General Ryanair discusion

titan18 · 02-09-2018 3:54pm #1

Flew with Ryanair yesterday out of Schonefeld (after refusing to fly out with them from Dublin, booked Aer Lingus there), and what a clusterfcuk of an operation they have there.

If anyone is ever flying out of there with Ryanair, don't buy priority boarding, it makes no difference. They corral everyone in past a second security/passport check and the space is so small, there's no room to actually queue so despite the signs saying priority and all other queue, it just becomes a free for all.

I always prefer to fly Aer Lingus instead of Ryanair unless the price is a lot higher or times don't work out, but yesterday just made me more likely to fly Aer Lingus no matter the cost now, as Ryanair can't even operate the services they're selling.

The Rape of Lucretia · 02-09-2018 4:29pm

It might not have been two neat queues, but it still works. Excuse your way ahead of the crowd and get through.
This also happens with Aer Lingus too (CDG, I am looking at you), but you can get ahead of the non priority group even if they are crowding the check desk.

titan18 · 02-09-2018 6:07pm

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

It might not have been two neat queues, but it still works. Excuse your way ahead of the crowd and get through.
This also happens with Aer Lingus too (CDG, I am looking at you), but you can get ahead of the non priority group even if they are crowding the check desk.

Based on what I saw happen with Aer Lingus, they just shout out anyone with priority of AerClub silver or higher and refuse everyone else. Ryanair just opened the doors at this point and allowed anyone through as you had already shown passport and boarding pass to get into the waiting area. There wasn't separate queues for priority and non priority before the waiting area though.

Under His Eye · 02-09-2018 6:16pm

There are 2 queues in Schonefeld but as said it all goes out the window as soon as the first bus turns up and the doors open.

titan18 · 02-09-2018 6:22pm

Under His Eye wrote: »

There are 2 queues in Schonefeld but as said it all goes out the window as soon as the first bus turns up and the doors open.

There was no bus, or 2 queues. That might have been a different gate that you had been on.

Flew from gate 9 in Terminal D. There was one long queue outside for everyone to get through the passport area and then after that, it was into a small area that there wasn't enough seats in and seats were passed the marked queue point. You had priority and other queue stands there but there were already people sitting in the seats after those, and when the gate was opened, it was just that the door was opened. There was no one separating priority and non priority at that point.

Stevek101 · 02-09-2018 7:30pm

You do realise these are not Ryanair ground staff?

IngazZagni · 02-09-2018 7:39pm

Stevek101 wrote: »

You do realise these are not Ryanair ground staff?

That would apply to the vast majority of ground staff but is totally off the point. Ground staff are paid to provide a service to an airline and that includes implementing rules and procedures like allowing priority passengers through the gate first. If this is not possible then they should not advertise this service.

Stevek101 · 02-09-2018 8:02pm

IngazZagni wrote: »

That would apply to the vast majority of ground staff but is totally off the point. Ground staff are paid to provide a service to an airline and that includes implementing rules and procedures like allowing priority passengers through the gate first. If this is not possible then they should not advertise this service.

It always amazed me how people would buy priority and be the first to queue long before the gate opened. It really defeated the purpose particularity since seats were allocated.

At least you are getting two bags now; that is the focus of priority now not getting on first.

billy few mates · 02-09-2018 11:07pm

Maybe it’s a German thing, in DUS the gate staff for Aer Lingus always call priority boarders and “Aerclub members” which inevitably triggers a scrum, they never check who has priority or if they are AC members so it just becomes a total free for all...

Bob24 · 03-09-2018 12:20am

Stevek101 wrote: »

You do realise these are not Ryanair ground staff?

How relevant is it to his point that Ryanair sold him a service and didn’t deliver it though?

Either they don’t sell it or they make sure the facilities of the given airport and whatever contract they have to use external staff will allow to consistently deliver it.

titan18 · 03-09-2018 2:20am

Stevek101 wrote: »

You do realise these are not Ryanair ground staff?

Why would that matter? Ryanair sell the service, and if it can't be delivered on by the ground staff (and I really don't see how it could have with the way it's setup there), they shouldn't be selling it. They could have had one of the air hosts off the plane, and ensuring priority boarded first.

