Explain the dislike towards Ryanair?

NickNickleby · 31-05-2019 12:47pm

Padraig Mor wrote: »

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.

oh my God, memories. WE got something like that from Tesco, but you didn't get to choose your destination We got Frankfurt. FRANKFURT. THe only good thing about Frankfurt is the train to Heidelberg. I'd forgotten all about that until now.

Edit : when I originally wrote this it was on a gut instinct response, based on a weekend there about 25 years ago. Unfair of me to characterise a whole city based on my own limited experience.

ThunbergsAreGo · 31-05-2019 12:48pm

Being left in an airport for 36 hours, with a 6 month old - with no hotel or arrangements made for any passengers - as they refused to cancel a flight until 6 hours after the expected departure and 2 hours after the last airline had

Being lied to by their staff who were less informed than the passengers

Being lied to by the airline about the reason for the delay that was in direct opposition to what we were told by the pilot.

Being given a phone number that didnt exist by call centre staff

They are fine when things go well. I have found them by far the worst airline when things go wrong.

Bob Harris · 31-05-2019 12:49pm

wally79 wrote: »

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

It's become a bit of a misnomer when the 15 people with non-priority are watching 90 people in the priorty queue dragging on their bags.

Franz Von Peppercorn II · 31-05-2019 12:51pm

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.

Come on. Plenty of times years ago there wouldn’t be seats together guaranteed. You can fly without your partner beside you. I’d be happy to.

I don’t like the tiny size of the standard baggage allowance but I get if I am going on a day or weekend trip it would be grand.

Allinall · 31-05-2019 12:52pm

NickNickleby wrote: »

oh my God, memories. WE got something like that from Tesco, but you didn't get to choose your destination We got Frankfurt. FRANKFURT. THe only good thing about Frankfurt is the train to Heidelberg. I'd forgotten all about that until now.

I know a bloke who works at the cutting edge in financial services in Frankfurt, and he says it’s great.

facehugger99 · 31-05-2019 12:52pm

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

Nope, more like €270 - €405, allowing for inflation over the last 20 years.

Franz Von Peppercorn II · 31-05-2019 12:54pm

[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

Relative to wages nicks £220 is about 800€

Boom_Bap · 31-05-2019 12:56pm

I think the issue is that people expect a regular airline when they are actually booking with budget airline.

Like, if I buy a prepacked lasagna, I know it's not going to taste like Giuseppe's Magical Perfecto Lasagna made in the leaning tower of Pisa.

branie2 · 31-05-2019 12:56pm

Because people don't read the terms and conditions

Bogwoppit · 31-05-2019 12:57pm

Rome a few weeks ago with Aer Lingus, €380.
Pisa earlier this month with with Ryanair €108 with a bag.

NickNickleby · 31-05-2019 12:58pm

Allinall wrote: »

I know a bloke who works at the cutting edge in financial services in Frankfurt, and he says it’s great.

Sorry, last OT post I'll make.

I'm sure it is but we only got 2 nights there, and we were staying right next to the Hauptbanhoff (I think its called) and it wasn't a nice area at all. I've seen parts of the old city on telly, and it looks great.

My previous comment was unfair - it was based on my own very limited experience. Its what springs to mind when I think of Frankfurt.

Nikki Sixx · 31-05-2019 1:06pm

It is what it is and I use them mostly when I fly, but not by choice, mainly due to economy. You really do feel you are on a budget airline with Ryanair. You will often be surrounded by the dregs of society on such flights. I flew to Amsterdam before and the amount of scummers on the plane was phenomenal. Loud twenty somethings from the slums of Dublin, getting drunk on large duty free bottles of vodka. It was painful to say the least. I think everybody knows Michael O’ Leary is a cnut. The staff, with some exceptions don’t seem delighted to do the work they do and are treated like crap I’d imagine. The scratch cards piss me off a bit too. Oh and the seats don’t allow much leg room/ comfort.

gordongekko · 31-05-2019 1:12pm

I find their staff unnecessarily grumpy. Travelling can be stressful and I find the attitude of their staff to be poor. A quick smile or hello instead of a grunt would be nice.

