* Ryanair * Ryanair * Ryanair *

trellheim

Caught by yield management ..... but not illegal by any means. They charged what the market would bear, obviously.

Bad Panda

'It's all a scam' - calling card of an idiot.

coylemj

Aer Lingus do almost the same thing, they now flag most online quotes with 'limited availability at this price' - obviously in an attempt to panic you into booking there and then.

You kept checking the same flight to see if the fare was going down, it wouldn't surprise me if Ryanair's website stored a cookie on your machine so that every time you went back into their website they knew you were checking the same flight again and again, hence they knew you were probably going to book that flight no matter what so why bother giving you a discount?

Agree with other posters, you fell for the hard sell.

Nyberg

Clear the cookies on your machine before you check a ryanair flight. They remember the flight you looked at previously and I'm guessing keep the price the same or increase slightly so you buy before they get too expensive.

dudara

OP - please do not post the same topic multiple times.

Thread merged into Ryanair megathread.

italodisco warned for abusive behaviour & Bad Panda infracted

dudara

BrianD

The ticket you print at home doesn't have any text regarding the passport number that you input.

Is that contained in the QR type code that they sometimes scan or how to do they match the printed boarding card to the passport/national ID?

italodisco

warned...... Oh dear , New mods needed for sure , hardly abusive .... Ah why care , mods are mods for a reason, they have no say in the real world , no one listens to them outside of cyberspace, lol why am I even writing this , sorry no-marks lol ....

Let me guess....banned for stating the facts lol

dudara

If you have a problem with the moderation, then please the use the Feedback forum. Do not clog up the thread with irrelevent comments.

dudara

Moyglish

just about to book some flights, is there anyway to avoid paying the CC fees anymore?

i used to use Entropay, don't think this works anymore though?

Can an O2 Money Card be used to avoid the fees?

Rock Steady Edy

italodisco wrote: »

After travelling so regularly with Ryanair over the last few years i am so dissapointed to be the victim of a scam by Ryanair....

So,
Being keeping an eye on flights since last friday, they stayed at €593 euro for 2 people return up til this morning so thought i will have to just book them , so i did this morn.......Flying out for Easter

... Got home a few hours ago to see that the price is now €462 euro, no change in time or date etc.......

Worse thing is that they had a message beside the tickets when i was booking saying
''Last three tickets at this price! ''
So i was fooled into believing that i was getting a better price then i would get after they were sold lol..........

Are they allowed to do that? I know they are allowed to flucuate but that 'last 3 tickets t this price!' thing is misleading to say the least......

As you say, prices fluctuate. If after having put them up to the next price level, demand falls and needs stimulating again, prices will go back down, irrespective of whether there was a previous "last x seats at this price". However, that said, I can see how it could be argued that it is misleading. I think exactly this point came up in a letter to the Saturday travel section of the Telegraph 3 or 4 weeks ago, and the airline concerned conceded and gave back the difference. It wasn't Ryanair though.

Couple of tips:
1. Ryanair seem to make the most radical changes to their fares on Mondays and Fridays around lunchtime where they appear to assess whether demand at current prices is in line with target flight loads and alter accordingly. Smaller changes might happen between times. I don't work for Ryanair, but if you monitor routes, you notice this.

2. You are unlikely to get the cheapest seat on the plane if you book less then 4 weeks before you travel.

3. If you book to fly over peak flying times (like Easter or Friday / Sunday evenings) these are much harder to predict as a passenger because you don't know what other passengers are doing for their holidays, particularly in a recession.

4. Monitor the route you want well before you travel and at dates other than the ones you want so you know what the lowest price is that you could be charged for that route, and grab it if it becomes available at the times that suit you.

5. Be flexible - consider flying to another nearby airport if the connections are good.

BarryM

+1

The reality is that most of the changes are driven by software. It is a well-known algorithm, widely used by, for example, the insurance industry to assess premiums; you take a certain number of variables and weight them and then create a set of instructions to be implemented when the various variables reach certain pre-arranged (but flexible) critical points.

The most obvious Ryanair one is the rate at which seats are booked. If it is above a certain rate then the price of seats is increased. The rate calculation itself is also the subject of a weighting..... everything is included in the knowledge management system.

Simple really

marrm

ciaran_ wrote: »

Thanks i'll give this a go over the weekend,one of the only things I haven't tried at this stage, booked a flight for Wednesday week and they had no problem accepting my card + €12 admin fee!:(

Don't bother trying another computer, you will never get a card. They perform several checks, you are failing one of them, there is nothing you can do about it.

I'm failing them too. I've done some research - they check the MRZ (machine-readable zone) - the second line of your passport, against some mysterious database to verify your address. They will not not reveal where this database is (Dublin Passport Office??).

When I've put in all the data, (about 10 times so far) the system flashes up a quick error message, immediately erases it and shows another useless one telling me to got to the website. :mad::mad::mad: Totally useless. Emailing them is useless too. When you phone them you get through to their call centre in the Phillipines to a the lady who is very difficult to understand (I'm not being racist, just factual) and who cannot help.

