 Poster: A snowHead
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Who cares about what a couple of airlines did to bring fares down. That's past history. It's the cost vs service of what Ryanair/Easyjet provide now vs BA/Lufthansa/Swiss that matters.
€98 return on Lufthansa for the last god knows how many flights I've made. It's even itemised at €6 each way (plus the rest mostly tax). With free luggage free ski transport, who would even bother trying to fly from a less convenient airport or even complain about the unnecessary cost of the free sarnie, free drink, and leather seats, when you're getting change from a €100 note?
And back when BA might have charged 800 for a scheduled flight, everyone went TO package deals, where the charter cost was about 100 but bundled in to the total.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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albinomountainbadger,
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but, it doesn't mean I choose to fly with easyjet either.
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Yes you do. You choose EJ over the other limited alternatives. That's not saying you wouldn't fly with Singapore Airways given the chance, but you haven't got the chance.
albinomountainbadger,
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some airports are entirely at the mercy of the budget lines' schedules.
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They are, but without the budget airlines they probably wouldn't even exist.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
albinomountainbadger,
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some airports are entirely at the mercy of the budget lines' schedules.
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They are, but without the budget airlines they probably wouldn't even exist. |
and some of them really shouldn't exist.
who the heck wants to fly from RAF Manston... erm I mean Kent International Airport. Sure it might be handy for a few people at the far end of Kent, but the fact that the airport has shut more times than I remember, was sold for less than the amount of spare change I found in my car the last time I hoovered it out, and public money is being spent trying to keep the UKs least viable airport viable, suggests that there's no point trying to run that airfield as an airport.
For most in Kent, it's much easier to get to LCY, LGW or LHR.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm reading this thread while sitting in a rented apartment in the South of France. We got here on a Prestwick to Carcassonne Ryanair flight for about £100 each, including luggage, priority boarding and extra legroom. Now Prestwick is an airport that's well past its sell-by date and Carcassonne isn't any better, but without this low cost option I wouldn't be having a week's holiday in October. Got to save all my money for skiing, see. So right now all I can really complain about re Ryanair is the terrible dark blue and yellow cabin decor. It really does my head in.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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scubadancer, BA & Swiss flights to the alps were a bit thin on the ground (or the air) last time I looked.
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I don't know how old all you people are, but I remember when only "The Rich" could travel by plane. All the airlines were big airlines, and they all charged incredibly high prices. THANK GOD FOR RYANAIR!!! The first airline to treat us like cattle, herding us onto basic planes & throwing us out the other end unfed, but still with some money left in our pockets. Ryanair started the whole idea of cheap air travel & now there are loads of cheap airlines to choose from for all us poor folks. So again, THANK GOD FOR RYANAIR!
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As the last 3 posters, all from the north of England and Scotland, point out, BA doesn't serve most of the UK. Must be nice for you in the southeast to have the choice of flying BA but for the 80% of us who don't live down there, it's not worth the effort so Jet2, Easyjet, Ryanair, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa or Delta for us.
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| quinton wrote: |
| If it was 'sh*te' then the business would never have got off the ground, or had the impact that it has had on the European travel market. |
Ever eaten a Pot Noodle? Fifty years on the market and sold by the billion. They are still sh**te.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| gary wrote: |
| Ryanair started the whole idea of cheap air travel |
No they didn't. As far as the UK is concerned, that was Laker for long-haul and charter airlines for short-haul. I recall in the early 1980s buying a flight-only ticket on a charter operator with an accommodation voucher and a warning "you don't want to go there". That was before Ryanair even existed. It was South West Airlines in the USA that established the business model and practices for low-cost airlines which everyone else has copied, including Ryanair and Easyjet. South West remains the largest low-cost carrier in the world. It was Easyjet that largely pioneered the direct sales only model over the web. The idea repeated in this thread that before Ryanair the only airlines were the flag carriers is completely bogus.