If there's no way for them to provide it, they shouldn't sell it. They should just sell the two bags portion of it, not priority (even outside the priority, I did see people go on the plane with two bags even though one was tagged at the gate by the staff. In one case the actual pilot was shouting at them to load it on the trolley outside the plane but there was no one else doing it)

Nijmegen · 03-09-2018 11:52am

Priority boarding on most LCCs is a bit of a joke nowadays. Either the entire plane has it (I was boarding an EI 320 recently in priority and was in a queue from 1/4 the way down the jetbridge with fellow "priority" passengers); or it's not respected at the gate (I flew Norwegian recently and in both Dublin and Stockholm it wasn't even mentioned) or you end up first onto a bus.

Legacy/alliance carriers generally do it much better. I think the US is the best at it - Group 1, 2, 3, 4 etc with delineated queues and a clear hierarchy of who boards when (based on status, travel class and then rows); properly enforced by the gate staff. I've seen Lufthansa etc in Europe operate the same.

The move by Ryanair re cabin bags basically shifts the goalposts on what priority boarding is all about: 70% of the plane has it, and it's really to let you on with your bag, getting on first and not having to stand in a mile long queue is really a secondary consideration.

Bob24 · 03-09-2018 12:01pm

Nijmegen wrote: »

The move by Ryanair re cabin bags basically shifts the goalposts on what priority boarding is all about: 70% of the plane has it, and it's really to let you on with your bag, getting on first and not having to stand in a mile long queue is really a secondary consideration.

I don’t know about saying it is shifting the goalpost ... if it is acknowledged that the main point of buying the service is that you are allowed a cabin bag and that on top of that it is accepted that depending on the airport you might not be garanteed to board in a priority group, there is no basis for selling the service to customers as “priority boarding”. It’s not shifting the goalpost to me ... more like telling people they’ll play ice hockey and directing them at a football pitch!

Nijmegen · 03-09-2018 1:10pm

Bob24 wrote: »

I don’t know about saying it is shifting the goalpost ... if it is acknowledged that the main point of buying the service is that you are allowed a cabin bag that on top of that it is accepted that depending on the airport you might not be garanteed to board in a priority group, there is no basis for selling the service to customers as “priority boarding”. It’s not shifting the goalpost to me ... more like telling people they’ll play ice hockey and directing them at a football pitch!

I don't disagree one bit. I can see a situation where Ryanair goes the way of the US carriers; so Flexi Plus will board in Group 1, Plus will board Group 2, Priority will board Group 3 and everyone else Group 4. Not sure the impact or feasibility of this mind you in their airport setups. But it feels that already they're heading that way. They have dedicated Flexi Plus bag drops in places and so on already. And then the amount of cabin bags you're allowed will tie to the group.

The current setup is just a pain in the ass at the gate nowadays.

Tenger · 04-09-2018 11:19am

I opened this to allow non-complaints and non-strike related discussion to have its own thread

Tenzor07 · 04-09-2018 12:04pm

Flew to and from Faro last week with RA, and to be honest couldn't have been any better, was exactly what I paid for...

Priority boarding is definitely of no benefit unless you are bringing very old or very young family.

At Dublin I relaxed and waited for almost everyone to board and I strolled along and out to the Aircraft, I did pay an additional €14 for a seat towards the back of the plane, so was right near the exit.

I had one small haversack type bag with me and was space for it in the overhead.

Returning from Faro, there's two que's however you all go into the same waiting area anyways until they open the doors to walk out onto the ramp towards the aircraft, you can by-pass a lot of people if you travel light!

The aircraft was on time, only very slight delays due to Dublin ATC and a bit of low cloud coming back.

Off the AC and through Dub passport check in no time..

Overall, I find Ryanair, cheap&cheerful, flight attendants young/cheerful/do the job as you'd expect.

Although with the new charges for seats and carry on bags their prices are closing in on the likes of Aer Lingus..

Nijmegen · 04-09-2018 2:51pm

I generally don't mind flying Ryanair at all, their Dublin experience in particular is grand as long as you don't mind the long walk to Co Meath Gates. Some of their outstations leave a lot to be desired; lot of endless queuing in hot airports... But it's what you paid for.

