Ryanair - Comments & Feedback Thread

[lorweld]

Please use this thread for feedback and comments related to the budget airline "Ryanair".

Any new threads of this nature started from this point on will be merged to keep other threads from sinking down the Travel board.

If anyone spots a thread that needs to be merged but has been missed, feel free to send one of the BG's a PM. :)

[trisontana]

Back in October I booked two tickets on Ryanair from Stansted to Seville. At the time of booking, take-off time was 07.00, with arrival back home at midday. Last night I happened to check on the flight and it's been moved 17.05, with arrival back at 23.00. This has completely mucked up my planning. For a start , because of the early start I had booked an overnight hotel at Stansted. This is not needed now. Also I am not very keen on arriving in Seville at 9'oclock in the evening.
To make thinks worse the airline have never had the courtesy to email me about these changes. I know they have my email address because that's they one they used to confirm the initial booking. Unfortunately I am stuck with using them as now other airline flys to Seville on that date, and we have already booked accommodation. I think I will be able to cancel the hotel and parking package, but I am not a happy bunny!

[alison74]

Wrong info from me

[Voyager2002]

Check the EU regulations: these count as major changes.

Did you find out more than 14 days before you were due to travel?

[trisontana]

Check the EU regulations: these count as major changes.

Did you find out more than 14 days before you were due to travel?

I forgot to say in my first post that we are flying in late April.

[Voyager2002]

I forgot to say in my first post that we are flying in late April.

Ah, so no compensation.

Check whether they have any other flights going at different times, and ask to be moved to whichever flights are most convenient for you. They should do this without charge.

Of course, if you are on the only flights of the day there is not a lot more to be done.

[BenL]

As you say no other airline can help you this might not be of use but if you flight times are changed by more than 3 hours you can get a full refund from Ryanair.

If a Ryanair flight is time changed significantly (more than 3 hours before or after the original departure time) and no suitable alternative flight is available, we will, upon application, offer a Travel Credit or a refund for all monies paid in respect of the time changed flight, without further liability.


They changed a flight for me to Belfast so we got a refund and went with easyjet instead.

[trisontana]

I have now contacted Ryanair (via the premium-rate number) to complain about the lack of notification of these changes. The girl I spoke to insisted that they had emailed me, but I swear I never received it. I checked that they had my correct email address, which they have. Of course it's my word against theirs, but it's very annoying.

Contrast this the BMI who emailed me to say that a flight I have booked with them to Copenhagen is landing a whole 5 minutes earlier than first shown.

[lisyloo]

If this really clashes with your plans then you can use your travel insurance to make different arrangements.


If it's just not ideal and a bit inconvenient then I'm afraid you just have to live with it.
I sympathise but this can happen to ANY airline but it's more likely to happen if you go to a cheap airline with fewer backup plans or ATC slots - so you do tend to get what you pay for in life.

We once booked with a different airline and claimed the extra costs through our travel insurance. In our case we were going to a wedding and going later was just not an option.

So you can claim if it's a major problem, otherwise you just have to live with it.
We don't live in a perfect world and ATC schedules do change etc.
You are more likely to have something like this happen if you go with a dirt cheap provider rather than a "proper" airline who have more conntingency in place so it's part of the compromise you make when you travel with cut price operators.
I won't tar them all with the same brush because Easyjet are very professional, but RyanAir are just shoddy all round.

It's my ambition never to fly with them.

[omelette451]

As others have said, airlines are entitled to change flight times if they give you two weeks' notice, though I agree they should have emailed you as soon as they knew they were doing it rather than (presumably) waiting until nearer the deadline.

However, if you've booked a hotel at Stansted I assume you don't live nearby, so suggest you look at alternative airports from which Ryanair flies to Seville. If you find a better-timed one around the same day you'll probably find they're willing to transfer you to it for free.

[kerfootuk]

Sorry to hijack this thread but we are looking to go to Rome from Liverpool - 31st Jan to 7th Feb. Are Ryanair likely to reduce costs or put them up the closer to the date you book?
TIA

[omelette451]

Sorry to hijack this thread but we are looking to go to Rome from Liverpool - 31st Jan to 7th Feb. Are Ryanair likely to reduce costs or put them up the closer to the date you book?
TIA

Given how close it is to departure, it's unlikely they'll put them down. Ryanair is unpredictable, but I'd book them now if I were you.

[trisontana]

As others have said, airlines are entitled to change flight times if they give you two weeks' notice, though I agree they should have emailed you as soon as they knew they were doing it rather than (presumably) waiting until nearer the deadline.
However, if you've booked a hotel at Stansted I assume you don't live nearby, so suggest you look at alternative airports from which Ryanair flies to Seville. If you find a better-timed one around the same day you'll probably find they're willing to transfer you to it for free.
That's the problem. There are no other flights on that day from any other airport in the UK, if you discount changing planes in Madrid. only two airlines fly to Seville (Ryanair and Clickair). Ryanair use Stansted and Liverpool, and Clickair use Gatwick. We are flying on a Wednesday and only Stansted flights operate on that day.
Luckily I have cancelled the hotel/parking package and have got all my money back (I had taken out cancellation insurance with Holiday Extras) and have booked just ordinary parking now. The only reason we had booked the hotel was because of the early start. Now I will just drive the 100 miles from home to Stansted on the day. It's not a bad journey, as it's down the A1 and then the M11.

