Ryanair seating policy changes

ahbell

The_Chap wrote: »

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

Have a booking in September with my missus, purposely booked separately with the thinking being that if we both check in last minute once all seats are selected/assigned we might end up sitting at least on the same end of the plane. Either way we can't be any worse off than the current system.

trellheim

last night was swapsies galore, very funny to watch

"What - you mean I'm not supposed to sit here" arm chancing galore when people had paid for seats ... out... hoppit ...


this will only get worse.

billy few mates

I had to travel to Poland on Ryanair this week and it was a fiasco, people travelling together who obviously hadn't paid the premium to sit together just basically sat with their companions and fronted it out. I felt sorry for the CC who were left trying to sort it out. I checked in the night before and was automatically assigned a middle seat (albeit an exit row seat) which didn't bother me, when checking in I was prompted to 'avoid the middle seat syndrome' for only €4 but when I looked it would have cost me €13 to avoid the stigma so I declined.
Eventually after much discombobulating we were left with one couple who were facing 'economic separation' for the journey and the CC member politely asked the person in front of me if he would mind giving up his seat to allow them to sit together, he told the girl he'd paid €18 for the seat and he would only only move if they refunded him the €18..!

737max

I still can't figure out the seating algorithm.
I checked-in 4 days from travel date and was assigned an aisle seat.
maybe their seat assignment algorithm is so sophisticated that on holiday routes it puts single Travelers in aisle or window seats to give the maximum number of seats for Traveling pairs or maybe it is just purely random for lone Travelers.

Jocelynel

I believe the algorithm is designed to extort more money for ryanair! This was the first year that checking in 4 days before the flight we were completely split up as a family of 5....our flight had 23 empty seats so the cabin crew were able to put us together, the ryanair helpdesk wanted us to pay, on principle we didn't pay and took our chances as you can't have 9 year olds sitting on there own in row 23, while mum is in row 32 and dad in row 9....safety risk...each of the 5 of us had empty seats beside us! shame on ryanair....I took photos as they gave me the option of 'do you want to sit together'....

JCX BXC

Jocelynel wrote: »

I believe the algorithm is designed to extort more money for ryanair! This was the first year that checking in 4 days before the flight we were completely split up as a family of 5....our flight had 23 empty seats so the cabin crew were able to put us together, the ryanair helpdesk wanted us to pay, on principle we didn't pay and took our chances as you can't have 9 year olds sitting on there own in row 23, while mum is in row 32 and dad in row 9....safety risk...each of the 5 of us had empty seats beside us! shame on ryanair....I took photos as they gave me the option of 'do you want to sit together'....

I'd be very skeptical of the authenticity of your post, as children under 12 get a free allocated seat with 1 adult forced to pay for one to sit beside this child.

Jocelynel

JCX BXC wrote: »

I'd be very skeptical of the authenticity of your post, as children under 12 get a free allocated seat with 1 adult forced to pay for one to sit beside this child.

yes, you are correct....children under 12 do get a free seat....however adults must pay, in the past checking in 7 days in advance or more recently 4 days in advance, we were always put together....

JCX BXC

Jocelynel wrote: »

yes, you are correct....children under 12 do get a free seat....however adults must pay, in the past checking in 7 days in advance or more recently 4 days in advance, we were always put together....

Yes, but an adult is forced to pay, ensuring no child under 12 will be seated alone. (Unless of course you purposely seat then apart, not that I'm sure it'll let you do that but I've never tried).

Jocelynel

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/ryanair-allocated-seating-policy-splitting-up-passengers/

not the only ones who have complained

JCX BXC

Jocelynel wrote: »

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/ryanair-allocated-seating-policy-splitting-up-passengers/

not the only ones who have complained

I think the thread is testimant to that.

However I don't think we should be exaggerating or deliberately implying incorrect scenarios. I was recently on a flight where a group of us were split up, which I personally had no problem with whatsoever.

Hitman3000

Is it another means to extract money from people? Of course it is. Ryanair is a business, do I like it?no. Do I have other options, yes three. Take my chances with a random seat away from my family/friends for up to 3 hours( manageable ) pay to sit together or finally choose an Airline that doesn't charge for you to sit together, although the fare will most likely be higher.

Jocelynel

I'm not implying an incorrect scenario, just saying what happened to us. Giving us 5 overly random seats, all in the middle seat, with empty seats beside each of us and the plane wasn't full. I have no reason to lie and the CC are well used to dealing with this issue...

I suppose my point is when checking in 4 days in advance and if the ryanair plane has plenty of seats, WHY NOT PUT US TOGETHER!!! simple answer was to extort more money out of us, nice earner for ryanair imo.

It's the first time this has happened to us in 8 years....

JCX BXC wrote: »

I think the thread is testimant to that.

However I don't think we should be exaggerating or deliberately implying incorrect scenarios. I was recently on a flight where a group of us were split up, which I personally had no problem with whatsoever.

JCX BXC

Jocelynel wrote: »

I'm not implying an incorrect scenario, just saying what happened to us. Giving us 5 overly random seats, all in the middle seat, with empty seats beside each of us and the plane wasn't full. I have no reason to lie and the CC are well used to dealing with this issue...

I suppose my point is when checking in 4 days in advance and if the ryanair plane has plenty of seats, WHY NOT PUT US TOGETHER!!! simple answer was to extort more money out of us, nice earner for ryanair imo.