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Tarquin, what...snow , true enough I suppose... I usually end up getting national express to the southern airports, great value & no hidden extras or traps to fall into with them either . Also, I have no problems with easyjet, lufthansa et al, just ryanscare.... and dogwatch is spot on about them not being the low-cost pioneers that some people have deluded themselves over.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'd rather fly Ryanair than catch a National Express coach.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Hells Bells, oh? Sounds like you've had a bad experience with them. Can't say I have tbh, always on time, fairly clean, generous luggage allowance (2 cases or ski bag with carry on) & good value on fares 2 airports from the Midlands 
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scubadancer, I haven't myself, not for a long time, but son was stuck on motorway for several hours, missed his connection to Brighton in London, and it's 5+ hours from here to a southern airport on a coach which isn't really my idea of a good day out. Not NE's fault there was an accident, but just one of the risks of using a coach to get to an airport.
Not had any issues when I've flow with Ryanair. It did what it said on the tin.
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You know it makes sense.
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Talking of air fare rip offs, why is it half the price to fly to Miami from Geneva with BA than direct from Heathrow, bearing in mind you have to go via Heathrow, so thats 2 extra flights.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Ryanair started the whole idea of cheap air travel
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well apart from the fact that there's been charter airlines for a very long time whose contribution to the overall holiday price is of the order of the no-frills airlines (oh and they used to give a free hot meal too  )
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Poster: A snowHead
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
albinomountainbadger,
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but, it doesn't mean I choose to fly with easyjet either.
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Yes you do. You choose EJ over the other limited alternatives. That's not saying you wouldn't fly with Singapore Airways given the chance, but you haven't got the chance.
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I guess we disagree on what is a choice. To me it works as follows:
Shall I drive, fly or take the train?
I prefer to fly.
Shall I fly from Geneva, Lyon or Grenoble?
I prefer Geneva.
Shall I fly with Easyjet, BA, SAS, or A.N. Other?
Oh.
We have so much choice in every other area - look at all the different ferry companies that cross channel for example - it's a shock to have no options.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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andy, What happened to Lydd airport? They used to have these ancient transport plans that would fly your car across the channel (I only know this from old James Bond type films in the 1960s).
As to the least viable airport in the UK surely that honour now falls to Blackpool?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| stanton wrote: |
Read & Obey the Rules then you will not have a problem.
It is just a bus with wings |
I believe the Scots phrase is "Aye, RIGHT" IF you stick to the rules everything will be okay will it? .....http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/jan/31/ryanair-refusal-ash-cloud-compensation-court
Ryan Air blatantly ignoring not only the rules but the law so they had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to the court. Where they lost.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Lydd is still there afaik. Never sussed out who makes use of the Lydd to Le Touquet service, but I guess someone must do. But I don't think they try to run that with fokker 100's or airbuses like KLM or whoever it was at Manston. Certainly makes little sense to have both Lydd and Manston.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Blackpool probably isn't helped by a major local employer having an airfield of its own.
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I don't understand the constant whinging about Ryanair, if you don't like them don't fly with them. I fly with several airlines and I find Ryanair is just ticked boo, I know what I am asked to pay, and it still works out cheaper, I will admit I have mastered the act of limiting baggage quite well, I don't carry skis anymore as it works out great to just hire them at the destination, ( with the added bonus of getting to try new ones every time, change if not happy, always waxed and edged to perfection ) . On the check in seven days before, that is not major hasstle, and if I want to avoid the hasstle I just pay the extra five euro. I recently bought a flight with a flag carrier, they had on their site a certain price per flight, then add fees, then add cabin baggage, ( which was smaller than the size allowed Ryanair) then If I wanted to bring a bag then add that on. So they all have ways of adding to the price of the ticket. In fairness if it wasn't for the ideas of Ryanair, then we would all be paying way more for EVERY flight,. I also never have a problem with customer service, . For me Ryanair rocks.
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| biddpyat wrote: |
| I don't understand the constant whinging about Ryanair, if you don't like them don't fly with them. I fly with several airlines and I find Ryanair is just ticked boo, I know what I am asked to pay, and it still works out cheaper, I will admit I have mastered the act of limiting baggage quite well, I don't carry skis anymore as it works out great to just hire them at the destination, ( with the added bonus of getting to try new ones every time, change if not happy, always waxed and edged to perfection ) . On the check in seven days before, that is not major hasstle, and if I want to avoid the hasstle I just pay the extra five euro. I recently bought a flight with a flag carrier, they had on their site a certain price per flight, then add fees, then add cabin baggage, ( which was smaller than the size allowed Ryanair) then If I wanted to bring a bag then add that on. So they all have ways of adding to the price of the ticket. In fairness if it wasn't for the ideas of Ryanair, then we would all be paying way more for EVERY flight,. I also never have a problem with customer service, . For me Ryanair rocks. |
What don't you understand about peoples posts? A large amount of the complaints on this topic clearly state that they have had a rotten experience flying with Ryan Air and therefore will never go with them again. How complicated is that to understand?