[richardw]

Luckily I have cancelled the hotel/parking package and have got all my money back (I had taken out cancellation insurance with Holiday Extras)

Great, that's lucky.

Seville is a great place well worth a visit.

[Valli]

Sorry to hijack this thread but we are looking to go to Rome from Liverpool - 31st Jan to 7th Feb. Are Ryanair likely to reduce costs or put them up the closer to the date you book?
TIA
unfortunate use of word since this is air travel:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

[Crabman]

moved to lorweld's post (OP)

[sturll]

Please use this thread for feedback and comments related to the budget airline "Ryanair".

Any new threads of this nature started from this point on will be merged to keep other threads from sinking down the Travel board.

If anyone spots a thread that needs to be merged but has been missed, feel free to send one of the BG's a PM.

Crabman :)

Its only take what - A few years to get this up and running!

Finally!!!

[MTPOCKET]

:mad: Where do you want me to start !! Yes cheap flights but.....
in flight staff - rude, ignored customers/passengers
unless you book seats its a first come come serve, so if there are a group of you or a family you may not be able to sit together !
cramped seats, additional costs baggage, dirty planes etc
never again :mad:

[BenL]

Ryanair are great for budget flights to get to lots of places I would not have gone to before.

I read the book "How low can you go" where the guy uses 1p flights to visit places and i want to do the same.

Next weekend I am going to Shannon for the weekend with my g/f, £22 return for both of us.

I do also have 1p flights to Dublin Thur-Mon but it is so expensive for hotels in Dublin we are not using them, throw away flights - who would have thought it?

I have used them to visit my sister in Nantes before and had no problems at all.

When they changed the flight to Belfast I was using by more than 3 hours I got a refund straight away back to my card and I rebooked with someone else.

After being so nice about them I hope next weekend all goes smoothly, now if they can lay on Leeds-Geneva at great flight times for me to visit the motorshow I would be eternally greatful.

No insurance, no bags, no priority boarding, visa electron - job done

[sturll]

Ryanair are great for budget flights to get to lots of places I would not have gone to before.

I read the book "How low can you go" where the guy uses 1p flights to visit places and i want to do the same.

Next weekend I am going to Shannon for the weekend with my g/f, £22 return for both of us.

I do also have 1p flights to Dublin Thur-Mon but it is so expensive for hotels in Dublin we are not using them, throw away flights - who would have thought it?

I have used them to visit my sister in Nantes before and had no problems at all.

When they changed the flight to Belfast I was using by more than 3 hours I got a refund straight away back to my card and I rebooked with someone else.

After being so nice about them I hope next weekend all goes smoothly, now if they can lay on Leeds-Geneva at great flight times for me to visit the motorshow I would be eternally greatful.

No insurance, no bags, no priority boarding, visa electron - job done

And a free go on the slide when it all goes wrong.

:D

[M4RKM]

i nearly got ripped off once, a flight for 1p, but then i read they charge £8 to use my debit card, so i spent £100 more on a flight with BA without any card charges!

;)

thanks Crabman

[sturll]

i nearly got ripped off once, a flight for 1p, but then i read they charge £8 to use my debit card, so i spent £100 more on a flight with BA without any card charges!

;)

thanks Crabman

Thats nothing, i once paid 1p for a flight and they had the cheek to attempt to charge me a further £10 to take a bag with me!

Talk about pushing it.

I mean as if - £10.01 with Ryanair or £150 with BA (where at least you get breakfast)

:D

[delwynsholidaydeals]

I would of just booked the cheapest

i nearly got ripped off once, a flight for 1p, but then i read they charge £8 to use my debit card, so i spent £100 more on a flight with BA without any card charges!

;)

thanks Crabman

[Crabman]

I would of just booked the cheapest
Woooooooooooosh!

(what was that?)

:p

[delwynsholidaydeals]

just would book the cheapest myself i wouldnt pay lots more for nothing, BA better airline but I would sooner save alot of money and fly with ryanair

[Incapuppy]

Woooooooooooosh!

(what was that?)

:p

I'm not sure but I think I just heard it again :p

[delwynsholidaydeals]

how childish

[dmg24]

:mad: Where do you want me to start !! Yes cheap flights but.....
in flight staff - rude, ignored customers/passengers
unless you book seats its a first come come serve, so if there are a group of you or a family you may not be able to sit together !
cramped seats, additional costs baggage, dirty planes etc
never again :mad:

Think we've had our first pointless (and inaccurate) rant.

At least he didn't say it was a rip off. :p

[will-he-payitoff]

Cheap cheap cheap, who cares about the service on a 2 hour flight its less than a bus fare.

[Voyager2002]

Total rip-off!

I paid a whole five pounds to travel with them, and explained that I wanted the miles credited to my BA Executive Club account. For some reason the clerk started laughing: cheeky so and so! And I have just checked my BA account and the miles have not yet been added.