B_ecke_r · 31-05-2019 1:14pm

the whole "they are grand til something goes wrong" line - isn't that just Irish customer service summed up?

mikemac2 · 31-05-2019 1:15pm

NickNickleby wrote: »

oh my God, memories. WE got something like that from Tesco, but you didn't get to choose your destination We got Frankfurt. FRANKFURT. THe only good thing about Frankfurt is the train to Heidelberg. I'd forgotten all about that until now.

Frankfurt has apflewhein. Drink of the gods!

NickNickleby wrote: »

I'm sure it is but we only got 2 nights there, and we were staying right next to the Hauptbanhoff (I think its called) and it wasn't a nice area at all. I've seen parts of the old city on telly, and it looks great.

.

It’s probably worse now that you remember it. The Dublin councilors who want injection centers should pay a visit and learn,hmmmmmmmm

rainbowdrop · 31-05-2019 1:16pm

rossie1977 wrote: »

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

I remember those Eurolines buses. I grew up in the UK, and no way my parents could afford flights for themselves and 3 kids.

Once a year, we would come 'home' to Ireland on a Eurolines coach.
We would leave our house in the UK at about 5pm, a 2hr train journey to Leeds to get the coach, arrive in Holyhead at about 3am for the ferry, arrive in Dublin at about 7am, then the coach down to Limerick, arriving at about 12pm (no motorway then), and then a 1hr car journey to my Grandads house.

Would take the bones of 20hrs to make the journey, but only cost £300 for the 5 of us, compared to probably a £1000 if we were rich and went by plane.....

How many of today's families with young kids would like to make that journey?

Now I can just get a flight for €40 and be at my final destination in the UK in about 4-5hrs......

Ryanair changed travel so much for the better, and I love them for it!!

Nikki Sixx · 31-05-2019 1:16pm

gordongekko wrote: »

I find their staff unnecessarily grumpy. Travelling can be stressful and I find the attitude of their staff to be poor. A quick smile or hello instead of a grunt would be nice.

I think O’ Leary puts pressure on them to reach certain targets with selling scratch cards, cosmetics and the like. They also probably are under pressure to screw people for not having boarding passes and having bags that weigh over the limit.

OneEyedORourke · 31-05-2019 1:20pm

Nikki Sixx wrote: »

I flew to Amsterdam before and the amount of scummers on the plane was phenomenal. Loud twenty somethings from the slums of Dublin, getting drunk on large duty free bottles of vodka. It was painful to say the least.

This attitude makes me laugh.

I'd take a group of "scummers" on a hour long flight over annoying little brats who's parents can't be arsed to control any day of the week!

Grayson · 31-05-2019 1:31pm

rainbowdrop wrote: »

I remember those Eurolines buses. I grew up in the UK, and no way my parents could afford flights for themselves and 3 kids.

Once a year, we would come 'home' to Ireland on a Eurolines coach.
We would leave our house in the UK at about 5pm, a 2hr train journey to Leeds to get the coach, arrive in Holyhead at about 3am for the ferry, arrive in Dublin at about 7am, then the coach down to Limerick, arriving at about 12pm (no motorway then), and then a 1hr car journey to my Grandads house.

Would take the bones of 20hrs to make the journey, but only cost £300 for the 5 of us, compared to probably a £1000 if we were rich and went by plane.....

How many of today's families with young kids would like to make that journey?

Now I can just get a flight for €40 and be at my final destination in the UK in about 4-5hrs......

Ryanair changed travel so much for the better, and I love them for it!!

I was reading an article about people who go overland rather than fly and it's gotten better. just not for Ireland. In you were doing say Manchester to amsterdam or paris, it's about the same time. You hop on a train and go there. The trip takes about the same door to door since for airports you have to turn up two hours earlier. However it's normally cheaper to fly.

And of course, going overland from Ireland would be a nightmare with Ferries etc.

Mad_maxx · 31-05-2019 1:31pm

Allinall wrote: »

I know a bloke who works at the cutting edge in financial services in Frankfurt, and he says it’s great.