Typical Ryanair sh*tt* "Customer Service"

Sheep Shagger

hargo wrote: »

Has anyone been able to get the new ryanair cash passport. I keep going round in circles .

Sadly No

flikflak

^ No me either. I read the FAQ`s and read that anyone resident in Ireland can apply. I go through the process to get to the passport part where it tells me I have to have an Irish passport to apply???

Resident of a country and having a passport from same country are two different things. I rang them and was told that I could apply if I sent an e mail to them and then they would send me a form. So I then sent an e mail. That was last week and I have not heard from them since.

It is proving a little more difficult than I thought it would be.

Beefy78

I chose to make a last-minute return journey from Dublin to Bristol and back at the weekend. Booked Thursday for a Saturday morning departure and Saturday evening return. I expected it to be expensive and expensive it was, but I knew it would be so no real complaints.

Neither flight was a third full. Now, again, I chose to fly so I'm not accusing Ryanair of ripping me off but it does seem to me that a better way for them to be doing business would be rather than to push prices up to silly money last minute to squeeze some cash out of people who have to travel late for emergencies or what have you but to keep prices low on flights where the plane is at less than 50% capacity and push these flights on their website in an attempt to drum up some last minute business.

They might find plenty of people would be willing/able to make a last-second decision to go away for a weekend if the prices were more reasonable on under-utilised services.

ArmaniJeanss

Beefy78 wrote: »

I chose to make a last-minute return journey from Dublin to Bristol and back at the weekend. Booked Thursday for a Saturday morning departure and Saturday evening return. I expected it to be expensive and expensive it was, but I knew it would be so no real complaints.

Neither flight was a third full. Now, again, I chose to fly so I'm not accusing Ryanair of ripping me off but it does seem to me that a better way for them to be doing business would be rather than to push prices up to silly money last minute to squeeze some cash out of people who have to travel late for emergencies or what have you but to keep prices low on flights where the plane is at less than 50% capacity and push these flights on their website in an attempt to drum up some last minute business.

They might find plenty of people would be willing/able to make a last-second decision to go away for a weekend if the prices were more reasonable on under-utilised services.

Nope, as i understand it they don't want anyone, ever, to get a cheap last minute flight. This would only lead to customers entering a game of flight chicken with Ryanair in the days before the flight.

Having the odd 30% loading is the price they pay for this policy, but its better for them than the alternative.

Beefy78

But everyone on that flight (other than me) would have paid peanuts for their flight. I'm not suggesting they cut the price of seats or have a last minute sale or what have you. I'm just suggesting that they keep them at the same price they are four weeks before departure rather than ramping them up the day before. Flights went up €40 between Thursday and Friday for the Saturday flights, for example. That wasn't to discourage people from playing "flight chicken" as you put it - it was to screw over anyone who suddenly found out that they had to get to Bristol at the last moment.

ArmaniJeanss

Beefy78 wrote: »

That wasn't to discourage people from playing "flight chicken" as you put it - it was to screw over anyone who suddenly found out that they had to get to Bristol at the last moment.

You make that sound like a bad thing. Screwing the last minute bookings is exactly what they want to do.

You are asking them to change their business structure.
Everyone knows that generally you get a cheap flight when booking early and that prices gradually go up in the months and weeks before a flight, and are monstrous in the 48 hours before a flight. (its not exactly that linear obviously, it fluctuates).

But suggesting they charge the same price at -24 hours as at -4 weeks is fundamentally wrong (from their pov).
Getting you to book now because of the fear the price will be more if you leave it until next week is how they operate.

Interestingly what you are suggesting is actually more akin to how the traditional airlines did their pricing in the days before Ryanair, it was quite possible then to get a cheaper flight on the day as they wanted to shift 'unsold stock'.

Beefy78

I'm not asking them to do anything. I had this flight at the weekend and had no complaints about the amount I was changed (around €200) but seeing how empty the flight was it just got me wondering if Ryanair's policy for such flights is its best business decision. Yes they squeezed me for more cash than I'd have liked but had they promoted on their website last week that flights for the weekend to Bristol, Edinburgh, Stockholm, Memmingham (or wherever else happens to have two thirds of a plane still to fill) were still pretty cheap then they may well have earned themselves more than the few quid that they made off of me and would have had more people on the plane to sell their food, drink, newspapers and other items where they make their margin.

For most routes, what I'm suggesting won't make a difference. If you're flying to London you'll want to book early because the demand is so high that the plane will fill quickly and you'll want to grab your seat. Ryanair tend to slash their prices on flights with plenty of unsold seats six to eight weeks before departure in order to stimulate demand. I'm just suggesting that on the few flights where they still have this capacity in the few days before departure they extend this policy.

