Explain the dislike towards Ryanair?

jetsonx

Why does a Ryanair get such a hard time?

I've flown with them at least a hundred times. Nearly everyone of these flights was on time and trouble-free. Lost luggage only once which was duly put onboard the next flight. Planes were reasonably clean. Most takeoffs and landings were textbook. And each time their staff were unfailingly courteous.

Yet, as a consumer, I can't understand all this animosity towards Ryanair?

Their 'charismatic' leader being a skinflint. He'd charge for the jacks if he got away with it.

BrianJD

Deleted User wrote: »

Their 'charismatic' leader being a skinflint. He'd charge for the jacks if he got away with it.

For a skinflint, he gives very cheap flights.

Grayson

Thet fecking jingle. I know it's gone now but playing that stupid song when the plane landed made me want to kill someone.

GBX

For years people booking flights for less than €10 expecting first class service, any amount of bags, free food and drink . Then getting pissed off because they have to pay for these extras when "they weren't told" but clicked go and accepted it as just a seat on a plane. So they got onto Joe Duffy /Facebook for a rant and Ryanair were the worst in the world for their stupidity and ignorance.

EmmetSpiceland

Anyone who remembers the cost of flying before Ryanair don’t have any issues with them.

maximoose

People give out cuz they don't read T&Cs and get caught out for easily avoidable charges.

These people keep my flights cheap, long may it continue.

B_ecke_r

people have seen parts of the world they never would have because of Ryanair.

actually genuinely think they're more efficient than Aer Lingus - it takes to too long to get off an Aer Lingus waiting on buses etc...

majority who have had problems seem to be the ones who simply haven't read the rules.

Bob Harris

I thought their 'bad reputation' had pretty much worn off at this stage.

bear1

My recent issue with them is their idiotic policy that if i want to sit next to my partner I need to cough up more money to them.
The amount of flights where people with families I've been on where they are scrambling to sit together is ridiculous.
You see a flight for 50e and think that's a bargain. Then they make you add this that and the other and the price suddenly starts to double.
Want to bring more than 2 shirts on your holiday? OK that's another 20e one way please.
Priority no longer means anything as everyone buys it.

Wabbit Ears

Bob Harris wrote: »

I thought their 'bad reputation' had pretty much worn off at this stage.

this

B_ecke_r

B_ecke_r wrote: »

people have seen parts of the world they never would have because of Ryanair.

I've seen the entire Europe.

El Weirdo

B_ecke_r wrote: »

people have seen parts of the world they never would have because of Ryanair.

True.

Luton is the real jewel of the British Empire.

Bob Harris

Deleted User wrote: »

I've seen the entire Europe.

Timberrrrrrrr

bear1 wrote: »

My recent issue with them is their idiotic policy that if i want to sit next to my partner I need to cough up more money to them.
The amount of flights where people with families I've been on where they are scrambling to sit together is ridiculous.
You see a flight for 50e and think that's a bargain. Then they make you add this that and the other and the price suddenly starts to double.
Want to bring more than 2 shirts on your holiday? OK that's another 20e one way please.
Priority no longer means anything as everyone buys it.

Whatbis it they "make" you add? I've flown with them.more times than i care to count and never had to pay any extras for my flight.

valoren

Dislike them? I'd like to actually own a piece of them.

murpho999

Deleted User wrote: »

Their 'charismatic' leader being a skinflint. He'd charge for the jacks if he got away with it.

How is he a skinflint?

Charging for the toilet was a joke he cracked a few years ago and people fell for it and Ryanair got loads of free publicity from it.

People complaining about Ryanair generally don't follow the rules.

Then compare them to Aer Lingus or BA with "free" baggage and drinks years ago.

But ignore the fact that before Ryanair came along flights to London were around €300-400. But the food was "free".

I used to live in Holland and used to pay €300-500 to get home and it impacted life, restricted visits home etc.

