Ryanair customer service announcement

Hairy Homer

Anybody else get this hilarious e-mail from Ryanair in the last few days.

Dear Customer


Ryanair leads the airline industry with the lowest levels of mishandled baggage, with only 0.5 bags per 1000 passengers being lost or delayed, compared to the very high levels of mishandled bags reported by 'flag' carriers across Europe. In an effort further to improve our customer service in this area, we are asking customers to ensure that all checked bags are labelled before arrival at the airport. This label should include passenger name, address and telephone contract numbers and/or your flight confirmation number. This information will greatly help us to help you in the swift tracing and return of your checked baggage in the unlikely event that it is mishandled.


As a further initiative, in order to reduce the amount of baggage customers need to check in to the aircraft hold, Ryanair has today announced an increase in the cabin (hand) baggage allowance from 7 kilos to 10 kilos per person (subject to the existing maximum dimensions of 50cm x 35cm x 23cm (20 x14 x9 ins) and to the provisions of our General Conditions of Carriage). This allowance is not available to infants under 24 months of age.


The checked baggage allowance remains at 15 kilos per passenger but the charge for excess baggage above 15kg per person will now be £4.50/€7.00 per kilo.


Thank you for your co-operation


Ryanair Customer Service

Points:
Ryanair loses your bags less often than other airlines.
Well duh! Ryanair is a point-to-point airline. It doesn't do connections. Therefore it doesn't transfer bags from one flight to another, which is the most common point at which bags are mislaid.

Men with beards don't cut themselves shaving. Ryanair still manages to lose 0.5 bags per thousand while flying from A to B. What sort of muppets are they?

Make sure to label your bags.
Well, many airlines encourage you to do this by sending you out label tags with your ticket. Ryanair don't do tickets or tags. (Probably can't nick them from hotel rooms like they do their pens and notepads)

I suspect that long term what they will do is refuse to accept your bag for check in unless YOU have labelled it, and then offer to SELL you a baggage tag at the checkin desk for an exorbitant sum. Seems like what they really want to do is not have you check in at all, just carry your own bag on to the plance. Fine in some cases, but not if you're going away in a group or for a long time.

What happens when things go wrong?
I have experience of other airlines delivering me to my destination in advance of my bags. One handled it very well; another apallingly. But in both cases, my bags were delivered to me at the airline's expense.

Given that Ryanair still loses one bag in every two thousand (Assume an average of 150 bag-carrying customers per flight. That's about one bag a fortnight lost on every route with only ONE return trip per day) what's their attitude when they lose your bag?

Has this happened to anybody? Do they make you come to the airport to collect it? Do they send it on to you and charge you for their mistake? I wouldn't put it past them.

grumpytrousers

Here's a thought - if you don't fancy flying ryanair for f*** all, then don't bother.

In return for getting to fly from x to y for (normally) a small amount plus taxes certain things suffer, which in most cases people seem to be happy to accept in return for cheap flights. Among them
a) expensive tea/coffee on board
b) no free newspaper
c) laborious check in process
d) airports well out of town, sometimes out of country
e) a significantly lower standard of customer service than offered by other airlines.

Personally I'll only fly Ryanair if it's not essential that I arrive at the other end 'absolutely' on time with all my luggage etc. In other words, If i'm off to london for a weekend on the piss and all I need clothes-wise is a change or two, then Ryanair is the job. I'll get there more or less on time. If i'm the one in 2000 who loses my pants, then dammit I'll live. And in return for my paying an average of 30 to 40 Euro, that's as much as I can expect. The train to Dublin would cost that much...

Otherwise, it's AerLingus. Book in advance. Credit Card Check in. Polite and courteous staff...what's not to like

BuffyBot

Men with beards don't cut themselves shaving. Ryanair still manages to lose 0.5 bags per thousand while flying from A to B. What sort of muppets are they?

Perhaps when HairyHomer Airlines comes along and produces better results, you'll be in a better position to criticise.

Well, many airlines encourage you to do this by sending you out label tags with your ticket. Ryanair don't do tickets or tags. (Probably can't nick them from hotel rooms like they do their pens and notepads)

You may have noticed many airlines now use e-ticketing, including Aer Lingus. Haven't seen any airline send out baggage tags for many years.

I suspect that long term what they will do is refuse to accept your bag for check in unless YOU have labelled it, and then offer to SELL you a baggage tag at the checkin desk for an exorbitant sum.

Don't know about you but properly labelling your luggage when flying anywhere, with anyone seems like a sensible idea to me.

Hairy Homer

Come on now BuffyBot. The customer is always right.

