Ryanair seating policy changes

mikemac2

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

When you're booking an Under 12 on Ryanair an adult must sit with the child. You must select the seats for both, but they're FREE. No charge for the adult or child and they are together. I've experience of this several times this year

Been listening to lifeline the last few days and they repeat again and again the adult purchases the seat and with this you get four child allocated seats

On their website too

Effective from October 2016 for an adult travelling with children under 12 (excl. infants) – it will become mandatory for one adult on the booking to purchase a seat so that the children in their booking get a free reserved seat. A maximum of four children for every one adult on the booking will get a free reserved seat.

https://www.ryanair.com/ie/en/useful-info/help-centre/faq-overview/Travelling-with-children#0-12

LXFlyer

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

That's just from Dublin and only for 2016 and their own survey.

I don't think it's their own survey?

Even if it were - they're hardly going to claim something that can easily be disproven?

I've not noticed MOL shouting from the rooftops about it, as he is definitely prone to doing, when someone makes a supposedly spurious claim?

As for "that's just from Dublin", well it's their main base which I suspect is the best measure of the airline as a whole? Punctuality statistics apply to both departures and arrivals. Surely Dublin is a good measure to assess it given that's where the two airlines compete on the most routes which is what wss being discussed?

Here's a few more stats:
http://www.flightontime.info/scheduled/airlines/ein16.html

I'm not saying that EI don't experience delays - of course they do. But your original assertion isn't backed up by the statistics that I can find for where they compete? But I would be happy to be proven wrong!

Can you point to 2017 statistics to back up your assertion?

ninebeanrows

I booked a flight a few days and chose Aerlingus ahead of Ryanair directly as a consequence of this decision. Just saying this does make some pax. think about which airline they fly with.

Peregrinus

Ryanair does tend to have good on-time records, in part because it's a point-to-point airline. It offers no scheduled connections between it's own flights, never mind the flights of other airlines. Thus Ryanair never has to consider, for example, delaying the departure of a flight in order to await passengers transferring from an incoming, delayed flight.

if you measure punctuality in terms of flights taking off and landing within x minutes of the scheduled time, Ryanair scores pretty well, and better than most of its competitors. But if you measure punctuality in terms of passengers arriving at their ultimate destination at the time they expected when they first made the booking, that advantage may not be so evident.

Gaoth Laidir

lxflyer wrote: »

I don't think it's their own survey?

Even if it were - they're hardly going to claim something that can easily be disproven?

I've not noticed MOL shouting from the rooftops about it, as he is definitely prone to doing, when someone makes a supposedly spurious claim?

As for "that's just from Dublin", well it's their main base which I suspect is the best measure of the airline as a whole? Punctuality statistics apply to both departures and arrivals. Surely Dublin is a good measure to assess it given that's where the two airlines compete on the most routes which is what wss being discussed?

Here's a few more stats:
http://www.flightontime.info/scheduled/airlines/ein16.html

I'm not saying that EI don't experience delays - of course they do. But your original assertion isn't backed up by the statistics that I can find for where they compete? But I would be happy to be proven wrong!

Can you point to 2017 statistics to back up your assertion?

My original assertion was merely that Aer Lingus and BA also suffer delayed flights, just like every other airline, including Ryanair. So the problem the poster had about missing the train to Kerry could have happened with another airline too.

Gaoth Laidir

mikemac2 wrote: »

Been listening to lifeline the last few days and they repeat again and again the adult purchases the seat and with this you get four child allocated seats

On their website too

The adult "purchases" the seat but the price when you get there is €0.00, for both adult and child. I've booked several such flights in the past 7 months. I can post a screenshot if you need one.

LXFlyer

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

My original assertion was merely that Aer Lingus and BA also suffer delayed flights, just like every other airline, including Ryanair. So the problem the poster had about missing the train to Kerry could have happened with another airline too.

Of course they could and I agree with that wholeheartedly - all airlines experience delays and the notion that either EI or BA don't is laughable.

But you went to claim that EI was considerably less punctual than FR and I'm curious to know the basis for that assertion?

Gaoth Laidir

lxflyer wrote: »

Of course they could and I agree with that wholeheartedly - all airlines experience delays and the notion that either EI or BA don't is laughable.

But you went to claim that FR was more punctual than EI and I'm curious to know the basis for that assertion?

No I didn't. Please quote the bit where I said that.