Now, back in Ireland but still have Dutch family and they visit regularly and I go there regularly all thanks to getting flights ranging for €30-100. All very affordable so I don't mind playing the baggage game or paying for a coffee on the way over.

Atlantic Dawn

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Their 'charismatic' leader being a skinflint. He'd charge for the jacks if he got away with it.

I admire him for living in this country and paying his taxes , unlike some of our other super rich. He sets out the rules clearly, if you can't follow them book with someone else, usually at additional expense.

bear1

Timberrrrrrrr wrote: »

Whatbis it they "make" you add? I've flown with them.more times than i care to count and never had to pay any extras for my flight.

I gave an example.

SEPT 23 1989

They opened up the skies for the riff raff

Feisar

Idiots

Timberrrrrrrr

bear1 wrote: »

I gave an example.

They didn't "make" you pay it you chose to pay it.

murpho999

bear1 wrote: »

My recent issue with them is their idiotic policy that if i want to sit next to my partner I need to cough up more money to them.
The amount of flights where people with families I've been on where they are scrambling to sit together is ridiculous.
You see a flight for 50e and think that's a bargain. Then they make you add this that and the other and the price suddenly starts to double.
Want to bring more than 2 shirts on your holiday? OK that's another 20e one way please.
Priority no longer means anything as everyone buys it.

Just don't bother paying it and sit for a couple of hours on your own with book/tablet. Or see if you can get a swap.

You're still forgetting how expensive flights were 20 years ago.

I go on holidays now with a 10kg bag and small backpack. It's plenty and I make sure I get accommodation with a washing machine so we do one wash after a week. All works out great.

ednwireland

last flight i had with them was a 27 hour delay (mehanical problem with the plane) it was not a cheap flight.

due to the confusing options now when you try and book i check other airlines first and generally fly with them unless theres no other option.

all i want to know is can i bring small rucsac with a 13 inch laptop and my other electronic bits and peices inside on the plane without having to empty it into a carrier bag. the carry on restrictions are ludicrous at the moment

NickNickleby

My problem is that we unwittingly subsidise their staff costs. Ryanair staff are regularly put on "unpaid leave". As they are paying Irish PRSI, they are entitled to claim benefits during these periods. However, to claim, they fly in from whatever EU city in which they reside, submit they're claim, specify the bank account to which payment will be made and then fly out on the next flight back home. Its true to say that not all the staff qualify, but an amazing number do. One day one of them tried to claim rent allowance for his flat in Poland, and said he'd been told he was entitled to do so, by his manager.

Caveat, this is from a few years ago, unless rules have changed in the interim, (they're EU rules) I'd imagine its still the same.

Despite all that, I watched a program recently about ship workers. Most shipowners register their workers in Cyprus, because that's where the lowest PRSI rates are. THose employees are also put on "unpaid leave" regularly, but the poor sods get SFA because the benefits in Cyprus are crap. So at least M.O'L isn't starving his staff.

harr

Anyone I have heard complain about just didn’t read the t&c ...I never once had an issue and have been able to afford more city breaks because of cheap flights and Airbnb... single cabin bag and off you go.
Booked a flight yesterday to Poland in November €30 and accommodation for 3 nights €100 . In all honesty it’s dearer to go to cork or Galway for a couple of nights.

PhilOssophy

I love people who complain about the price of the add-ons, the same people would complain if the base cost was x and included all these things, "sure I don't need these things at all".....

Can't win can they.

Only issue I have is with their Customer Service. They are just so unhelpful and don't seem to care or have any consideration for the end customer.

So what I'm saying, they are grand until something goes wrong.

Bob Harris

ednwireland wrote: »

last flight i had with them was a 27 hour delay (mehanical problem with the plane) it was not a cheap flight.

due to the confusing options now when you try and book i check other airlines first and generally fly with them unless theres no other option.

all i want to know is can i bring small rucsac with a 13 inch laptop and my other electronic bits and peices inside on the plane without having to empty it into a carrier bag. the carry on restrictions are ludicrous at the moment

Yes. After it's checked going through security you don't have to take anything out if you don't want to.
Bag goes under the seat in front. Couldn't be easier.