Ask him to stop shorting Ryanair stock

Grayson · 31-05-2019 1:32pm

OneEyedORourke wrote: »

This attitude makes me laugh.

I'd take a group of "scummers" on a hour long flight over annoying little brats who's parents can't be arsed to control any day of the week!

Plus it's amsterdam. Whatever flight you get, whatever company you fly with, it'll be the same.

Richard Hillman · 31-05-2019 1:45pm

I have never had a problem with Ryanair and find their service and staff very good. Any delays are down to Airport issues. Aer Lingus, now....

mcmoustache · 31-05-2019 1:59pm

maximoose wrote: »

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.

You don't even need to read the T&Cs. The information is all there in pictures regarding what you can bring on board. Sure there are ads everywhere but when you're booking they tell you exactly what you're getting.

FTA69 · 31-05-2019 2:00pm

Stupid scam artist scratchcards that staff are disciplined for not selling enough of. On one flight we had some lad roaring down the intercom three separate times announcing the “fun scratchcard game” which people have no chance of winning.

Berserker · 31-05-2019 2:10pm

Ryanair is fine. Passengers who use the wrong door, can't find their seats or try to sneak on bags and end up getting charged are the problem.

Kermit.de.frog wrote: »

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

£200 (punts) but you got a free breakfast. My last Ryanair flight to Gatwick cost me €38 return.

Franz Von Peppercorn II · 31-05-2019 2:11pm

Nikki Sixx wrote: »

It is what it is and I use them mostly when I fly, but not by choice, mainly due to economy. You really do feel you are on a budget airline with Ryanair. You will often be surrounded by the dregs of society on such flights. I flew to Amsterdam before and the amount of scummers on the plane was phenomenal. Loud twenty somethings from the slums of Dublin, getting drunk on large duty free bottles of vodka. It was painful to say the least. I think everybody knows Michael O’ Leary is a cnut. The staff, with some exceptions don’t seem delighted to do the work they do and are treated like crap I’d imagine. The scratch cards piss me off a bit too. Oh and the seats don’t allow much leg room/ comfort.

I think that this post sums up why people don’t like Ryanair - snobbery.

The only actual complaint is the legroom.

Berserker · 31-05-2019 2:12pm

Grayson wrote: »

Plus it's amsterdam. Whatever flight you get, whatever company you fly with, it'll be the same.

Aer Lingus to Amsterdam tends to be business people or mature people. Ryanair is party central.

Franz Von Peppercorn II · 31-05-2019 2:16pm

Grayson wrote: »

I was reading an article about people who go overland rather than fly and it's gotten better. just not for Ireland. In you were doing say Manchester to amsterdam or paris, it's about the same time. You hop on a train and go there. The trip takes about the same door to door since for airports you have to turn up two hours earlier. However it's normally cheaper to fly.

And of course, going overland from Ireland would be a nightmare with Ferries etc.

I’d like to see those workings out. Manchester to London is 2 Hours to 2 30. Then you have to transfer to another railway. Then London to Paris on the Eurostar.

branie2 · 31-05-2019 2:16pm

I had no problems with Ryanair either

31-05-2019 2:16pm

NickNickleby wrote: »

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.

Unemployment benefit/assistance has to be collected in person from the local post office.

Franz Von Peppercorn II · 31-05-2019 2:18pm

Berserker wrote: »

Aer Lingus to Amsterdam tends to be business people or mature people. Ryanair is party central.

The Ryanair flights I took to Bristol and back when I lived in the U.K. were business. Early flights though. On that route aer Lingus was inferior.

mcmoustache · 31-05-2019 2:18pm

FTA69 wrote: »

Stupid scam artist scratchcards that staff are disciplined for not selling enough of. On one flight we had some lad roaring down the intercom three separate times announcing the “fun scratchcard game” which people have no chance of winning.

It's annoying alright but I'm willing to tolerate it as long as they are optional and I don't need to remove my headphones.

It's clear what their model is: A cheap random seat on the plane for just you and a small bag. Assigned seating and extra baggage allowance costs extra and during your flight they'll try to sell you overpriced cráp that you don't need to buy.