The issue with "priority" boarding across almost all LCCs is that it has gone from the perk that really made Ryanair acceptable after long years of free for alls getting on the plane, to being a really thin benefit of paying for what you used to get no matter who you were (long queue anyway and now a bag anyone could bring).

The Rape of Lucretia · 04-09-2018 7:48pm

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ryanair-uk-air-traffic-control-discrimination-complaint-eu-london-stansted-airport-a8522116.html

Ryanair claiming NATS is discriminating against them and Stansted in favour of Heathrow and Gatwick.

“The situation is particularly bad at weekends where NATS are hiding behind adverse weather and euphemisms such as ‘capacity restrictions’ "

Ever had your Ryanair flight delay elucidated as being due to 'operational reasons'?
If euphemisms are sauce for the goose...

Locker10a · 06-09-2018 2:47pm

The Rape of Lucretia wrote: »

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ryanair-uk-air-traffic-control-discrimination-complaint-eu-london-stansted-airport-a8522116.html

Ryanair claiming NATS is discriminating against them and Stansted in favour of Heathrow and Gatwick.

“The situation is particularly bad at weekends where NATS are hiding behind adverse weather and euphemisms such as ‘capacity restrictions’ "

Ever had your Ryanair flight delay elucidated as being due to 'operational reasons'?
If euphemisms are sauce for the goose...

https://nats.aero/blog/2018/09/ryanair-wrong-accuse-us-discrimination/

xtradel · 17-09-2018 10:38am

I'm heading off with Ryanair in the middle of next month to Stuttgart & returning by Bremen. Have all the fleet been kitted out with the new seats yet as I prefer them as they seem to have a little bit more legroom in them?

grimm2005 · 17-09-2018 3:19pm

xtradel wrote: »

I'm heading off with Ryanair in the middle of next month to Stuttgart & returning by Bremen. Have all the fleet been kitted out with the new seats yet as I prefer them as they seem to have a little bit more legroom in them?

Nope, only a small percentage are new, I fly quite regularly with them on different routes but have only got a new plane about 4 times in total I'd say since they started introducing them.

john boye · 17-09-2018 6:00pm

grimm2005 wrote: »

Nope, only a small percentage are new, I fly quite regularly with them on different routes but have only got a new plane about 4 times in total I'd say since they started introducing them.

I think the OP was asking if the older planes have received the new seats yet? A friend of mine was on an older one last week which did have them but I couldn't tell you if many others do.

grimm2005 · 18-09-2018 10:05am

john boye wrote: »

I think the OP was asking if the older planes have received the new seats yet? A friend of mine was on an older one last week which did have them but I couldn't tell you if many others do.

Ah okay, I didn't know the older planes were getting retro-fitted. I haven't been on any older ones that have the new seats since they announced the new cabins a few years back and I fly fairly often so I would say the chances are slim.

xtradel · 18-09-2018 3:47pm

grimm2005 wrote: »

Ah okay, I didn't know the older planes were getting retro-fitted. I haven't been on any older ones that have the new seats since they announced the new cabins a few years back and I fly fairly often so I would say the chances are slim.

Yeah, I should have been more clear on my question. Earlier This year I flew out to Germany on the old style seats EI-DPO but on the return trip they were new style but an older bird EI-DCR.

rivegauche · 26-09-2018 1:12pm

rivegauche wrote: »

...........@IngazZagni; seat 16A is your problem with trying to make me look silly. Not only would he have been offered the seat if it were available, he, as an able-bodied man who was being displaced from another emergency exit seat would have been the first person the cabin crew would asked to go to 16A.
It was never available anyhow. Those overwing window seats are in demand and would have been sold for a premium weeks in advance of the flights.
The company response was technically plausible but not practically credible and was the response chosen so as not to disincentivise the reading public from purchasing ancillaries, i.e. premium seats for fear of not receiving the service they would pay for.

billie1b · 26-09-2018 1:25pm

rivegauche wrote: »

http://www.eleconomista.es/empresas-finanzas/noticias/9411541/09/18/Ryanair-cancela-finalmente-150-vuelos-por-la-huelga-del-viernes-40-menos-de-los-anunciados.html

Number of cancelled flights reduced from 190 to 150.
That reduction seems to be attributable to these Spanish Strike Regulations.