NickNickleby

Should also say, I check prices before I fly and because I don't see any great difference between Aer Lingus and Ryanair, I go with whoever is cheapest. After all, the flight is the smallest part of any holiday.

weldoninhio

jetsonx wrote: »

Why does a Ryanair get such a hard time?

I've flown with them at least a hundred times. Nearly everyone of these flights was on time and trouble-free. Lost luggage only once which was duly put onboard the next flight. Planes were reasonably clean. Most takeoffs and landings were textbook. And each time their staff were unfailingly courteous.

Yet, as a consumer, I can't understand all this animosity towards Ryanair?

Their "hidden charges" that are flagged up on every page of their website could be considered an idiot tax.

Idiots are annoyed at having to pay idiot tax.

bear1

Timberrrrrrrr wrote: »

They didn't "make" you pay it you chose to pay it.

No I'm forced into paying it.
If I'm on a 5 hour flight and it's a holiday with my partner why would I want to start it by being seperate?
They create a situation where you need to pay for the want to be next to someone you're flying with.
I remember very well how much it cost to fly 20 years ago but it still doesn't mean that cause it costs x euro to go somewhere that I should need to pay more x euro cause its still x amount less than 2 decades ago.

NickNickleby

weldoninhio wrote: »

Their "hidden charges" that are flagged up on every page of their website could be considered an idiot tax.

Idiots are annoyed at having to pay idiot tax.

Ryanair and Aer Lingus do that. Headline price looks great, then all the 'extras' start popping up. Sure , as you say, just read what's in front of you, folks.

On that note, I think if you claim a refund, you only get the headline price refunded. Don't know where I heard that but I remember someone going nuts over it.

PhilOssophy

bear1 wrote: »

No I'm forced into paying it.
If I'm on a 5 hour flight and it's a holiday with my partner why would I want to start it by being seperate?
They create a situation where you need to pay for the want to be next to someone you're flying with.
I remember very well how much it cost to fly 20 years ago but it still doesn't mean that cause it costs x euro to go somewhere that I should need to pay more x euro cause its still x amount less than 2 decades ago.

No you are saying you are choosing to pay it.

Kermit.de.frog

How much was a flight to London with Aer Lingus before Ryanair was established?

BarryD2

Bag restrictions have become a bit ridiculous, on recent flight I'd reckon 2/3rds at least had 'priority' booking so they could take a bigger bag on board - you'd wonder what's in the cargo hold. But they do mostly what they say, few flights I've been on have erred more on late side but whether that's Ryanair problem I don't know. Fair dues to chief exec for living in the country and paying his taxes here, I'd respect him for that alone, unlike some of our more famous plastic paddys, who make out to be Irish but contribute little.

But the days of cheap international flights will surely grind to a halt soon enough, between fuel prices and carbon guilt.

Mad_maxx

CEO is that rare thing in Ireland, an unapologetic capitalist, hence the media hate him, I spend a bit extra on emergency row seats and faster boarding, I'm good to go then and it's still cheap

Allinall

bear1 wrote: »

No I'm forced into paying it.
If I'm on a 5 hour flight and it's a holiday with my partner why would I want to start it by being seperate?
They create a situation where you need to pay for the want to be next to someone you're flying with.
I remember very well how much it cost to fly 20 years ago but it still doesn't mean that cause it costs x euro to go somewhere that I should need to pay more x euro cause its still x amount less than 2 decades ago.

Where do Ryanair go to that’s a 5 hour flight?

My biggest peeve with them is the number of announcements they make. On a recent early AM flight from Malaga to Dublin they were on the intercom a total of 14 times in almost 3 hrs, while everyone is trying to get a bit of shuteye. Impossible to catch some Z's when they're banging on about perfume and scratch cards every 12 minutes (on average).

imitation

Ryanair fine when you know the rules, and they have saved my ass when I was in a situation where I had to travel back and forth to the UK without being bankrupted by air fares.