Grumpy Trousers (you'll never be grumpier than me. Live with it:-)) has a fair point when he (?) says, to paraphrase: 'if you don't like the buggers, just don't fly with them'

I don't. And I don't.

I am merely pointing out what are likely to be the pitfalls of Ryanair's new strategy especially as it applies to its customers. I suspect they are trying to lump all the costs of processing bags back on to the customer. They are already trying to do away with check in altogether by increasing the carry on allowance.

Soon, presuming they're allowed legally, they will probably do away with their own check-in staff labelling bags before sending them down the conveyor belt and it will be a case of: 'you didn't put a label on your bag; it's not going on the plane unless you pay x euro on the spot where x is a large positive integer'

If you want to, er, enjoy travelling with Ryanar to the max, it's best to be forewarned. Basically, they make their money when you the customer screw up.

I find, that with a modicum of planning, especially to London, other airlines are more cost effective if not downright cheaper than Ryanair. Don't assume that it's ALWAYS the cheapest option. That's just what they want you to think.

Yours grumpily

HH

grumpytrousers

Soon, presuming they're allowed legally, they will probably do away with their own check-in staff labelling bags before sending them down the conveyor belt and it will be a case of: 'you didn't put a label on your bag; it's not going on the plane unless you pay x euro on the spot where x is a large positive integer'

No - they'll have to - i'd think that civil aviation rules will mean that they'll have to have somebody pay lip service to the 'did you pack this yourself' questions.

What they will possibly do (if not at it already) is charge for 'cargo' luggage - i.e. where it goes in the hold. It makes a bit of sense - the less people that use this facility, the quicker the turnaround and the higher the rate of efficiency!

I find, that with a modicum of planning, especially to London, other airlines are more cost effective if not downright cheaper than Ryanair. Don't assume that it's ALWAYS the cheapest option. That's just what they want you to think.

Quite True. I've reckoned meself that Ryanair needs to be 50 euro cheaper than Aer Lingus on a London flight before I'll fly with them. By the time you've factored in the heathrow/tube versus stanstead/gatwick train ride, in terms of time and cost for each of these, and the comfort/convenience of the AerLingus Credit card 'wham-bam-thank-you-mam' check in (for hand luggage folks!) it's worth it for the less stress.

silverside

Can someone please confirm:

Is the ryanair baggage allowance now:

A) 15 kilos total including up to 10 kilos cabin baggage

or

Up to 15 kilos hold baggage PLUS up to 10 kilos cabin baggage making a potential total of 25 kilos?

I ask because it is not clear on their website. Last time I travelled with ryanair I was asked to put my cabin baggage on the scales along with my hold baggage to ensure that the total was under 15 KG and I wonder if this has changed.

Victor

Originally posted by silverside
Up to 15 kilos hold baggage PLUS up to 10 kilos cabin baggage making a potential total of 25 kilos?

This would appear to be the case. They use some fuzzy language ("cabin baggage" and "hand baggage" and "unchecked baggage"), but I think and judge will equate them to the unchecked baggage in the detailed Conditions of Carriage (but it may include the clothes on your back).

They have some fairly lame qualifications though.

Infant equipment, including but not limited to prams, buggies, cots and car seats are also considered to be inherently unsuitable for carriage by air.

Ryanair is strictly a ’point-to-point’ airline. We therefore do not offer, and cannot facilitate, the transfer of passengers or their baggage to other flights, whether operated by Ryanair or other carriers. You should therefore not book onward flights with Ryanair or indeed with any other air or surface carrier.

In addition, Ryanair does not permit the following to be carried in baggage (whether checked or unchecked) Guns, firearms and weapons (including replica items), Christmas crackers, items with Internal combustion engines such as chainsaws, model aircraft, lawnmowers, etc..

Tommy Vercetti

Originally posted by Victor
In addition, Ryanair does not permit the following to be carried in baggage (whether checked or unchecked) Guns, firearms and weapons (including replica items), Christmas crackers, items with Internal combustion engines such as chainsaws, model aircraft, lawnmowers, etc..

Goddamn it looks like me and Flymo will be holidaying in Ireland again this Summer

secret_squirrel

The thing I wondered when Ryan air made this announcement is that what will happen if all these 10Kg bags exceed the maximum weight of the Bin above the seat? And given the fairly dodgy state of some of ryan air's planes what will happen when some poor bugger gets hits by a 10kg bag falling out of said bin?

(ps I work for Air Fungus.
pps grumpytrousers - I will pass on your wambamthankyoumam comments to the guy I work with who put them machines in. He'll be chuffed! Might make a good advert too )

grumpytrousers

pps grumpytrousers - I will pass on your wambamthankyoumam comments to the guy I work with who put them machines in. He'll be chuffed! Might make a good advert too )

Squirrell, me aul china, (and indeed those who've not had the pleasure of the machines) the machines are the mutts nutts!