It's the first time this has happened to us in 8 years....

I'm telling you that it didn't happen, because children under 12 must choose a free seat, and an adult must pay for a seat on the booking when travelling with children under 12.

Yeah it's a new policy, so it may well have been the first time.

Mebuntu

I did a quick check on 4 Ryanair flights one way from Dublin a week ahead for next Sat 22nd July and the number of seats selected and paid for already are as shown below. I've nothing to compare with from before the latest seating allocation row began but, perhaps, someone else might know if there is a significant difference now that people know the score and have decided to pay for seats.

Almeria 105
Faro 117
Lanzarote 123
Bergamo 142

embraer170

I am pretty sure it has gone up significantly.

Jocelynel

Well I'm telling you it did happen! I booked my flights the minute they came out last year in August prior to the mandatory seat selection for adults flying with children

of course adults don't mind being separated

the point is the ryanair algorithm deliberately separated parents and young children in order to force us to pay where in the past if you left your checkin until 7/4 days before the flight, you were pretty much guaranteed sitting together

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ryanair-flights-middle-seats-assigned-passengers-pay-reserve-changed-seating-policy-a7750581.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4589592/Ryanair-split-families-claim-passengers.html

JCX BXC wrote: »

I'm telling you that it didn't happen, because children under 12 must choose a free seat, and an adult must pay for a seat on the booking when travelling with children under 12.

Yeah it's a new policy, so it may well have been the first time.

JCX BXC

Flights wouldn't have been out in august last year.

Anyway, if what your saying is true, it's an extremely isolated case which wouldn't occur at the moment.

Car99

Definitely 21st century first world problem. In the 20th century most of these complainers wouldn't even have dreamt of flying away on a family holiday. Pay up or find an alternative . It's their plane and they can charge how they want for it. It's not as if they ambush pax with the charges. Lifes too short .

billy few mates

I can't help wondering if this new policy is having an unintended affect on inflight sales. The cabin crew did two passes through the cabin with the catering trolley and from what I saw I think they only sold two cups of coffee, I don't think they sold anything at all from the 'duty free' trolley. Some people might be self conscious about eating around strangers, I was peckish but I wasn't about to start tearing into a breakfast roll with two strangers either side of me.
I flew on RYR recently with the other half and she was at the front while I was at the back, neither of us were bothered and I certainly wasn't about to pay a premium to sit together, not because of a protest or anything it's just that I think my money could be better spent. Don't pay to sit together and use the savings to pay for lunch when you arrive.

corcaigh07

Travelled with my girlfriend on Friday Dublin to Brussels. BOTH of us had free seats beside each other.

5 mins before take off, I moved to her.

I love Ryanair usually but this policy doesn't work for anyone, including the airline.

The_Chap

Car99 wrote: »

Definitely 21st century first world problem. In the 20th century most of these complainers wouldn't even have dreamt of flying away on a family holiday. Pay up or find an alternative . It's their plane and they can charge how they want for it. It's not as if they ambush pax with the charges. Lifes too short .

I don't think anyone is disputing the fact that Ryanair are a business and can do what they want, it's more to do with the fact they outright deny that the allocation system has changed to purposely separate passengers in order to generate more revenue

WishUWereHere

I have no direct or indirect affiliation to Ryanair, but wish to say that I booked for 4 adults to fly to Nice and return from Barcelona last February. We flew out to Nice 2 weeks ago, and returned from Barcelona 2 days ago ( Friday ).

All 8 seats were honoured as per the bookings.

Tenger

In relatjon to the anecdotal seperation of parents and kids. I thought that there was an EU aviation (EASA) reg about this?
ie. Kids under a certain age must be seated with their parents.

I'll check it out when able to.

triggermortis

I flew Ryanair this week for the first time in years. I was alone so didn't bother paying for a specific seat as I was in no hurry to get on or off the plane. I had a middle seat on both flights.
I have always disliked Ryanair and this new policy just adds another crumb of discomfort to using their service

satguy

If everyone that was separated from a partner/family just refused to buy anything from cabin service, and let the nice cabin lady/man know why they are not getting a sale, MOL might take notice.

Henry Ford III

"Separated" in that context suggests that the passengers had no control over their seating allocations, which is incorrect.

corcaigh07

Henry Ford III wrote: »

"Separated" in that context suggests that the passengers had no control over their seating allocations, which is incorrect.

For the fare price initially displayed, the passengers are separated on purpose by Ryanair. For at least 4 Euro extra, it can be corrected.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Henry Ford III

corcaigh07 wrote: »

For the fare price initially displayed, the passengers are separated on purpose by Ryanair. For at least 4 Euro extra, it can be corrected.

The fare initially displayed means random seating though. If the passengers are happy with that then there's no issue.

If however they want reserved seating next to a travelling companion(s) they can add the cost of that to their fare. Again that makes perfect sense.

It's a bit dim however to just pay minimum fare and still expect to be seated together.

The_Chap

Henry Ford III wrote: »

The fare initially displayed means random seating though. If the passengers are happy with that then there's no issue.

If however they want reserved seating next to a travelling companion(s) they can add the cost of that to their fare. Again that makes perfect sense.

It's a bit dim however to just pay minimum fare and still expect to be seated together.

Bit unfair to label people as dim.

The point being made is when you booked together previously the system generally sat you together, even though there was no guarantee that you sat together. Now the guarantee is that you won't unless you pay additional.