LXFlyer

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

The adult "purchases" the seat but the price when you get there is €0.00, for both adult and child. I've booked several such flights in the past 7 months. I can post a screenshot if you need one.

MOL seemed to suggest yesterday in both interviews that the adult did now have to pay for the seat?

Gaoth Laidir

lxflyer wrote: »

MOL seemed to suggest yesterday in both interviews that the adult did now have to pay for the seat?

OK, maybe that's a change then. We'll see when I check in for the next flight at the end of August, but as of 2 weeks ago the price for both at check-in was 0.

LXFlyer

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

No I didn't. Please quote the bit where I said that.

Apologies - that was another poster!
It's too early yet lol!!

Fattes wrote: »

Both are considerably less punctual than Ryanair!

Masala

‘Stop whingeing’: Michael O’Leary dismisses complaints over Ryanair allocated seating policy
http://jrnl.ie/3503581

Will the real Ryanair please stand up, please stand up!!!

aahhh the good old days when customer service was treated with contempt!!! The Always Gettinvg Better now now reverting back to the We Don't Give a **** programme.

Weathercheck

Weathercheck wrote: »

I booked a flight a few days and chose Aerlingus ahead of Ryanair directly as a consequence of this decision. Just saying this does make some pax. think about which airline they fly with.

Last time I used Aer Lingus, I had to pay for a seat when I went to check in. So I fly Ryanair since.

evolving_doors

It's a matter of perspective too... people paying for allocated seats are helping others to get cheaper seats.

LXFlyer

Deleted User wrote: »

Last time I used Aer Lingus, I had to pay for a seat when I went to check in. So I fly Ryanair since.

Neither airline forces anyone to pay for a seat.

You can check in for free on EI within 30 hours of your flight.

But both will charge you if you do want to select a seat in advance.

Irish Steve

lxflyer wrote: »

MOL seemed to suggest yesterday in both interviews that the adult did now have to pay for the seat?

Didn't hear the full interview, the suspicious mind in me wonders how much would be charged for the second adult where they need to ensure that they are ALL together, I suspect it will be a lot more than €1.

OK one way round it would be to book adult +2, and then book adult +2 as a second booking, but ensuring they are still together might be a challenge, I don't know if you get to choose the seats with that system, or if it's random allocated but together.

737max

checked in for return leg 4 days out and as a single traveler I'm in an aisle seat again. I think their algorithm is giving us the aisle seats so that there are adjacent seats(window and centre) available for those who wish to pay for a seat booking and then the middle seats only get filled up after.
we'll never know for certain as we will never see the code of the algorithm.


Based on my two experiences so far I'm going to continue checking in 4 days out from date of flight.

billy few mates

Well now that it's been confirmed as a revenue generating measure I think Ryanair should come out and fully enforce it it by banning seat swaps once on the aircraft. On my recent outbound leg the CC sorted out the mess reasonably amicably by asking people to move to accommodate others (apart from the guy who simply refused to be moved), on my return leg the CC declined to get involved and told people to sort it out themselves once the doors were closed. Some guy from somewhere down the back asked the person in an aisle seat in front of me to swap places so he could sit with his companion. The guy refused and it got quite heated before the CC eventually asked him to take his seat.
Why should someone who has paid for a particular seat have to find themselves in such a position? Why on earth should someone who has paid for an aisle seat up the front be asked to swap with someone down the back who has refused to pay?
It shouldn't be left to the passenger to get involved in a conflict over Ryanair's seating policy.

On a happy note I did see three or four people buying paninis and coffees.

JCX BXC

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

When you're booking an Under 12 on Ryanair an adult must sit with the child. You must select the seats for both, but they're FREE. No charge for the adult or child and they are together. I've experience of this several times this year

Well you're wrong, because you must pay for the adult seat, you are forced to.

The_Chap

JCX BXC wrote: »

Well you're wrong, because you must pay for the adult seat, you are forced to.

Not in all cases, I booked for myself, wife and daughter (4yo) to fly dub-ncl and only had to pay for one adult seat

Fact

JCX BXC

Peregrinus wrote: »

Ryanair does tend to have good on-time records, in part because it's a point-to-point airline. It offers no scheduled connections between it's own flights, never mind the flights of other airlines. Thus Ryanair never has to consider, for example, delaying the departure of a flight in order to await passengers transferring from an incoming, delayed flight.

if you measure punctuality in terms of flights taking off and landing within x minutes of the scheduled time, Ryanair scores pretty well, and better than most of its competitors. But if you measure punctuality in terms of passengers arriving at their ultimate destination at the time they expected when they first made the booking, that advantage may not be so evident.

