Ryanair baggage 2adult&2children, only c/in 2bags

MrsMcSteamy

Hi booking flights for the summer, 2 adults and 2 children. Now I only need to check in two cases. If I check in two cases, one for each of the adults it's €35 each. However if I check the children in as having a case it is only €17.50 each. Now is there anything stopping me from using the kids name on the booking for having cases and not the adults. I assume not but just want to confirm. Cheers in advance.

DavyD_83

Interesting...
As somebody who will now be travelling with a nipper for teh foreseeable future, I am hoping for a confirmation.
My instant thoughts would be that there may be different weight/size restrictions for a "child's bag" versus adult's bag. Bu tdon't know if this is the case.

Actually, are you sure you're not just seeing one way cost for Children, and return cost for adults??

BrokenMan

I seem to remember hearing about a new family friendly offer. think it was something along the lines of kids insurance and bags half price. Cant remember if you had to book in a full price adult bag first though.
If the option is there when you are booking to put the 2 bags down as kids then go for it. Not your fault if its a mistake on their part.
edit: Actually just had a look the offer is for half price bags for kids if accompanying adults check in full price bags so book in a bag for 1 adult and 1 child

munchkin_utd

I did a quick test run and for me it seems to require that one of the adults has bags already checked in first before the child gets a half price bag.

MrsMcSteamy

munchkin_utd wrote: »

I did a quick test run and for me it seems to require that one of the adults has bags already checked in first before the child gets a half price bag.

Cheers thanks for that.

Fratton Fred

Did this myself just after Christmas. booking in one 15kg bag for an adult and one for a child worked out cheaper than one 20kg bag iirc

gozunda

Is this akin of full paying passengers subsidising others kids akin to VHI?
Nice for the parents.

munchkin_utd

actually, I'd say the other way to be honest.
singles or couples wearing 2jumpers and 3 jackets and stuffing stuff into a single carryon to avoid checking in a bag, and with no care in the world to queue to get on or bother with paying for seating together, are of less monetary benefit to the airline than families.
And a footloose couple will book the cheapest fare, out of season, and theres max 2 tickets per transactions

A family though first of all
-is booking from 3 to 5 or more full price (as theres no kiddy discount) tickets per transaction,
- paying through the nose as its peak season and they can only travel then because of school so a family is shelling out a grand or more for fares alone to spain at peak summer prices,
- who will pay the extra cash to guarantee to be together on the plane,
- who will pay the extra cash for checked baggage as they simply cannot expect the kids to carry all their own stuff,
and its essentially families travelling at peak times where Ryanair is actually cross subdisisng off peak fare for next to nothing for the rest of the population who arent constrained by school holidays.

If people think that Ryanair is a charity that can afford to have return flights for €20 and make a profit then they are dreaming. They are cashing in on 99% full flights all summer at €200/€250/€300 or more return, filled with families heading to the sun (and emmigrant families returning to Ireland!)

If they are laying it on less heavily with ancilliary charges for bags and whatnot for families, it still doesnt negate the fact that a family is a brilliant customer.
One tranaction, one decision by a family to book 3 to 5 or more full priced seats at peak time prices in the one transaction, brings in multiples of the income than Ryanair would get convincing some batchelor to go on a boozy couple of days in the likes of Prague in the spring paying a tenner each way or whatever.
Whos more lucrative, one €20 return customer or the one shelling out over a grand.

And if you want to keep those lucrative customers its no harm to be slightly less extortionate about extra charges which are very hard to do without if travelling with kids, so are not really optional at all despite what the old Michael O Leary used to say, before he experienced travelling with kids himself.

gozunda

munchkin_utd wrote: »

actually, I'd say the other way to be honest.
singles or couples wearing 2jumpers and 3 jackets and stuffing stuff into a single carryon to avoid checking in a bag, and with no care in the world to queue to get on or bother with paying for seating together, are of less monetary benefit to the airline than families.
And a footloose couple will book the cheapest fare, out of season, and theres max 2 tickets per transaction

Well I suppose that's one argument but at present the facts are that the only discount being offered by Ryanair is to families with kids. Imo Mr Leary ain't doing anything out of the goodness of his heart and what gives will be added on elsewhere.

TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN
Family Extra - Discounts

From the 17June 2014 Ryanair is offering 50% discounts off checked bags, allocated seating, Priority Boarding and travel insurance for children (under 16) when the accompanying adult(s) in the same booking, purchase a corresponding fully priced service.
Family Extra discounts are only offered when making a new flight booking from the 17June onwards...
Adults and children must be booked in the same reservation to receive Family Extra discounts.

Fly & Save – 20% discount
Customers who have flown twice (return flights) with us using Family Extra discounts within a calendar year should apply for a 20% discount off their third flight when travelling with children via our webform selecting the Family Extra dropdown option.

http://www.ryanair.com/ie/questions/family-extra-discounts/

Regarding the other issues -

The likely hood of passengers stuffing everything into carry on luggage is not restricted to couples ime. I've encountered families doing this with some hilarious results

Many passengers not just 'families' pay for allocated seating to ensure they are seated where they want and with the person or persons they chose.

I would disagree that other passengers are of less monetary value than families with kids. Groups, couples, singles and business travellers make up the bulk of Ryanair passengers year round and not just during the 3 month holiday season

Not sure who could be defined as the 'footloose' tbh but the Ryanair model of fares means that there are year round fares which are cheaper the longer away they are booked. This facility is open to single, couple and family type passengers. Additionally groups may book multiples of tickets not just 'two' per transaction as you stated.

You said

A family though first of all
-is booking from 3 to 5 or more full price (as theres no kiddy discount) tickets per transaction,

Yes there is - see Ryanair Family discount detail quoted above. Group bookings will often involve many multiples of tickets. These groups do not get discounts on reserved seating, baggage etc etc

- paying through the nose as its peak season and they can only travel then because of school so a family is shelling out a grand or more for fares alone to spain at peak summer prices,

Book in advance and you pay the same as everyone else, singles, couples and groups. All very egalitarian

- who will pay the extra cash to guarantee to be together on the plane,

So will couples and groups

- who will pay the extra cash for checked baggage as they simply cannot expect the kids to carry all their own stuff

Some will / some won't

and its essentially families travelling at peak times where Ryanair is actually cross subdisisng off peak fare for next to nothing for the rest of the population who arent constrained by school holidays.

Again book early enough and families will pay the exact same as anyone else travelling at peak times and booking early.

If people think that Ryanair is a charity that can afford to have return flights for €20 and make a profit then they are dreaming. They are cashing in on 99% full flights all summer at €200/€250/€300 or more return, filled with families heading to the sun (and emmigrant families returning to Ireland!)

No Ryanair are attempting to tap into the family market by reducing costs for families imo. It's a bit like a big carrot. But at the same time the costs of any discounts will likley get pushed up the food chain to other passengers

If they are laying it on less heavily with ancilliary charges for bags and whatnot for families, it still doesnt negate the fact that a family is a brilliant customer.

More brilliant that a group of OAPs heading for the Sun? Or a group of students heading away on their post leaving cert holidays and being financed by the bank of mum and dad? I'm not convinced that there is much that makes families 'brilliant' over other passengers tbh

One tranaction, one decision by a family to book 3 to 5 or more full priced seats at peak time prices in the one transaction, brings in multiples of the income than Ryanair would get convincing some batchelor to go on a boozy couple of days in the likes of Prague in the spring paying a tenner each way or whatever.
Whos more lucrative, one €20 return customer or the one shelling out over a grand.

You seem to be hung up on penny pinching couples and bachelors. Hello! singles and couples may have more disposable income than the average budget family holiday types tbh. Such passengers, groups and especially business people may bring large amounts of revenue and avail of all the extras at full cost with no discount.

And if you want to keep those lucrative customers its no harm to be slightly less extortionate about extra charges which are very hard to do without if travelling with kids, so are not really optional at all despite what the old Michael O Leary used to say, before he experienced travelling with kids himself.

I reckon it's more a case of dealing in new customers than keeping existing ones. As much as I love kids - been stuck beside wailing baby Annie or sticky fingered Johnny playing his games at high volume would not be my favourite way of starting a holiday. Neither do I believe that Mr O'Leary has found a place in his heart for cash strapped families. As soon as the new passenger profile is fixed, I'm sure the subsidisation of some other type of passenger will be facilitated and families will be back in the same ballpark as the rest of the poor sods.