Your last sentence makes it perfectly clear, you like them and have never had a bad experience, that's good news for you. A LOT of other posters have had a crap experience and would rather do lots of other horrible things than fly Ryan Air......which is possibly why Ryan Air have changed their ENTIRE adverting policy, trying to play nice in the face of a public backlash against the way they treat customers.
What I suspect you are saying is that people who have posted about their (obviously) terrible experience with RA are just moaners and wimps, that you are smarter than them at packing and printing tickets etc and that you are also just plain better at everything travel related than all the people who have a woosy complaint about service, extra charges & nutters under the employ of Ryan Air who make passengers life a misery knowing full well there is Jack Sh*t the punter can do at the airport to complain.
You are quite clearly Superman, which makes me wonder why you would need a plane in the first place.
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You are quite clearly Superman, which makes me wonder why you would need a plane in the first place.
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Make your point but there is no need to get personal about it.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Ryanair just make me feel unwanted.
Mind you, I am about to experience Wizzair on Monday 
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I have never even tried Ryanair. I was told how awful they are and took the advice. If I wanted to go somewhere and they were the only choice, I'd just have to suck it up and make the best of it. Bit like the Steam Racket company if you want to take your bikes over to the IOM TT. Right gits they were, lashing oily ropes over bikes and damaging them in the process. Wouldn't let anyone do it themselves though (carefully).
Anyway... We use Queazyjet, who are ok-ish, so long as you read the rules and realise they will not be reasonable in the event of any non-compliance. Yesterday, when we came back from Lisbon, they squeezed us into the area just past boarding, so they could close the rest of the airport down. We were cramped in (standing room only) a darkish area for about 45 minutes. Turns out, the airplane was still 100 miles away when they made us enter the boarding area.
Would go with the good airlines if I could afford it, but we just went to Lisbon for under £500 all in and even as a poorly postman, it's within my price range. I'm sure there were plenty of people who had nicer food onboard and slightly bigger apartments for 2-3 grand plus. Like skiing, all the good stuff is there, however much you paid for travel.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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davidhammy, I don't understand people whinging, if you don't like the airline logoff their website and use another! Or just such it up and get on with it
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Mr Marmot wrote: |
| stanton wrote: |
Read & Obey the Rules then you will not have a problem.
It is just a bus with wings |
Wrong!
I don't have any problem with the rules.
It is Ryanair's attitude and service that I find so poor. So that is a big problem for me, and, it appears many others. Even Mr O'Leary recognises that it has been a problem for many years and he says he is trying to improve things. He's not succeeded yet, in my opinion. The manager of the 'bus' service has no concept of good customer relations.  |
Get over it. Do you complain about the attitude & service of your Train & Bus Service?
Millions of passengers are using these cheap no thrills airlines for 1,2,3hr flights because they get you from A to B just like a Bus.
The Major carriers (BA , KLM , Lufthansa) are struggling on all their European routes. We have already seen many European Airlines go bust because
they were running a high cost models (Sabena,Malev,SwissAir,) The list is endless.
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You could try Monarch have your flights cancelled, moved from Leeds to Manchester at the last minute and pay a fee to be able to check in on line. Flown with all the major UK carriers - frankly there's very little difference - you just have to be careful with the small print.
Tarquin, Welcome back - been to the moon or summat?
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You know it makes sense.