Sure it's a bit nickle-and-dimey but they aren't a monopoly. There are other airlines that have these perks built into their prices, making it look like the perks are free and people can choose those airlines if they like.

ziedth · 31-05-2019 2:34pm

I'll absolutely call them a necessity in that they make air travel cheaper and more available. Nice also to see and Irish success story and I appreciate that people can have flown with them 10's of times with no issues while I would say a majoprity of issues are from people not understanding the rules.

However, Personally I had a nightmare with them last year. Standing at the gate in Luton and told flight(s) were cancelled so next available flight wouldn't be until two days later. No Hotel, No Expenses etc. They said we should keep receipts of anything we spent waiting but I thought better than to trust that. So we got train and a boat home which got in maybe 20 hours later paying for hotel when in Dublin so maybe out of pocket the bones of €250 each.

To their credit they refunded the missed flight, paid the EU fine thing (through a third party) and my holiday insurance covered the rest so I ended up probably up money a little bit but it was a nightmare and I couldn't help but think that a different Airline would have handled the actual delay allot better.

Having said all that I am still flying with them in October so maybe it's more fool me

TaurenDruid · 31-05-2019 2:35pm

Because - while 95% of the time, they're fine and reasonably efficient - if *anything* goes wrong, they treat you like ****. If you can get any service at all.

I started avoiding them when our kids were young, as the stampede to get on and get seats together was just mad, back when they weren't allocating seating.

Worst experience was a few years ago, flying into Girona. Plane lands, we get off the plane, and for some unknown reason, never explained or apologised for, we are left standing on the tarmac in the noonday sun for 30 minutes before they decide they'll let us into the terminal.

Flying back two weeks later, we're ushered out onto the tarmac and made stand for 45 minutes in the 2pm sun, with no explanation or apology. Kids literally getting heatstroke. And then refused water when they eventually did let us onto the plane - that had been sitting there, ready, the whole time! Wrote to them about that, never got a reply.

The latest "We could obviously put the four people on your booking in adjacent seats, but instead we've spread you all over the plane so you'll pay more so you can sit together" is just the icing on the cake.

Yes, I'll fly Ryanair. Yes, I'll pay an extra few tenners if I don't have to.

Ragnar Lothbrok · 31-05-2019 2:38pm

Nikki Sixx wrote: »

It is what it is and I use them mostly when I fly, but not by choice, mainly due to economy. You really do feel you are on a budget airline with Ryanair. You will often be surrounded by the dregs of society on such flights. I flew to Amsterdam before and the amount of scummers on the plane was phenomenal. Loud twenty somethings from the slums of Dublin, getting drunk on large duty free bottles of vodka. It was painful to say the least. I think everybody knows Michael O’ Leary is a cnut. The staff, with some exceptions don’t seem delighted to do the work they do and are treated like crap I’d imagine. The scratch cards piss me off a bit too. Oh and the seats don’t allow much leg room/ comfort.

Excuse me, your Majesty.

topper75 · 31-05-2019 2:53pm

El Weirdo wrote: »

Luton is the real jewel of the British Empire.

When I landed there, I travelled on to another destination, but not everybody is blessed with my imagination.

My memory is quite powerful too, whilst I'm boasting about my magnificent brain.
I remember £200plus UK fares as being the only game in town.

Long may you run Ryanair.

Poulgorm · 31-05-2019 2:55pm

Just tried to check in for a return flight with Aer Lingus (Cork to Manchester): to do it more than 30 hours in advance, you have to purchase a seat first - the cheapest seat is €12! That's in each direction. The plane used in the run is that screechy, cramped, propellor driven thing.

Ryanair's cheapest seat is €4. In a much more comfortable plane.

OneEyedORourke · 31-05-2019 3:10pm

Berserker wrote: »

Aer Lingus to Amsterdam tends to be business people or mature people. Ryanair is party central.

I'd be on flights to Amsterdam every few months for work - there is feck all difference between the passengers on each airline, especially at weekends.

