On standby with Ryanair

HarryHoudini

I have a friend who is on standby for a flight with Ryanair, what chance do they have of making the flight, there is only one other person ahead of them in the standby queue.

gerrycollins

pretty good 10% of passengers dont turn up apparently

robinph

gerrycollins wrote:

pretty good 10% of passengers dont turn up apparently

Don't think that I've ever seen a completely full Ryanair flight. I dont turn up for 10% of the flights that I book with them, if not more.

gerrycollins

well there you have it should be no porblem

Lump

Yea, I'm the same, I frequently don't turn up for flights, cause my plans change. It's only a few quid!

John

[Jackass]

why would you not turn up for a flight? when you book a flight, do you not make several other arrangments such as accomodation??

robinph

DubGuy wrote:

why would you not turn up for a flight? when you book a flight, do you not make several other arrangments such as accomodation??

Not for most of the flights that I'd be booking with Ryanair. Its usually for trips to see friends or relatives and they tend to be fairly flexible as to if I bother turning up or not. Also I would mayby be booking flights upto six months in advance and then my plans would change nearer the time, or the number of holidays I have left changes. But when it costs me less than the taxi fair to the airport I'm not too bothered about it.

astrofool

Not if you were flying home for a weekend, or had a business meeting cancelled, or were sick on the day, or if accommodation was lacking etc. etc.

secret_squirrel

gerrycollins wrote:

pretty good 10% of passengers dont turn up apparently

10% is a good average but will fluctuate up and down from that depending on the destination timing of the flight and other things. For example a german flight might only be 5% since all the germans would turn up but a few irish wouldnt. (Ok racial stereotypes there but you get my drift)

danniemcq

Ryanair suck for standby flights, me and a load of mates coming back from Germany were stuck in Stansted overnight even though the last flight out wasn't even half full

Ruu_Old

Hmm every ryanair flight ive been on has been full, not one seat left.

drdre

i think your friend will be fine, she will get one.there shud 1-2 seats empty atleast

jrey1981

I would sooner make definite plans rather than give Ryanair money for nothing - if I can help it - but I see the logic.

blu_sonic

every ryanair flight ive been on (all to london) has had seats empty

robinph

jrey1981 wrote:

I would sooner make definite plans rather than give Ryanair money for nothing - if I can help it - but I see the logic.

Same here, but if its a case of book a couple of flights now for when I think I'll be travelling in six months time for 1c a ticket or wait until I know exactly when I'll be going but pay 80eur a ticket then it's cheaper to take my chances and loose the tax money.

Lump

One time I missed a flight, I was too hungover to get up and make the train for the airport

John

Monty - the one and only

moved to travel.

Our man in Havana

What sort of deals do you get with going standby? Can't be that cheap. Can anyone quote me a standby fare?

penexpers

There's no such thing as a standby fare on Ryanair.

secret_squirrel

So you pay a full fare knowing it is overbooked? Ouch!

penexpers

Huh? Ryanair don't overbook either.

Ruu_Old

Ryanair do overbook, there was a news story about the cabin crew having to sit in the toilets to give THEIR seats to passengers, obviously overbooked. I dont know how long ago this happened, last year as far as I can remember.

"Ryanair fired two crew members due to the fact they were sitting on a overbooked flight from the Spanish Gerona to Dublin on the toilet. The pilot, that gave permission for it, quit also from his job.

Ryanair anounced the incident last Friday. As anounced by the low cost carrier something like this never happened before in the 20 year history from Ryanair.

The Irish aviation association started an investigation."

penexpers

They don't overbook. It would cost them too much money in compensation if they did.

What actually happened in the above is the staff members weren't booked on the flight and went along at the last minute.

secret_squirrel

penexpers wrote:

They don't overbook. It would cost them too much money in compensation if they did.

Can you prove this? Overbooking is the norm in the airline industry. I know of no reason why ryan air would make an exception. Its fairly easy to manage the cost of these things, or even be conservative about how much you overbook by.

Ruu_Old

In the US, Southwest airlines always overbook and if you dont get a seat..thats your own lookout but they will get you on their next flight

penexpers

I don't have proof that they don't operate a policy of overbooking but it makes no sense for them to do it. The amount of things that a person is entitled to when someone is denied boarding is crazy these days. I was denied boarding on an Iberia flight last year and I got re-routed (via Air France through Bordeaux) and I got €250 compensation. It probably didn't cost Iberia that much because they have an alliance with AF I think but for Ryanair, could you imagine the cost of them trying to rebook people on other flights operated by other airlines? I reckon for overbooking you're looking at a base cost of at €500 per passanger.

penexpers

Ruu wrote:

In the US, Southwest airlines always overbook and if you dont get a seat..thats your own lookout but they will get you on their next flight

I don't think air travellers in the US have the same level of protection as they do in the EU.

secret_squirrel

penexpers wrote:

I don't have proof that they don't operate a policy of overbooking but it makes no sense for them to do it. The amount of things that a person is entitled to when someone is denied boarding is crazy these days. I was denied boarding on an Iberia flight last year and I got re-routed (via Air France through Bordeaux) and I got €250 compensation. It probably didn't cost Iberia that much because they have an alliance with AF I think but for Ryanair, could you imagine the cost of them trying to rebook people on other flights operated by other airlines? I reckon for overbooking you're looking at a base cost of at €500 per passanger.

You are confusing what is mandatory with what is voluntary on the part of the airline. A lot of airlines go the extra mile for denied boarders. Obviously RyanAir wouldnt!

Ryanair have been known to book pax on other carriers and vice versa, they just keep quiet about it because it doesnt fit their 'fúck em all' image.


You're way off with that figure. The average cost per denied passenger is much lower than that.

penexpers

secret_squirrel wrote:

You are confusing what is mandatory with what is voluntary on the part of the airline. A lot of airlines go the extra mile for denied boarders. Obviously RyanAir wouldnt!

No I'm not. There's a difference in the level of compensation depending on if a passenger gives up their seat but this is the basics of it

from http://www.oasis.gov.ie/transport/air_transport/compensation_for_overbooked_flights.html

In February 2004 the European Parliament passed Regulation 261/2004 which came into effect on 17 February 2005. If you are denied boarding and have not received sufficient advance notice, the airline must give you:
a choice of either a refund of your ticket (with a free flight back to your intiial point of departure when relevant) or,
alternative transport to your final destination and,
refreshments, meals, hotel accommodation, transport between the airport and place of accommodation, two free telephone calls, telex or fax messages, or e-mails); and compensation totalling
250 euro for flights of 1,500 km or less
400 euro for longer flights within the EU and other flights between 1,500 and 3,500 km
600 euro for flights over 3,500 km outside the EU

Like I said I was denied boarding and I got to my destination and I got 250 euro back (which was more than the cost of the flight!)

You're way off with that figure. The average cost per denied passenger is much lower than that.

Well between compensation and being rebooked on different flights at reasonable short notice, I don't think I'm too far off.