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I think one of the reasons the normal airlines are struggling is they often have poor customer service too. At least Ryanair and easyjet have cheap fares.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| davidhammy wrote: |
| biddpyat wrote: |
| I don't understand the constant whinging about Ryanair, if you don't like them don't fly with them. I fly with several airlines and I find Ryanair is just ticked boo, I know what I am asked to pay, and it still works out cheaper, I will admit I have mastered the act of limiting baggage quite well, I don't carry skis anymore as it works out great to just hire them at the destination, ( with the added bonus of getting to try new ones every time, change if not happy, always waxed and edged to perfection ) . On the check in seven days before, that is not major hasstle, and if I want to avoid the hasstle I just pay the extra five euro. I recently bought a flight with a flag carrier, they had on their site a certain price per flight, then add fees, then add cabin baggage, ( which was smaller than the size allowed Ryanair) then If I wanted to bring a bag then add that on. So they all have ways of adding to the price of the ticket. In fairness if it wasn't for the ideas of Ryanair, then we would all be paying way more for EVERY flight,. I also never have a problem with customer service, . For me Ryanair rocks. |
What don't you understand about peoples posts? A large amount of the complaints on this topic clearly state that they have had a rotten experience flying with Ryan Air and therefore will never go with them again. How complicated is that to understand?
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It isn't difficult to understand, but is pure rubbish.
Hardly any of the posts are from people who have actually had a "rotten" experience.
Most are from people who just don't like the Ryanair "attitude".
And the opening post in this thread was from somebody complaining that you couldn't check in online more than 7 days ahead (unless you pay for chosen seat). IME, you couldn't check in online that far ahead with any airline until pretty recently, and many others you still can't do so more than 2-3 days ahead.
So he was complaining about something where they are actually better than average!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| foxtrotzulu wrote: |
| I never really understand a lot of these rants about Ryanair. Yes, they treat you like dirt but everyone knows that before you travel. We all make a conscious decision as to whether the generally lower cost and better punctuality outweighs the rubbish service and general attitude. If it doesn't work for you, then don't use them. |
Isn't the better punctuality due to a 2 hour flight being scheduled as a 3 hour flight and hence they are always 'on-time'
alex_heney, I'm one of the ones who's had a rotten experience, of which attitude is certainly a part. But also taken the stance of choosing to never fly with them again if at all possible. Happy to pay more and like flying to the actual destination to which i'm going not somewhere 100km away.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Levi215, just checked Stansted-Turin (Ryanair) against Gatwick-Turin (BA), just 10 minute faster with BA, so pretty similar
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hells Bells, could well be an out of date view, before i stopped flying with them they always arrived 'early'...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| stanton wrote: |
| Get over it. Do you complain about the attitude & service of your Train & Bus Service? |
Good grief. Am I right in thinking you are not British?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Levi215, Ryainair use a really short (AFAICR 20 minute) turnaround, that way they reckon to get one extra short haul flight per plane per day, it's part of their business plan. They're shaving about 20 minutes per turnaround off the norm. I doubt they'd then 'lose' an hour per flight so they could claim to be early........
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| rogg wrote: |
| Levi215, Ryainair use a really short (AFAICR 20 minute) turnaround, that way they reckon to get one extra short haul flight per plane per day, it's part of their business plan. They're shaving about 20 minutes per turnaround off the norm. I doubt they'd then 'lose' an hour per flight so they could claim to be early........ |
They probably aim for that and document it, but in my experience low cost carriers always depart late from their departure time. Probably because a 20 minute turn-round for fuel / unload / load appears to be a challenge... Does it not take 15 minutes to get everyone on in the first place, let alone getting the others off
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| stanton wrote: |
| Mr Marmot wrote: |
| stanton wrote: |
Read & Obey the Rules then you will not have a problem.
It is just a bus with wings |
Wrong!
I don't have any problem with the rules.
It is Ryanair's attitude and service that I find so poor. So that is a big problem for me, and, it appears many others. Even Mr O'Leary recognises that it has been a problem for many years and he says he is trying to improve things. He's not succeeded yet, in my opinion. The manager of the 'bus' service has no concept of good customer relations. |
Get over it. Do you complain about the attitude & service of your Train & Bus Service?
Millions of passengers are using these cheap no thrills airlines for 1,2,3hr flights because they get you from A to B just like a Bus.
The Major carriers (BA , KLM , Lufthansa) are struggling on all their European routes. We have already seen many European Airlines go bust because
they were running a high cost models (Sabena,Malev,SwissAir,) The list is endless. |
No, you should 'get over it' stanton. I am entitled to my opinion about Ryanair and just because you don't agree with it doesn't make it wrong. Just suck it up and deal with it.
