Ryanair ups baggage charges for holidays

bmaxi · 06-04-2010 09:43PM #1

Ryanair are to charge €20 for each checked bag in July and August.
Isn't it amazing how O'Leary can claim, on the one hand, that the €10 travel tax is killing tourism, yet add a "holiday" tax himself. Much more acceptable when going into Ryanair's coffers, obviously.

markpb · 06-04-2010 09:50PM

bmaxi wrote: »

Isn't it amazing how O'Leary can claim, on the one hand, that the €10 travel tax is killing tourism, yet add a "holiday" tax himself. Much more acceptable when going into Ryanair's coffers, obviously.

MoL will claim that you can avoid the baggage charges but if you want to fly, you can't avoid the airport tax.

Southsider1 · 06-04-2010 09:58PM

It'll be interesting to see how long he can keep turning the screw...

markpb · 06-04-2010 09:59PM

Southsider1 wrote: »

It'll be interesting to see how long he can keep turning the screw...

He said a long time ago that he'd keep increasing the costs until (I think) 90% of passengers didn't check in bags. If he could reach 100%, they could do away with check in desks completely which I'd imagine would save them quite a bit.

bmaxi · 06-04-2010 10:06PM

markpb wrote: »

MoL will claim that you can avoid the baggage charges but if you want to fly, you can't avoid the airport tax.

Yep, I know all that, it's the cynical timing. Try flying off on hols with missus and 2.4, with two pairs of jocks and a sunhat. O'Leary knows exactly what he's doing.

irish_goat · 06-04-2010 10:11PM

Ryanair flights are still going to be cheaper.

JHMEG · 06-04-2010 10:52PM

The €20 will probably help keep actual fares low. The €10 tourist tax is to fund DAA payrises, Declan Collier's bonus, and so on.

L1011 · 06-04-2010 11:47PM

irish_goat wrote: »

Ryanair flights are still going to be cheaper.

Realistically, they're not. If you're not INSANELY flexible with travel dates and aren't booking months in advance, the proper airlines usually beat them.

I've not flown Ryanair since 2004 as I've always found a proper airline cheaper for my actual needs - and that flight was when they were the only operator on that route! Which they promptly dropped when the destination airport upped its charges, and Aer Arann have managed to operate for quite reasonble rates since.

markpb wrote: »

He said a long time ago that he'd keep increasing the costs until (I think) 90% of passengers didn't check in bags. If he could reach 100%, they could do away with check in desks completely which I'd imagine would save them quite a bit.

DAA bye-laws make this utterly impossible. For the average Ryanair flight loading you need three desks open for that flight. Its fantasy on O'Learys part that he could get rid of them there. And I assume other airports are much the same.

Bluetonic · 07-04-2010 08:44AM

MYOB wrote: »

Realistically, they're not. If you're not INSANELY flexible with travel dates and aren't booking months in advance, the proper airlines usually beat them.

What 'proper' airlines do you speak of? I'd love to know so I can disprove your crazy theory.

robinph · 07-04-2010 09:55AM

MYOB wrote: »

DAA bye-laws make this utterly impossible. For the average Ryanair flight loading you need three desks open for that flight. Its fantasy on O'Learys part that he could get rid of them there. And I assume other airports are much the same.

Don't think I've ever seen three checkin desks for any Ryanair flight, even before there was any option of online checkin.

scottyboy · 07-04-2010 10:29AM

MYOB wrote: »

Realistically, they're not. If you're not INSANELY flexible with travel dates and aren't booking months in advance, the proper airlines usually beat them.

I've not flown Ryanair since 2004 as I've always found a proper airline cheaper for my actual needs - and that flight was when they were the only operator on that route! Which they promptly dropped when the destination airport upped its charges, and Aer Arann have managed to operate for quite reasonble rates since.

DAA bye-laws make this utterly impossible. For the average Ryanair flight loading you need three desks open for that flight. Its fantasy on O'Learys part that he could get rid of them there. And I assume other airports are much the same.

Here is an example of a random flight, in a few months time to provide proof of the above statement. Note: The extra €5 per bag per person per flight is not included as this only starts from midnight tonight plus you only get 15kg with Ryanair.

Example is Dublin to Paris (Eurodisney) on Sat 3rd July for 1 week, 2 adults and 2 kids. 1 bag each.

