoyable flight together"!

Average far is €41 so paying €5 on top of that is a 12% increase for something that people used to get for free most of the time.

trellheim

You could say the same about baggage charges and people seem happy with that arrangement.

In relation to being split up from your kids - if you had a husband wife and 5 children someone was always going to get the short straw as the seventh would have had to sit on their own ?


The mobile boarding pass is a real problem though as if the kids are at the back and youre at the front its going to be massive hassle , and the only need for the boarding pass is for the cabin crew to make sure youre on the right airplane . So all you are going to do is enter from one airstairs to fix that, with a potentially large impact on time taken to get to your seat ( if you're in 1a and the kids are in 25 d and c then its a trip all the way down to 25 and back up to 1 ( or vice versa ) x 30 families ( at a min and its chaos )

I see where theyre going with this and they're within rights to have a go but I think they'll prototype it over the summer ( 10% ancillary increase with no impact on punctuality... . Great !!! ( or words to that effect ) , here to stay ) .

donkey balls

What ever about charging for checked in bags seats at the front and emergency exist seats we have become used to paying extra for those, But the random seating imo is a load of b*ll*X.
The flight I'm on with 20 odd other lads this weekend has us sitting all over the place, Now we couldn't give a flying f**K about the seats we are in.
But if travelling with family or partners I'm sure people might start looking at other carriers who have not brought the extra charge in.

Noxegon

In the Times now:

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/hundreds-come-forward-to-complain-about-ryanair-seat-allocation-1.3112748

rameire

people commenting on the article saying they were separated from their kids,
which puzzles me as it is Ryanair policy that you have to book a seat if you are travelling with a child.

embraer170

rameire wrote: »

people commenting on the article saying they were separated from their kids,
which puzzles me as it is Ryanair policy that you have to book a seat if you are travelling with a child.

A few possible reasons:
- The kids are 12 or above;
- They booked before the policy was introduced;
- They booked their kids as adults (and would have to lie about their d.o.b during online checkin);
- They had a last minute flight chance (following a cancellation) or booked very late and there were no pairs available when pickings seats (they still would have had to pay).

LirW

- The kids are 12 or above;

Booked a few months ago for a flight in July, they allocated my 6yo on the opposite side on the isle in a literally empty plane (saw it when I purchased seats). It seems like a lot of people experiencing this with families being split up all over the plane, the smallest kid being 4yo and supposed to sit rows and rows away from the parents. And I'm sorry, but splitting small children from their parents is unacceptable.

CaptainSkidmark

I flew back from london two weeks ago, My wife was placed 10 rows back and another couple that i know of were split up also. All 6 of us had free seats next to us, I had one on either side!

ZX7R

Just wondering if you have reserved seating can you Que the same as if you payed for priority boarding

LirW

ZX7R wrote: »

Just wondering if you have reserved seating can you Que the same as if you payed for priority boarding

No, you have to pay for priority boarding separately if you only purchase a seat.

ZX7R

Thank you lirw , i reserved seats for me and my wife and two kids, my son is special needs and will have assistance from DAA for some reason i tought reserved seating could be used same as priority boarding.

LirW

A lot of airlines let people with kids board with priority people or right after them before the rest of the crowd. Kinda makes sense with small children. With Ryanair you definitely have to pay for it, which is like a few quid per person.

Tar.Aldarion

This just happened to me, they gave no indication that their assignment policy had changed (always been sat together for years), rather annoying. Along with baggage being taken really often now for the hold it's starting to be more hassle. I can imagine everybody seeing can they swap seats on the flight now.

The_Chap

Dont care how they fluff it up, it is just another way to extract more money out of passengers, the new seat allocation system has been coded to ensure people on the same booking reference are separated