Ryanair does offer connections flights now, although it's mainly limited and on a trial basis.

See Ryanairs connections through FCO and future connections through MAD onto North and South America with UX.

JCX BXC

The_Chap wrote: »

Not in all cases, I booked for myself, wife and daughter (4yo) to fly dub-ncl and only had to pay for one adult seat

Fact

Yes in all cases, and your case is actually an example of my point. You must pay for one adult seat, with someone under 12, you don't get it for Free.

All other passengers over 12 can slum it somewhere in a middle seat then if you wish

The_Chap

JCX BXC wrote: »

Yes in all cases, and your case is actually an example of my point. You must pay for one adult seat, with someone under 12, you don't get it for Free.

All other passengers over 12 can slum it somewhere in a middle seat then if you wish

Think you are missing my point, we got 2 free allocated seats, and I paid for the 3rd

LXFlyer

Irish Steve wrote: »

Didn't hear the full interview, the suspicious mind in me wonders how much would be charged for the second adult where they need to ensure that they are ALL together, I suspect it will be a lot more than €1.

OK one way round it would be to book adult +2, and then book adult +2 as a second booking, but ensuring they are still together might be a challenge, I don't know if you get to choose the seats with that system, or if it's random allocated but together.

The two interviews are accessible from the links below:

Sean O'Rourke:
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/today-with-sean-o-rourke/podcasts/#2543613

Liveline (MOL isn't on straightaway):
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/liveline/#2543859

JCX BXC

The_Chap wrote: »

Think you are missing my point, we got 2 free allocated seats, and I paid for the 3rd

I'd recheck that, as I think I understand where the confusion is.

Upon selecting the flights, the extra fee for 1 adult seat is already added in, so while it may appear you're getting your seat free, you are not. Check the base cost of the flights against the total cost.

grogi

billy few mates wrote: »

It shouldn't be left to the passenger to get involved in a conflict over Ryanair's seating policy

Some people are pricks, that's all. A reasonable person would ask and if refused finished the discussion.

Gaoth Laidir

JCX BXC wrote: »

Well you're wrong, because you must pay for the adult seat, you are forced to.

Eh, sorry, that's the case. I've now flown 5 flights in the last few months, most recently two on July 5th, and I - as an adult accompanying my 11-year old - had to choose a seat with him, but the cost to me was €0.00. Both seats were €0.00. Clear? Have you flown with an under-12?

Now if I wanted to pay for my wife and teenage daughter to sit with us the best I could do was €13 each per flight = €52 for the two flights. There were no seats available for less than €13 at the time I checked in. There may have been had I chosen to buy seats earlier, which I refuse to do. In the end we were separated by 10 or more rows both flighs, but in the first flight the wife and daughter were in rows 10 and 11 and in the second one it gave us 3 seats together (1 with the adult and 11-year old).

CeilingFly

Weathercheck wrote: »

I booked a flight a few days and chose Aerlingus ahead of Ryanair directly as a consequence of this decision. Just saying this does make some pax. think about which airline they fly with.

That's a very strange decision.

I went to Leeds last week - took the Ryanair fare, added €2 and that was cheaper than aer lingus.

My return was aer lingus - yes I could choose a "free" seat, but couldn't check in until 30 hours beforehand unless I paid a premium.

Both have their negatives.

The_Chap

JCX BXC wrote: »

I'd recheck that, as I think I understand where the confusion is.

Upon selecting the flights, the extra fee for 1 adult seat is already added in, so while it may appear you're getting your seat free, you are not. Check the base cost of the flights against the total cost.

Checked it and yes you're wrong, are you happy now?

I paid €8 extra only, €4 per leg for 1 seat (mine) if I wasn't going there would be no extra charge

Gaoth Laidir

JCX BXC wrote: »

I'd recheck that, as I think I understand where the confusion is.

Upon selecting the flights, the extra fee for 1 adult seat is already added in, so while it may appear you're getting your seat free, you are not. Check the base cost of the flights against the total cost.

I did that. I didn't pay for my seat.