Ryanair pricing policy

abff · 24-01-2014 9:32pm #1

I have been keeping an eye on the cost of Ryanair flights to Faro as there is a meeting in late March that I probably should attend (although I don't absolutely HAVE to go).

It was only recently that I found out the date of the meeting and I checked flights for that week, going out and returning midweek. At the time there was one seat available at the lowest price on both the outbound and inbound flights, but by the time I had checked something I needed to clarify, these prices were gone.

The next price level said nothing about a limited number of seats so I decided to hold off to see if the prices came down. I tried checking for multiple bookings (it was either yesterday or Wednesday the last time I checked) and the prices remained the same until I got to 10 seats for the outbound flight and 9 for the inbound flight.

I had another look this evening and the prices for both legs have gone up. Not by that much, but around €25 in total for the return trip. My question is, does anyone know how Ryanair decide on how to price their flights?

My thinking was that they would have a number of seats available at a particular price and when these are gone, the next price level would apply. However, if they are getting close to the flight date and relatively few seats have been sold, they would drop the price to increase occupancy. Does this sound logical and (more importantly) does this reflect actual pricing policy?

I'm feeling peeved enough right now to cancel my trip, but will probably wait a day or two before making a final decision. Or is this only going to lead to a possible further increase in prices i.e. are Ryanair price adjustments "upwards only"?

Nino Brown · 24-01-2014 9:34pm

I would have thought the closer it gets to the flight the prices would go up. If you're booking flights on short notice it usual means you have to travel so will be willing to pay more.

abff · 24-01-2014 9:36pm

I get that, but it's still nearly two months away, so it's hardly short notice at this stage.

Mrs W · 24-01-2014 9:43pm

Are you checking on the same computer? I read somewhere that it knows which flights you checked so the prices won't come down, I'm not very technically minded but I thinks it's cookies!

abff · 24-01-2014 10:11pm

Thanks. I'll try checking on my iPad.

efc67 · 24-01-2014 10:13pm

abff wrote: »

Thanks. I'll try checking on my iPad.

I would even check from a different ip address as well ;-0

What are the dates, i could check here and see what prices are coming up

abff · 24-01-2014 10:15pm

efc67 wrote: »

I would even check from a different ip address as well ;-0

That's probably a good idea. I tried my iPad and got the same prices.

Sheldons Brain · 24-01-2014 10:17pm

That's probably a good idea. I tried my iPad and got the same prices.

If you tried your IPad on the same home wi-fi then it had the same IP number. Fair enough if it was using 3G.

tatli_lokma · 24-01-2014 10:20pm

It's your ip address it stores, not the device so you need to check at work or something. Also makes sure you clear your cookies and cache before you book. But even though they do store the ip this does not always guarantee the price will be different from another ip.

billie1b · 25-01-2014 12:32am

There's a system, lets say A to H, there's 189 seats on the Aircraft, so the first 10 seats, Group A, will sell for €10, Group B, 20 seats, €20 each, Group C, 20 seats, €30 each , Group D, 30 seats, €65 each, Group E, 30 seats, €130 each, Group F, 30 seats, €180 each, Group G, 20 seats, €210 each and finally Group H, 29 seats, €250 each.
The flights go on sale, Groups A to D sell out as they are cheap, takes Group E and F longer to sell but not all seats are selling, so now if they dont sell by a certain time before the flight date they will automatically get lower in price and G and H will stay the same price and so on

grimm2005 · 31-01-2014 1:24am

I'd love to know exactly how the system works, although I'd say billie1b is pretty close to the mark. It seems to me based on previous flights I've taken and constantly checking prices etc that they have a pretty much "standard" price that flights cost depending on day of week/time of year/destination when they first come out. When X amount of seats that cost the standard price are sold, it then jumps to the next higher tier etc. but if all seats in such a tier haven't been sold and it's getting closer to the flight date the system thinks "right, getting closer to the flight and still haven't sold all seats in Tier 3, better discount the rest of them so I can clear them out and start selling at Tier 4 price". But about 5 - 7 days before a flight, I think the rest of the seats, no matter how many sold will all jump to the highest price tier by default in the hope that there will be several folks who have no choice but to get the last minute flights for whatever reasons they have. The few people who get the last minute flights would presumably negate the empty seats not sold that they may have filled had the flight been cheaper by charging so much for them.

Just a theory but seems to make sense to me! Oh and fwiw, I'm almost sure the whole "checking your IP address/cookies to keep high prices based on your interest" thing is an urban legend based on experiments I've read online and also based on my own experiences, I've never seen any evidence of it. For example, I was booking flights from Warsaw to Dublin last November, checking them about once every day before we had 100% figured out our plan just to see they were staying at the same price. The day comes to book them, same price in the morning, I think "grand, I'll get em at lunch time", check again at lunch time and pleasantly surprised to see them at half price. All from the same computer without clearing any cache.

Ryanair pricing policy

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