The Squib gets damper by the day.

@IngazZagni; seat 16A is your problem with trying to make me look silly. Not only would he have been offered the seat if it were available, he, as an able-bodied man who was being displaced from another emergency exit seat would have been the first person the cabin crew would asked to go to 16A.
It was never available anyhow. Those overwing window seats are in demand and would have been sold for a premium weeks in advance of the flights.
The company response was technically plausible but not practically credible and was the response chosen so as not to disincentivise the reading public from purchasing ancillaries, i.e. premium seats for fear of not receiving the service they would pay for.

Goes to show your lack of knowledge on the airline again, the last remaining available seats on a Ryanair flight are generally the overwings 16 + 17 A and F, then generally around the row two area and anothet couple around the 29 - 30 area.

rivegauche · 26-09-2018 1:29pm

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. Even if not sold someone would have snook in to them by the time the doors are closing and the Cabin Crew would have been making sure at that stage that someone able-bodied was in them and agreeing to assist in case of emergency. The response as published was not credible.

billie1b · 26-09-2018 1:33pm

rivegauche wrote: »

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. Even if not sold someone would have snook in to them by the time the doors are closing and the Cabin Crew would have been making sure at that stage that someone able-bodied was in them and agreeing to assist in case of emergency. The response as published was not credible.

Not true because when they’re assigned to revenue pax or revenue standby pax at the gate or jump seating crew the crew are informed by the dispatcher to go down and check to make sure nobody else has occupied them. The response published was totally credible as i’ve had the exact thing happen on a few of my flights over the last few weeks.

rivegauche · 26-09-2018 1:38pm

I guess if cabin crew are informed of exactly where certain people are seated(and your response implicitly concedes that people do sneak in to those seats) then they'd be informed that seat 16A is free and it should have been offered.
You are tying yourself up in knots trying to prove that the response as printed was credible. The passenger states categorically that 16A which is an equally acceptable seat with extended legroom was not offered to him.

billie1b · 26-09-2018 1:41pm

rivegauche wrote: »

I guess if cabin crew are informed of exactly where certain people are seated then they'd be informed that seat 16A is free and it should have been offered.
You are tying yourself up in knots trying to prove that the response as printed was credible. The passenger states categorically that 16A which is an equally acceptable seat with extended legroom was not offered to him.

But yet Ryanair says it was offered to him and regardless if he was offered 16A or not (which he was) he would not have been able to sit in 17F due to technical issues. It happens, not often but happens, same as a last minute INAD on the flight, they have to be seated in 32A regardless if someone has paid in advance for it or not, these are rules and regulations set forth by the IAA but you can continue on with your drivel.

IngazZagni · 26-09-2018 1:49pm

rivegauche wrote: »

I guess if cabin crew are informed of exactly where certain people are seated(and your response implicitly concedes that people do sneak in to those seats) then they'd be informed that seat 16A is free and it should have been offered.
You are tying yourself up in knots trying to prove that the response as printed was credible. The passenger states categorically that 16A which is an equally acceptable seat with extended legroom was not offered to him.

You do realise that you are taking the response of the man in question at face value and are not at all concerned by the fact that this man had consumed 2 small cans of beer and half a bottle of wine during the flight let alone what he may have had before the flight. This passenger was escorted off the aircraft by Police for being disruptive. That is not something that would be done lightly. Maybe, just maybe his side of the story could be tainted with alcohol among other things.

billie1b · 26-09-2018 1:53pm

rivegauche wrote: »

I don't need to continue allowing you to drag the thread off-topic. I've established that the response as presented is not credible.