ArmaniJeanss

Beefy78 wrote: »

Had they promoted on their website last week that flights for the weekend to Bristol, Edinburgh, Stockholm, Memmingham (or wherever else happens to have two thirds of a plane still to fill) were still pretty cheap then they may well have earned themselves more than the few quid that they made off of me and would have had more people on the plane to sell their food, drink, newspapers and other items where they make their margin.

This is the very thing they don't want to do.
They quite simply never want to get the reputation that they are the airline with whom who you hang on until the last moment and you might get a cheap promotional flight departing at the weekend.

Because that inevitably leads to people waiting until late, booking if the promotion happens, and not bothering if the promotion doesn't happen.

It would be fundamentally destructive for their entire business model and pricing model.

Which is not to say loading factors aren't important by the way. But if that Bristol flight regularly gets loadings of just 33% then they don't change the pricing formula, they withdraw the service.

Beefy78

But I'm not talking about the prices being cheaper last minute. I'm talking about them not being more expensive last minute. There'd be no advantage to people holding off until later because prices wouldn't be cut. It's what they currently do anyway when they slash prices eight weeks before departure and increase them as those seasts get sold and the plane gets more and more full. It's just basic supply and demand.

Beefy78

That said, I do understand what you're saying. It's just something that occurred to me at the weekend when I realised how few people were on board these flights. I usually fly Dublin to one of the London airports and those flights are almost always close to capacity regardless of price.

Rock Steady Edy

Beefy78 wrote: »

But I'm not talking about the prices being cheaper last minute. I'm talking about them not being more expensive last minute.

Michael O'Leary did say not that long ago his most profitable passengers were those going funerals, obviously because they're all last minute.

There must be a lot of spare capacity on some routes like Dublin to Bristol, Aer Lingus / Aer Arran operate the same route with smaller planes. Dublin to Edinburgh now has 4 AL/AA flights as well as Ryanair. Similar duplications arise at Gatwick and Birmingham.

billyhead

I had a flight booked in June from Poznan to Stockholm and then from Stockholm to Dublin bot with Ryanir. I got a call to say the flight from Poznan to Stockholm has now been cancelled due to commercial reasons and that I can be refunded for this. This leaves me in an ackward situation because I would have no other way to get to Stockholm due to the unavailability of other route flights from Poznan to their on the specific date. They said I could not be refunded for the Stockholm to Dublin flights which I would like to or at least get something to compensate me for this. Do i have any recourse on if so how do I go about it. Would anyone think I should send in a letter of complaint and if so to who in Ryanar. Due to them cancelling the flights from Poznan I would like to be refunded for both

kelle

Unfortunately, Ryanair make it clear they don't do connecting flights, so I don't think there's anything you can do.

RYANAIR wrote:

ARTICLE 17 - POINT-TO-POINT AIRLINE

We are 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 ourselves or by other carriers.

Have you travel insurance?

gar32

Did you book travel insurance with Ryanair? Maybe you have other insurance. Read it carefully and see if due to cancellation of flight are you covered. I would not waste time trying to complain to Ryanair. They are the worst to deal with when complaining. You no insurance you have 2 real options. 1 find another way to get your booked flight in Stockholm. Ferry train rented car. Put it down to experience and book other flights.


Good luck & have a good time.

deandean

Welcome to the huge mass of people who have been screwed by ryanair. I end up wondering do they make strategic decisions to cancel flights cos it means more profit for them. I never ever trust them with interconnecting flights. Or when flying with family. Strictly point to point with hand luggage. Horrible business model from a customer point of view as you are seeing.

keithclancy

deandean wrote: »

Welcome to the huge mass of people who have been screwed by ryanair. I end up wondering do they make strategic decisions to cancel flights cos it means more profit for them. I never ever trust them with interconnecting flights. Or when flying with family. Strictly point to point with hand luggage. Horrible business model from a customer point of view as you are seeing.

I'm sure they were specifically targetting the OP when they cancelled the flight :rolleyes:

That post you just made could be about Deutsche Bahn.

E.G. Train from Dusseldorf to Utrecht cancelled due to Operational issues hence I missed by train to Eindhoven.

They'll refund me for the DB Ticket but not for the Dutch train ticket.

deandean

Yea keith i am well balanced when it comes to ryanair...chip on both shoulders ;-)

billyhead

deandean wrote: »

Welcome to the huge mass of people who have been screwed by ryanair. I end up wondering do they make strategic decisions to cancel flights cos it means more profit for them. I never ever trust them with interconnecting flights. Or when flying with family. Strictly point to point with hand luggage. Horrible business model from a customer point of view as you are seeing.

Yeh there some shower. Probaly only wasting my time complaining to them. They couldn't give a rats about thier customers. Just a money making machine. It leaves me in limbo though now as to how to get from Poznan back to Dublin without been fleeched. I wil have to write off the idea of getting to Stockholm which is a non runner thanks to Ryana:mad:ir