Bassfish · 31-05-2019 3:11pm

On the last family holiday we flew out with Aer Lingus and came back with Ryanair as the times worked out better. The Ryanair flight was no more hassle than the Aer Lingus flight from booking to landing and at least 30% cheaper, bags and all. Hitting you for all the extras is an industry standard at this stage.
Most people won't remember the days of Aer Lingus Cork to Heathrow return costing 300 punts return, but it did!

JeffKenna · 31-05-2019 3:15pm

What annoys me about Ryanair is since they changed there policy on cabin bags most people now have priority boarding. I don't want to stand next to the plebs in the que. Fu*k sake.

Wheety · 31-05-2019 3:28pm

The amount of people I hear giving out about paying for the extras (during booking, not on the flight). It's quite simple, check the cost on another airline who give you everything included and then check the price on Ryanair, including seat selection and priority boarding (as it includes carry on luggage). Ryanair are usually still cheaper.

weldoninhio · 31-05-2019 3:32pm

JeffKenna wrote: »

What annoys me about Ryanair is since they changed there policy on cabin bags most people now have priority boarding. I don't want to stand next to the plebs in the que. Fu*k sake.

You need to get to know some Ryanair staff. I almost always get onto the plane first because one of my mates working there will come out and let me skip the queue and bring me out first.

31-05-2019 3:33pm

Same here I flew with Ryanair all my life they are cheap and on time when I’m with them and never had any bother

Franz Von Peppercorn II · 31-05-2019 3:34pm

JeffKenna wrote: »

What annoys me about Ryanair is since they changed there policy on cabin bags most people now have priority boarding. I don't want to stand next to the plebs in the que. Fu*k sake.

You still go first. And get on first. Unless there are buses. Buses screw that up.

Doesn’t really matter these days with assigned seating.

31-05-2019 3:35pm

JeffKenna wrote: »

What annoys me about Ryanair is since they changed there policy on cabin bags most people now have priority boarding. I don't want to stand next to the plebs in the que. Fu*k sake.

Whether I’m priority or not, I always wait till last. If I’m struggling to find space in the overhead locker for my bag, the staff will always give a hand.

J_A_F_A · 31-05-2019 4:10pm

Franz Von Peppercorn II wrote: »

I think that this post sums up why people don’t like Ryanair - snobbery.

The only actual complaint is the legroom.

On the plus side their seats don't recline.

DEFTLEFTHAND · 31-05-2019 4:15pm

They do clearly state on the website about bag sizes etc.

I got caught with my little roller bag recently. Only cost me an extra 45e altogether so not too bad considering the price of the flight itself was reasonable.

ThunbergsAreGo · 31-05-2019 4:34pm

Bassfish wrote: »

On the last family holiday we flew out with Aer Lingus and came back with Ryanair as the times worked out better. The Ryanair flight was no more hassle than the Aer Lingus flight from booking to landing and at least 30% cheaper, bags and all. Hitting you for all the extras is an industry standard at this stage.
Most people won't remember the days of Aer Lingus Cork to Heathrow return costing 300 punts return, but it did!

i dont think Ryanair is cheaper is as true as it used to be.

Often I have found AE to be cheaper with better flight times

Stephen15 · 31-05-2019 4:48pm

naughtb4 wrote: »

i dont think Ryanair is cheaper is as true as it used to be.

Often I have found AE to be cheaper with better flight times

Not always no but I will fly with which ever one is cheaper and better flight times. Ryanair's sometimes have better flight times too generally in the sense that to some destination they might have two or three flights a week to whereas Aer Lingus may only have one flight a week to.

Also find Ryanair have a better choice of destinations than Aer Lingus in general.

Somedaythefire · 31-05-2019 4:52pm

Flew with them this month. Sat on the tarmac for an hour and a half after boarding for some reason on the way out. Then the flight was about an hour late coming home. They bused us all out to the plane, but had us wait on the very hot bus for about 25 minutes while they cleaned up the plane. Would have been better to just tell us there was a delay than the wait. The reason I don't like them is things like this routinely happen when I fly with them.

Explain the dislike towards Ryanair?

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