It’s amazing how every time that you are proven wrong with everything you say that you go straight to the ‘dragging the thread off-topic’ line when it was you who had started the point of the pax and the moving of seat due to tech issues, you really seem to be not that bright of a person!
The person couldn’t sit in 17F due to a technical issue, the pax got moved to 16A but refused to sit there, was offered another available seat and took it but still had a song and dance about it and went to the local rags for a bit of fame.
If the dispatcher tells the cabin crew that this certain seat is for this certain pax and someone else is seated there, the pax seated there is asked to produce their boarding card and move to their designated seat. It’s not an exact rocket science but it seems to go right over your head.

rivegauche · 04-10-2018 2:33pm

billie1b wrote: »

It’s amazing how every time that you are proven wrong with everything you say that you go straight to the ‘dragging the thread off-topic’ line when it was you who had started the point of the pax and the moving of seat due to tech issues, you really seem to be not that bright of a person!
The person couldn’t sit in 17F due to a technical issue, the pax got moved to 16A but refused to sit there, was offered another available seat and took it but still had a song and dance about it and went to the local rags for a bit of fame.
If the dispatcher tells the cabin crew that this certain seat is for this certain pax and someone else is seated there, the pax seated there is asked to produce their boarding card and move to their designated seat. It’s not an exact rocket science but it seems to go right over your head.

How did this end up in this thread? I've already addressed this topic on another thread from which is was deleted and shown that the official response as to how the Customer was catered for was not credible.
In short, it is highly unlikely that 16A was offered to the passenger because a) it was probably already filled by a paying passenger or an interloper and Billie1B concedes that flight attendants do check overwing seats for interlopers and able bodied passengers able to perform the duties expected of them during emergencies. The only response Billie1B can give to that is that the poster must be lying despite having no motivation to lie as if 16A was really available it would have been a perfectly acceptable alternative to 17F.

Spanish Eyes · 04-10-2018 9:34pm

Was on a flight back from Malaga earlier.

There appears to be a lot more leg room. Great! Must be new acquisitions of planes or else they are moving the seats!

Can anyone confirm?

I like RYR, cannot get going with AL for some reason, mostly confusing rules, but I am not dissing them depending on the destination. I suppose I am used to the drill with RYR by now, it is faultless when they are NOT on strike ha ha.

IQO · 04-10-2018 9:57pm

Spanish Eyes wrote: »

Was on a flight back from Malaga earlier.

There appears to be a lot more leg room. Great! Must be new acquisitions of planes or else they are moving the seats!

Can anyone confirm?

Probably not more legroom, just thinner seat backs:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/Ryanair-reveals-its-new-plane-interiors-and-theres-a-distinct-lack-of-yellow/

Spanish Eyes · 04-10-2018 10:00pm

IQO wrote: »

Probably not more legroom, just thinner seat backs:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/Ryanair-reveals-its-new-plane-interiors-and-theres-a-distinct-lack-of-yellow/

But, this was today, not 2019!

Anyway there is more room for yer footsies, or else my legs have shrunk :P

Edit, my apologies, for some reason this Indo article came up mentioning 2019.

https://www.independent.ie/life/travel/travel-news/ryanair-reveals-new-slimline-seats-and-celebrates-with-a-flash-sale-35994231.html

bigar · 05-10-2018 1:03am

The OP has one bad experience and applies it to all flights. Schonefeld is a bad airport and there is no room enough for waiting or queuing so the situation is more caused by the airport than Ryanair (I had the same with Aer Lingus in Tegel by the way for the same reason).

I fly at least once weekly and mostly with Ryanair. The priority does work when the airport can facilitate it. It works quite well in Dublin, for instance. I do notice that most people now just take it so they can take a trolley on board, more than being first.

Also, the difference between the new and old seats is around 3-4 cm of leg room. Does not seem much but it counts. My experience is that most planes have the new seating (fortunately). Only one of the 10 flights I took in the last 30 days had the old seating.

Tenger · 05-10-2018 9:03am

rivegauche wrote: »

How did this end up in this thread? I've already addressed this topic on another thread from which is was deleted and shown that the official response as to how the Customer was catered for was not credible.
In short, it is highly unlikely that 16A was offered to the passenger because a) it was probably already filled by a paying passenger or an interloper and Billie1B concedes that flight attendants do check overwing seats for interlopers and able bodied passengers able to perform the duties expected of them during emergencies. The only response Billie1B can give to that is that the poster must be lying despite having no motivation to lie as if 16A was really available it would have been a perfectly acceptable alternative to 17F.

This chain of posts was moved from the FR industrial relations thread as it was not on that topic. A debate about a report in The Sun about a single incident on a flight is more suited to this ‘General thread’.
I had considered deleting it altogether as it was essentially conjecture about a customer service issue and was “he said, she said” level of discourse.’