However the second the **** hits the fan they do go straight to the gouge button. One time I got screwed over by there websites auto complete that had both my GFs name and Mine. For some reason it mixed up my first name and her second name. I didn't spot it as the email they sent out conveniently forgets your first name, so I missed out on the 24 hour window and got stung for 100 quid. I reckon that might be a nice litte earner for them.

I was pissed but ultimately its the price of dealing with Ryanair, if you mess up, you pay, if you are taking up there time, you pay. Considering historically airlines used to bend over backwards for people and accommodate these things, I can see how people will start bitching, but those days are going and you can find your self in the same boat dealing with Aer Lingus (although they did let me get away with an extra luggage once, but I imagine thats down to the attendant), and still pay a handsome premium for the ticket.

amcalester

bear1 wrote: »

No I'm forced into paying it.
If I'm on a 5 hour flight and it's a holiday with my partner why would I want to start it by being seperate?
They create a situation where you need to pay for the want to be next to someone you're flying with.
I remember very well how much it cost to fly 20 years ago but it still doesn't mean that cause it costs x euro to go somewhere that I should need to pay more x euro cause its still x amount less than 2 decades ago.

Forced into paying for an optional extra because you want to sit with your partner. It's not really forced then is it?

NickNickleby

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

How much was a flight to London with Aer Lingus before Ryanair was established?

I remember paying something like £220 return - thats' POUNDS. Horrifying when you think of it. (actually, my employer paid - but still....)

Kermit.de.frog

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

How much was a flight to London with Aer Lingus before Ryanair was established?

I remember paying £145 in the late 90s

Edit: Converting both my and Nick's prices into euros we get €185-€280 in today's money

bear1

Allinall wrote: »

Where do Ryanair go to that’s a 5 hour flight?

Warsaw to tenerife.

rossie1977

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

How much was a flight to London with Aer Lingus before Ryanair was established?

£200-300 would be average.

I remember the Eurolines buses being full and that was like 10 hour trip (3 ferry/7 bus) and cost about £40-50

alchemist33

The website is better now but it used to be a minefield, where the least slip would cost you money. These days they're not much different from other airlines with all the extras to wade through

PhilOssophy

Dislike them all you want, they are one of the only low-cost carriers who have survived. Norwegian, Wow, etc.

PhilOssophy

Deleted User wrote: »

I remember paying £145 in the late 90s

Edit: Converting both my and Nick's prices into euros we get €185-€280 in today's money

In today's money that would be about 600-700 quid.

Padraig Mor

Deleted User wrote: »

I remember paying £145 in the late 90s

Edit: Converting both my and Nick's prices into euros we get €185-€280 in today's money

I remember going over on a Tesco promotion in 1998. You had to collect a bunch of tokens - something like a grand's worth - and then you got the flight on Aer Lingus for £50.

Samuel T. Cogley

Many people who simply expect to get more than what they pay for. It's endemic, people go cheap and wonder why they get crap.

Flown with the dozens of times and they're grand. Pay bus money, expect bus service.

Timberrrrrrrr

bear1 wrote: »

No I'm forced into paying it.
If I'm on a 5 hour flight and it's a holiday with my partner why would I want to start it by being seperate?
They create a situation where you need to pay for the want to be next to someone you're flying with.
I remember very well how much it cost to fly 20 years ago but it still doesn't mean that cause it costs x euro to go somewhere that I should need to pay more x euro cause its still x amount less than 2 decades ago.

No, you're really not, you choose to pay to sit next to your partner, in the grand scheme of things 5 hours apart in the same aeroplane isn't the end of the world.

wally79

My only issue is the way they’ve changed priority recently

By all means charge for a cabin bag but there’s no need to ruin priority doing it

I can only think they have some sort of priority plus coming soon