Ryanair: €735.12
AirFrance: €706.32

You choose which one is less hassle?!

sflemings · 07-04-2010 10:39AM

Well the onus is on people to search around for the best deal. As you've said they mightn't be the best all the time. Anytime I fly I always search around for the best deal but more often than not Ryanair will always win.

Bluetonic · 07-04-2010 10:59AM

scottyboy wrote: »

Here is an example of a random flight, in a few months time to provide proof of the above statement.

The problem with proving the statement is you need every case to be correct. One case in favour of Ryanair disproves the crazy theory.

I still fail to see how Ryanair are not a 'proper' airline.

ardmacha · 07-04-2010 11:08AM

Realistically, they're not. If you're not INSANELY flexible with travel dates and aren't booking months in advance, the proper airlines usually beat them.

"proper" airlines only have fares around the Ryanair level because of competition from FR.
But it is a win-win, as you get Ryanair fares, but don't have to fly Ryanair!

Millie · 07-04-2010 11:09AM

We were looking into flights to London and also to Spain in Aug and fortunately/unfortunately Ryan Air were the cheapest.

KC61 · 07-04-2010 11:15AM

It really depends on the individual journeys. Everyone's circumstances differ.

Ryanair's model ideally suits people who are only carrying hand luggage. This tends to rule out people going for more than 4 days away or who are travelling with families.

In some cases (but not all) these people can be better catered for by other airlines - but it all depends on the dates, bags, route and number of passengers.

We could all come up with different options, but every single journey can produce different results. There are a lot of "what ifs" to take into account.

scottyboy · 07-04-2010 11:46AM

Very true KC61,

Sadly the Ryanair effect has meant that travelling from Dublin has become very restricted for those travel groups. Even trying to connect with another airline in the UK or Europe becomes a problem due to luggage and non hub airports used by FR. With Aerlingus following the same business model, I have to rely on BMI, BA, Air France etc to leave the island in a stress free, non hoop jumping way with my family.

robinph · 07-04-2010 11:57AM

KC61 wrote: »

Ryanair's model ideally suits people who are only carrying hand luggage. This tends to rule out people going for more than 4 days away or who are travelling with families.

But it would also be cheaper to fly with Ryanair if you had lots and lots of luggage. as you can take 2 x 15kg bags + 10kg hand luggage + another 20kg of sports equipment (just put anything you like in a ski/ board bag and call it sports stuff).

Total of 60kg before you get charged any excess baggage fees, bet you can't do that on another airline.

scottyboy · 07-04-2010 12:06PM

robinph wrote: »

But it would also be cheaper to fly with Ryanair if you had lots and lots of luggage. as you can take 2 x 15kg bags + 10kg hand luggage + another 20kg of sports equipment (just put anything you like in a ski/ board bag and call it sports stuff).

Total of 60kg before you get charged any excess baggage fees, bet you can't do that on another airline.

that would cost €180!! (1st bag €15, 2nd bag €35, plus Sports bag €40 = €90 x 2(eachway) = €180) not including ticket price, taxes, surcharges, credit card charges, check in charges, priority boarding char, ges, toilet charges, other charges.......

Certain "proper" airlines allow 2 bags, maximum weight per bag 32kg = 64kg as part of ticket price.

KC61 · 07-04-2010 12:06PM

robinph wrote: »

But it would also be cheaper to fly with Ryanair if you had lots and lots of luggage. as you can take 2 x 15kg bags + 10kg hand luggage + another 20kg of sports equipment (just put anything you like in a ski/ board bag and call it sports stuff).

Total of 60kg before you get charged any excess baggage fees, bet you can't do that on another airline.

It really does depend on individual circumstances. Broad generalisations tend not to work when dealing with airline fares.

As I said above it depends on a whole range of permutations such as:
Departure times, dates, the route in question, the numbers travelling, the numbers of bags, the time of booking, etc.

There are far too many permutations to produce definitive statements, but as I said above if you are travelling alone with hand luggage only, you will tend to be suited to the Ryanair model as you can get away with no extra charges at all. But you can also do that with other airlines. Again other permutations will come into play such as time/date of travel and time of booking.

People need to shop around and find what suits them best and that isn't always Ryanair!

For example, for the recent France-v-Ireland rugby match in Paris the cheapest fares available travelling out on Friday and back on Sunday (booked in January and with no checked bags) for 2 people was actually with SWISS via Zurich!

robinph · 07-04-2010 12:11PM

scottyboy wrote: »

that would cost €160!! not including ticket price, taxes, surcharges, credit card charges, check in charges, priority boarding charges, toilet charges, other charges.......