I have had numerous poor experiences with Ryanair over the years. Most of which could have easily been avoided if they showed the slightest amount of fair customer service or common sense.
Ryanair have stated recently that they were going to reverse their business model of 'p*ssing people off'. Well they p*ssed me off the other day and I reported it as a warning to others who might believe they have improved. They are the same old shysters who treat their customers as idiots and as a curse.
I also appreciate the advent of low-price carriers. I understand their need to keep overheads to the minimum to keep prices low. If only Ryanair could be as half as good as Easyjet then they would be good enough. I want all low price carriers to succeed and thrive for the benefit of all of us who like to travel a lot but are not wealthy. But I find Ryanair to be devious and annoying to such a degree, I find it hard to believe it is all accidental.
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| alex_heney wrote: |
| davidhammy wrote: |
| biddpyat wrote: |
| I don't understand the constant whinging about Ryanair, if you don't like them don't fly with them. I fly with several airlines and I find Ryanair is just ticked boo, I know what I am asked to pay, and it still works out cheaper, I will admit I have mastered the act of limiting baggage quite well, I don't carry skis anymore as it works out great to just hire them at the destination, ( with the added bonus of getting to try new ones every time, change if not happy, always waxed and edged to perfection ) . On the check in seven days before, that is not major hasstle, and if I want to avoid the hasstle I just pay the extra five euro. I recently bought a flight with a flag carrier, they had on their site a certain price per flight, then add fees, then add cabin baggage, ( which was smaller than the size allowed Ryanair) then If I wanted to bring a bag then add that on. So they all have ways of adding to the price of the ticket. In fairness if it wasn't for the ideas of Ryanair, then we would all be paying way more for EVERY flight,. I also never have a problem with customer service, . For me Ryanair rocks. |
What don't you understand about peoples posts? A large amount of the complaints on this topic clearly state that they have had a rotten experience flying with Ryan Air and therefore will never go with them again. How complicated is that to understand?
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It isn't difficult to understand, but is pure rubbish.
Hardly any of the posts are from people who have actually had a "rotten" experience.
Most are from people who just don't like the Ryanair "attitude".
And the opening post in this thread was from somebody complaining that you couldn't check in online more than 7 days ahead (unless you pay for chosen seat). IME, you couldn't check in online that far ahead with any airline until pretty recently, and many others you still can't do so more than 2-3 days ahead.
So he was complaining about something where they are actually better than average! |
Alex, think about it properly.
Originally your seat was allocated when you arrived at the airport. That would have suited me. I haven't demanded to check in on-line.
Now we are asked to check-in on-line to save costs. I have no problem with that if it is reasonably easy to do.
Ryanair won't let you check in until 7 days before the flight. This gives them the opportunity to sell certain seats for more money. I can also understand that.
So if I want to check in more than 7 days before the flight (which Ryanair allow) I am forced to pay extra for the seat. Why not just allocate me the seat on the flight which they are least likely to be able to sell in advance? Surely this wouldn't be at all difficult in this computer age?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Mr Marmot, You just don't seem to have grasped the concept that with a no-frills asinine you are sacrificing comfort, convening, food,service etc. for lower fares. I'm sure Ryanair could introduce the system you desire, but it would cost them to do so and potentially lose them revenue as well. If you can't be bothered to find a way of checking in within the period they specify, then why not pay the 'early check-in fee' for which you get to choose a seat as well without any additional fee.
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Mr Marmot, I think they are changing for the better, I have flown with them pretty regularly over the last 4 years and have noticed an improvement in their attitude to passengers.
In my recent experience their customer service has been far superior than that I have received from Easyjet and I usually arrive earler than scheduled with Ryanair and later than scheduled with Easyjet.
I assume they have started charging people to book a seat to encourage them to start using their boarding pass app on a mobile (not that I have used it yet).
For me it's not been a problem finding a printer to use when away from home but for most people it is likely to be more hassle, finding a wifi connection is usually a lot simpler so it is relatively easy to check in and create your boarding pass on a mobile.
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FAQ
