Improvements at Ryanair

Growler!!!

Slow day in the newsroom........

No matter what your view is on the Ryans, there is no way she would be separated from her child.

ProfessorPlum

Growler!!! wrote: »

In fairness, she hasn't traveled yet. This can very simply be sorted out at the airport. Seems she went to the press first. Take personal responsibility woman!

In fairness, she did go back to Ryanair to try to sort it, but had no luck.
My own opinion, airlines should have to seat minors with their parents/guardians. For all kinds of reasons, safety and child protection are two that spring to mind.

Growler!!!

How much do you want to bet the Ryanair complaints line goes direct to a call centre. Where the operator is reading replies off a computer screen! Sound like it from the standard " read our FAQ"

No airline in Europe would separate a child from their parent. It's too easy these days to send an email or tweet rather than go for face to face time. Go to the desk and get it sorted.

Jamie2k9

Growler!!! wrote: »

How much do you want to bet the Ryanair complaints line goes direct to a call centre. Where the operator is reading replies off a computer screen! Sound like it from the standard " read our FAQ"

No airline in Europe would separate a child from their parent. It's too easy these days to send an email or tweet rather than go for face to face time. Go to the desk and get it sorted.

If the majority of passengers reserved seats should they be forced to move seats to suit a family. Will FR refund the reserved seat fee and how will the passenger prove they were moved.

They are some issues and the sooner Ryanair sort it out the better as if they let it run into the summer PR will be much worse.

As this passenger booked before they announced the reserved seating, FR should automatically seat those passengers together or allocate them a seat free of charge. In this case FR are more in the wrong than the passenger but in future FR are right but PR won't see it this way if it comes a big issue with others.

ProfessorPlum

Growler!!! wrote: »

How much do you want to bet the Ryanair complaints line goes direct to a call centre. Where the operator is reading replies off a computer screen! Sound like it from the standard " read our FAQ"

No airline in Europe would separate a child from their parent. It's too easy these days to send an email or tweet rather than go for face to face time. Go to the desk and get it sorted.

Ah come on now. I don't think it's fair to expect people to have to go to the airport to sort out issues related to bookings. As seats get booked nearer to departure day, the issue will become more difficult to sort, so waiting until they go to the airport for their flight might be too late. You're right though, it's bloody difficult to get to talk with humans at all these days, and when you do they spout the answers to FAQ's. Not very helpful. (Not just RA either, they're all getting as bad as each other)
Btw, I've seen kids having to sit seperately from their parents. It does happen, and I think it's a disgrace.

fr336

ProfessorPlum wrote: »

Ah come on now. I don't think it's fair to expect people to have to go to the airport to sort out issues related to bookings. As seats get booked nearer to departure day, the issue will become more difficult to sort, so waiting until they go to the airport for their flight might be too late. You're right though, it's bloody difficult to get to talk with humans at all these days, and when you do they spout the answers to FAQ's. Not very helpful. (Not just RA either, they're all getting as bad as each other)
Btw, I've seen kids having to sit seperately from their parents. It does happen, and I think it's a disgrace.

If it's that much of a disgrace, don't fly on a cheap ticket. As far as I'm aware no airline forces people off the streets to board their aircraft.

ProfessorPlum

fr336 wrote: »

If it's that much of a disgrace, don't fly on a cheap ticket. As far as I'm aware no airline forces people off the streets to board their aircraft.

It's nothing to do with cheap tickets. If there are no seats together when you go to select seats, there's nothing that can be done until u reach the aircraft. At that stage, you are dependant on cabin crew moving people around, and all the hassle that causes
I'm sure the clever IT people would be able to sort it out with a simple marker when someone books a ticket with a minor that they are automatically allocated seats together.
Do you not think that's it's a disgrace that a three year old child might have to sit beside a complete stranger? I certainly wouldn't want it to be my kid. Why should a stranger have to take any responsibility for the safety of that child in the event of an emergency - a decompression for example?

fr336

ProfessorPlum wrote: »

Do you not think that's it's a disgrace that a three year old child might have to sit beside a complete stranger? I certainly wouldn't want it to be my kid. Why should a stranger have to take any responsibility for the safety of that child in the event of an emergency - a decompression for example?

I'm kind of playing devils advocate however there is still nothing forcing either adult or child to be on the plane in the first place

ProfessorPlum

fr336 wrote: »

I'm kind of playing devils advocate however there is still nothing forcing either adult or child to be on the plane in the first place

But that's ridiculous! So now people with kids can't travel unless they manage to pre book seats beside each other? Not always possible when flights are filling up. And as I said, it should be a very simple IT fix.

Tenger

fr336 wrote: »

I'm kind of playing devils advocate however there is still nothing forcing either adult or child to be on the plane in the first place

I'll be DA back at you...... family funeral or travelling for medical attention?


I get what you are trying to say "no-one forced you onto the plane" but you are well away from that barn door. Children should be seated with parents...for child safety in any incident , for child protection reasons, for the sanity of the other passengers. Any pax who pre-books a seat is usually given the add-on that "seats can be changed on the day due to operational issues"

ComeraghBlue

And another

http://www.u.tv/Entertainment/Duffy-blasts-Ryanair-after-seat-row/3fc41ce0-f349-4a31-8d4d-3e525e767190

efb

ComeraghBlue wrote: »

And another

http://www.u.tv/Entertainment/Duffy-blasts-Ryanair-after-seat-row/3fc41ce0-f349-4a31-8d4d-3e525e767190

So badly written separated by security retrieving bags

uck51js9zml2yt

Are they letting parents with young kids board first?