Certain "proper" airlines allow 2 bags, maximum weight per bag 32kg = 64kg as part of ticket price.

I'd be doubtful if you'd get that kind of allowance on a flight within Europe, and on a transatlantic flight your only going to get that kind of allowance once you go up a class or two.

Run_to_da_hills · 07-04-2010 12:14PM

You could always wear as much clothes as possible at check in including four pairs of jocks and several tshirts, jumpers etc and change out of them in the jacks once you got inside the cabin.

cynder · 07-04-2010 12:17PM

I booked ryanair from dub to France for 3 adults and 3 kids. Had to work it on dates that I paid no taxes paid 756 would of been aprox 1000. Otherwise. Other airlines was 1500. I also booked for 3 suitcases.

scottyboy · 07-04-2010 12:17PM

robinph wrote: »

I'd be doubtful if you'd get that kind of allowance on a flight within Europe, and on a transatlantic flight your only going to get that kind of allowance once you go up a class or two.

Very true, BA will only carry 2 x 32kg bags on transatlantic flight and board bag free at economy class not FR class!

Otherwise, it is 20kg plus board bag free for most mainstream flag carriers in Europe at economy class.

robinph · 07-04-2010 12:24PM

scottyboy wrote: »

Very true, BA will only carry 2 x 32kg bags on transatlantic flight and board bag free at economy class not FR class! Otherwise, it is 20kg plus board bag free for most mainstream flag carriers in Europe at economy class.

Think you might have got 32kg and 23kg mixed up there:

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagchk/public/en_gb

Only 1 bag at the lowest fare class according to that page, and that is limited to 23kg or pay extra for a limit of 32kg for that one bag.

Edit: and the sports equipment is not free, that has to be included in the rest of the weight allowance or you pay an extra fee:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagsport/public/en_gb

scottyboy · 07-04-2010 12:34PM

I guess they have changed the terms since last winter when you could practically bring a house on holiday for free. Still seems a reasonable deal though, 2 bags of 23kg for transatlantic inc board bag or 1 bag at 23kg and this can be your board bag.

mickoneill30 · 07-04-2010 12:35PM

This arguing doesn't really matter. If you're flying reasonably near it's easy enough to check all the airlines.

www.aerlingus.com
www.ryanair.com
www.airfrance.ie
www.aerarann.ie
www.flybmi.com
(anyone else?)

Ryanair are not always the cheapest but it only take about 10 minutes to put your times & destinations into all the sites above. I'm sure Ryanair are cheaper some times but every time I personally have needed to fly over the last couple of years (sometimes with a checked in bag) I've managed to get it cheaper for the times I was looking for with another airline. But that could just be me. Normally I need to fly near the end or the start of the day. I don't really like wasting half a day to save a few quid (unless it's a big difference but it never has been). This is just my personal experience so no need to get defensive anybody.

robinph · 07-04-2010 12:36PM

Ryanair do not fly transatlantic though.

defitzi · 07-04-2010 12:37PM

:cool:Just one small protest but I stopped using O'Leary rip-offs long ago- Sail/Rail Irish ferries to London or anywhere rail station UK 30.50e and cross-channel at Dover-tenner- cheap train from there-great bargains most railways in Europe especially Belge-seniors 5 euros per day (no sat-sun-feasts May Sept) after 9 am; in France use local trains heavily subsidised by regions-inter egion trains everywhere.Baggage- bikes free. Or Eurolines-great deals especially from London to everywhere!
Who needs O'Leary- greedy sod:pac:

L1011 · 07-04-2010 12:38PM

Bluetonic wrote: »

What 'proper' airlines do you speak of? I'd love to know so I can disprove your crazy theory.

All of them that don't have an airline code beginning "F" and ending "R", I've found.

Its not a "crazy theory" - I check prices ever time I fly (which is lots) on the off-chance that Ryanair might actually be cheaper. The only time in the past 5 return trips that they've been cheaper, the convenience factor and the costs of getting to my final destination (flying to Amsterdam and getting a 15min, 4 euro train vs. Eindhoven and a 45min, 15 euro train) tipped me back over to Aer Lingus/KLM.

robinph · 07-04-2010 12:40PM

mickoneill30 wrote: »

www.aerlingus.com
www.ryanair.com
www.airfrance.ie
www.aerarann.ie
www.flybmi.com
(anyone else?)

Dublin
Cork
etc

Ryanair ups baggage charges for holidays

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