There I was, running with less than the usual amount of time available to me having to get a flight to Edinburgh for a wedding and when i hit the check in hall (on a friday morning, natch!) the queues put the fear of god in me. In an idle moment, I just saw one of the machines flicker and said 'we'll see what this is'.

Literally 20 seconds it took and there i was with a boarding card.

The words 'So', 'Long' and (let's not be coy) 'Suckers' were never cackled more triumphantly as the rest of 'em queued up patiently.

And it asks if you want a Window Seat.....

Hairy Homer

Originally posted by grumpytrousers

Quite True. I've reckoned meself that Ryanair needs to be 50 euro cheaper than Aer Lingus on a London flight before I'll fly with them. By the time you've factored in the heathrow/tube versus stanstead/gatwick train ride, in terms of time and cost for each of these, and the comfort/convenience of the AerLingus Credit card 'wham-bam-thank-you-mam' check in (for hand luggage folks!) it's worth it for the less stress.

Just a little market research which I'm happy to put before the travelling public.

I just picked a weekend in the future at random (Septmber 17th to 19th) and priced out a return flight from Dublin to London with as many airlines as I know. All flights leave on what is loosely Friday evening and return on Sunday evening. Charges are included. Based on information available on each company's website as of today July 23rd. (All prices in euro)

CityJet Dublin - London City 134.82
Ryanair Dublin - Gatwick 116.96
AerLingus Dublin Heathrow 115.97
British Midland Dublin Heathrow 110.85
Ryanair Dublin -Stansted 67.99

Ryanair actually have a flight leaving at about midday from Stansted which would bring that price down to 49.99 but I figure if you're going for a weekend you don't want to get up at the crack of dawn on Sunday to get out to Stansted for an early flight.

So there you go. London's a big place. Your choice of flight should depend on where your ultimate destination is. Remember that if you go to Stansted, it's another 36 euro return to get the train into Liverpool St. Maybe not a good idea if you want to go to West London.

Personally, the people I visit in London live in the South East of the city so would still fly CityJet, even though it's the most expensive because it's the closest to where they live and when you factor in the train fare from Stansted, it's a small extra price to pay for the added speed and convenience.

The choice is yours.

therecklessone

Originally posted by Hairy Homer
Remember that if you go to Stansted, it's another 36 euro return to get the train into Liverpool St. Maybe not a good idea if you want to go to West London.

€29 for Stansted Express if you buy in Dublin before leaving.

I avoid Stansted where possible, their security queues are a joke.

Cityjet? Last time I went to London the tax and charges on one leg of the return journey to LCY was more than the entire fare+tax with Ryanair to Stansted!

Wherever possible I choose British Midland. Courteous staff, Heathrow on the tube, and relatively cheap (flights can be got for €80 with a bit of forward planning)

Hairy Homer

Originally posted by therecklessone
€29 for Stansted Express if you buy in Dublin before leaving.

Useful to know. Information is the life blood of commerce.

Cityjet? Last time I went to London the tax and charges on one leg of the return journey to LCY was more than the entire fare+tax with Ryanair to Stansted!

Well the last time I went, the CityJet fare was actually LESS than the combination of Ryanair+train package from Dublin Airport to the city of London. Like I said, the fares I posted were learned by just going to the airlines' websites. Interesting that all fares to the major airports Heathrow and Gatwick are much of a muchness, regardless of who you fly with.

Wherever possible I choose British Midland. Courteous staff, Heathrow on the tube, and relatively cheap (flights can be got for €80 with a bit of forward planning)

I hate Heathrow with a passion and anyway, most of my dealings in London are on the other side of the city so I rarely have reason to use it.

I would echo your opinion of BMI, though. Once I had to fly back with them to Dublin as the last leg of a journey from Nice via Heathrow. My bag didn't make the flight (through no fault of BMI-the incoming flight was delayed) but the way they handled it was exemplary.

I was paged as I entered the baggage claim, they apologised for the fact that my bag wasn't on the flight, took my address and told me that they would send it on later that night. Which they did. So no hanging around the carousel in increasing frustration and I didn't have to lug my suitcase home. I call that customer service.

Incidentally, I replied to Ryanair's note about check ins by asking them what their policy was with regard to reconnecting their customers with the one in 2000 bags they lose flying from A to B. That was four days ago and I'm still awaiting a response.

Genghis

Also:

Ryanair Dublin - London (Luton) - €96.83

Same criteria as yourself, taxes, charges, euros, return, etc.