LeChienMefiant · 05-10-2018 9:49am

IQO wrote: »

Probably not more legroom, just thinner seat backs:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/Ryanair-reveals-its-new-plane-interiors-and-theres-a-distinct-lack-of-yellow/

Same thing?

vicwatson · 06-10-2018 4:27pm

Anyone know when Ryanair issue their timetables for 2019 for bremen?

Stevek101 · 07-10-2018 10:14am

vicwatson wrote: »

Anyone know when Ryanair issue their timetables for 2019 for bremen?

The route has likely been pulled for now. The base has been closed for the winter and there is a chance it won't open again.

trellheim · 07-10-2018 12:41pm

Seat Pitch on the newer fit is much the same very slightly worse seat quality in terms of comfiness. All in all the newer 738s are worse than the old , the gaspers ( air vents for passengers) are worse on the new planes

jjbrien · 07-10-2018 3:47pm

trellheim wrote: »

Seat Pitch on the newer fit is much the same very slightly worse seat quality in terms of comfiness. All in all the newer 738s are worse than the old , the gaspers ( air vents for passengers) are worse on the new planes

I actually found the new seats to be better and a little more roomy than the old. The tray table is smaller but I dont order meals on Ryanair so really only need it at times for my tablet which i find the new one grand for. The luggage lockers are also much improved.

vicwatson · 07-10-2018 4:55pm

Stevek101 wrote: »

The route has likely been pulled for now. The base has been closed for the winter and there is a chance it won't open again.

I think it was only a “summer” schedule anyway? Until the end of october, don’t know when it started

Noxegon · 07-10-2018 6:26pm

Earlier this year HRH and I took DUB-PFO.

I don’t think I appreciated just how hideously uncomfortable FR seats get after more than two hours. If I ever do that flight again I’ll be bringing a cushion.

Comhrá · 07-10-2018 6:56pm

Noxegon wrote: »

Earlier this year HRH and I took DUB-PFO.

I don’t think I appreciated just how hideously uncomfortable FR seats get after more than two hours. If I ever do that flight again I’ll be bringing a cushion.

I did SNN TFS a few years ago with FR. 4hrs. in those seats was very uncomfortable and unpleasant.

Stevek101 · 07-10-2018 8:29pm

vicwatson wrote: »

I think it was only a “summer” schedule anyway? Until the end of october, don’t know when it started

It did go seasonal alright but the base remained open in Bremen. With rising fuel prices and an ever toughening stance from the German unions its likely we will see cuts to their marginal German operations.

California Dreamer · 14-10-2018 10:48pm

http://twitter.com/ingridmileyRTE/status/1051586723988279297

Crew sleep on the floor when there is no hotel for them as they are all booked out. As one person says....no hotels...in the low season...

Bob24 · 14-10-2018 11:00pm

California Dreamer wrote: »

http://twitter.com/ingridmileyRTE/status/1051586723988279297

Crew sleep on the floor when there is no hotel for them as they are all booked out. As one person says....no hotels...in the low season...

If it is accurate information it’s simply unacceptable.

Any justification for this is just excuses. If a company like Ryanair wants to make things right in such situation, they can.

I once was stuck in Singapore during a business trip due to the Icelandic volcano ashes and it was a pain to find a hotel as many flights had been cancelled. My company just asked their travel agency to sort me out regardless of cost, and while it cost 500 euros for the night I did have proper sleep in a nice hotel.

Jack1985 · 14-10-2018 11:30pm

California Dreamer wrote: »

http://twitter.com/ingridmileyRTE/status/1051586723988279297

Crew sleep on the floor when there is no hotel for them as they are all booked out. As one person says....no hotels...in the low season...

Thundering disgrace. Couldn't find hotel accommodation going into low season in the Costa del Sol? Utter BS.

JCX BXC · 15-10-2018 2:20am

California Dreamer wrote: »

http://twitter.com/ingridmileyRTE/status/1051586723988279297

Crew sleep on the floor when there is no hotel for them as they are all booked out. As one person says....no hotels...in the low season...

I'm not one to defend the regression of workers rights, but the photo looks very staged. I'd imagine it did happen that they weren't put up, but cmon who actually sleeps like that?

General Ryanair discusion

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