ComeraghBlue

Elijah Hissing Loafer wrote: »

Are they letting parents with young kids board first?

only if you purchase Premium (priority boarding)

Growler!!!

ComeraghBlue wrote: »

And another

http://www.u.tv/Entertainment/Duffy-blasts-Ryanair-after-seat-row/3fc41ce0-f349-4a31-8d4d-3e525e767190

I'm afraid you'll have to explain what this has to do with the current discussion.

Ie. what's your point?

uck51js9zml2yt

Things haven't chat that much when parents with kids not only have to buy a seat but also get priority boarding.
For all his nice TV ads it seems that his sole aim of getting money from passengers for everything hasn't changed.
AL have stopped flying to Krakow so we have no choice but to fly RA

A Dub in Glasgo

Not impressed if this is going to be the way RA operate from now on. At least with unallocated seating, families who got to the gate early will get seats together. Now RA want to extract money from them otherwise it is a lottery

ComeraghBlue

Growler!!! wrote: »

I'm afraid you'll have to explain what this has to do with the current discussion.

Ie. what's your point?

What is my point? Er did you read what this thread is? its "improvements at Ryanair" one of which is assigned seating. this story was about assigned seating.

billie1b

Elijah Hissing Loafer wrote: »

Things haven't chat that much when parents with kids not only have to buy a seat but also get priority boarding.
For all his nice TV ads it seems that his sole aim of getting money from passengers for everything hasn't changed.
AL have stopped flying to Krakow so we have no choice but to fly RA

AL were only in KRK for the money, the route was only for 4 weeks over xmas at hiked up prices, at least with FR its year round service.
We had the same problem on a flight to MCO 2 years ago, 6 year old separated from her grandparents as her mother wasn't travelling, only for the man in the seat beside her took the nannys seat so they could sit together, the cabin crew were trying to leave it as it was. There was uproar on the a/c

Locker10a

billie1b wrote: »

AL were only in KRK for the money,

As opposed to ?????

uck51js9zml2yt

We were able to fly AL to Krakow from 2007 - 2012 anytime of the year. To say it was only 4 weeks is wrong.
We didn't fly over last year so might have missed it's demise.
Always found AL great especially when I broke a collar bone and some ribs while horseriding in Slovakia.

LXFlyer

Elijah Hissing Loafer wrote: »

Things haven't chat that much when parents with kids not only have to buy a seat but also get priority boarding.
For all his nice TV ads it seems that his sole aim of getting money from passengers for everything hasn't changed.
AL have stopped flying to Krakow so we have no choice but to fly RA

I don't get this "no choice".


Of course you have a choice. There are plenty of other competitively priced options - yes they will involve a stop and change of aircraft, but to suggest that you have no choice is not true.

billie1b

Locker10a wrote: »

As opposed to ?????

As opposed to offering a year round service and not charging €600 for a return ticket. Everyone gives out about Ryanair only doing things for money when Aer Lingus are the exact same.

ProfessorPlum

They're all the exact same - commercial ventures. To be fair, Aer Lingus had a year round service for years, and cut well back when numbers on the route were dropping and competition increased - and, believe it or not, when they found they could make more money on a different route.
Not everybody gives out about Ryanair, but the comments re Ryanair would be more related to hidden, or more properly, unexpected charges, not up front charges such as ticket cost.

Outkast_IRE

billie1b wrote: »

As opposed to offering a year round service and not charging €600 for a return ticket. Everyone gives out about Ryanair only doing things for money when Aer Lingus are the exact same.

It must also be pointed out that aer lingus had a nice few routes where they operated a frequent service at good prices year round. Ryanair made it their business to move in and operate the same route and try to force them out.

The result on many route was AerLingus staying on the route but cutting the frequency or moving to seasonal. Then Ryanair follows suit and we end up with a seasonal route operated by both of them with a flight only twice a week or similar.

Ryanair have made a habit of forcing opposition out and then raising their prices and cutting their frequency. Leaving ultimately a diminished service.

Growler!!!

ComeraghBlue wrote: »

What is my point? Er did you read what this thread is? its "improvements at Ryanair" one of which is assigned seating. this story was about assigned seating.

But the link you posted was about the mother and child being seperated after leaving the aircraft and in the terminal?

However it later emerged that the airline was not responsible for the separation.A Ryanair spokesperson told UTV: "We understand that this passenger and her daughter were separated in the arrivals hall at Dublin Airport. While we regret the situation, it had nothing to do with Ryanair.

Thoie

Tenger wrote: »

Children should be seated with parents...for child safety in any incident , for child protection reasons, for the sanity of the other passengers.

What about an adult flying with 3 or more children?

ProfessorPlum

Thoie wrote: »

What about an adult flying with 3 or more children?

What's your point here? Airlines should change their seat configuration to suit large families?
I find continuing across the isle works well, or the row in front or behind. If an adult doesn't think they will be able to adequately supervise the numbers of children in his care, he should include another adult in the group. That's not the airlines responsibility.

murphaph

There's no reason not to seat families together-other airlines manage it just fine. We've had no problems as a family on Aer Lingus or Air Berlin anyway. I hope this is a glitch and not indicative of what FR plan to do in future.

uck51js9zml2yt

lxflyer wrote: »

I don't get this "no choice".


Of course you have a choice. There are plenty of other competitively priced options - yes they will involve a stop and change of aircraft, but to suggest that you have no choice is not true.

Can you be back up your statement.
Base price Dublin to Krakow is about 75€ for the time my wife is flying 'hover with 2 kids.
Give me an alternative that will work out the same for price, time and ease with 2 kids under 3.