I mean, any decent airline gives you miles for BA, doesn't it?

[Quietmanc]

First time traveller with Ryanair 2 wks ago,M/cr to Bremen.Spot on time,plane was clean,staff were pleasant.Legroom OK.Luggage was off almost as soon as we were.Lucky,maybe,but for now,wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

[Sergio1982]

Only flown with them once - EMA to Nantes. Arrived and left on time. Probably the newest plane I've flown in.

Hand luggage only - yes
Online check in - yes
Buy anything on board - no

= :j

[McAzrael]

Total rip-off!

I paid a whole five pounds to travel with them, and explained that I wanted the miles credited to my BA Executive Club account. For some reason the clerk started laughing: cheeky so and so! And I have just checked my BA account and the miles have not yet been added.

I mean, any decent airline gives you miles for BA, doesn't it?

That's nothing. I booked with them, and they only took me as far as the airport at the the other end. They just left me stranded. I had to pay extra for the train into town. RYANAIR RIP-OFF.

[M4RKM]

*laughs childishly*

[MrSmartprice]

This time last week we were in Porto, courtesy of Ryanair. Our 2 return flights cost a grand total of 4p. We took cabin baggage, checked in online and paid with an Electron card.

It was only a couple of hours so we did not need to purchase coffee, sandwiches, wines, spirits, Pringles, perfume, watches, cuddly toys or scratchcards.;)

The flights were both on time, in fact outwards arrived 15 minutes early and return, aided by a tailwind, was about 40 minutes early. We managed to get exit row seats both ways without paying for priority boarding. Staff were pleasant and polite, even if the announcements were a bit difficult to understand - they seem to employ Eastern Europeans a lot as cabin staff. The planes are all fairly new, unlike some of the ageing tubs owned by BA and cowboys like Monarch.

My only criticism is that Ryanair don't pay for airbridges at Birmingham so when you disembark you go down the plane steps, then up a staircase to the end of the airbridge. But hey, we only paid a penny a time so I'll live with it!

[kingston_toon]

I love Ryanair, and always will (even though I was diverted from Marrakech to Fez last week - hey, it happens). Play by their rules and you can fly for nothing. Plus you can have free entertainment when boarding as you watch all the people with those stupid massive cheap tartan bags being charged extra for carrying too much extra weight! :)

[wishiwasarichgirl]

Beware trying to add hold baggage at a later date.

Xmas, Me & OH flew Belfst to STN, decided at last min to take hold luggage (too many prezzies) thought it would be £10 but no...

£10 for hold baggage
£5 for checking-in at the airport (£10 as there was 2 of us and they wouldn't allow one person to book in online even though there was only one hold bag)
£5 credit card fee per person (even thogh I had already paid this fee at th time of original booking) = £10 (could have been avoided if i had a ryanair CC)

total £30 to add a effing hold bag.

never again.

[MrSmartprice]

Rules for Flying with Ryanair:

Rule 1: Play by Ryanair's rules if you want cheap flights.

Rule 2: There is no Rule 2. Break Rule 1 and you are on your own, subsidising flights for people who obey Rule 1.

All quite straightforward really.....;)

[dmg24]

Beware trying to add hold baggage at a later date.

Xmas, Me & OH flew Belfst to STN, decided at last min to take hold luggage (too many prezzies) thought it would be £10 but no...

£10 for hold baggage
£5 for checking-in at the airport (£10 as there was 2 of us and they wouldn't allow one person to book in online even though there was only one hold bag)
£5 credit card fee per person (even thogh I had already paid this fee at th time of original booking) = £10 (could have been avoided if i had a ryanair CC)

total £30 to add a effing hold bag.

never again.

See answer from MrSmartprice! :p

[SpecialK84]

:mad:
Just wanted to warn everyone that Ryan Air is having a few problems with their online check in system.

I had organised a little trip for my Mum and her new Husband as a wedding present up to Edinburgh, but (as Ryan Air charge you for everything) had selected online check in.

The night before the flight I went to check them in and added all the detail specified (passprt numbers etc - even though it was a UK flight!) and progressed through the check in. The boarding passes were then printed and I got up extremely early to drop them at the airport.

My mum later called me to say that they weren't allowed on the flight! Apparently the passport details entered hadn't captured, so they weren't printed on the boarding pass and when they got to the gate were turned away (they both had their passport with them, but it wasn't enough). In the end they ended up paying an extra booking few to take a later flight (13 1/2 hours later mind!).

It completely spoiled the treat I tried to give them and will definitely never fly with Ryan Air again! I phoned up internet support and she informed me that it was likely that a system error had occur, which stopped the entered information from getting retained. (I have submitted a complaint so we'll see what outcome there is.)

THIS ISN'T A LONE OCCURANCE SO MAKE SURE IF YOU CHECK IN ONLINE YOUR PASSPORT DETAILS GET PRINTED!!!

[BusinessStudent]

I've flown with Ryanair four times his month and have never experienced any problems using their online checkin. Every flight I've been on has always been on time too :-D

[stoneman]

This just doesn't make sence. As it was a U.K. internal flight you don't need your passport, just some proper I.D. I assume that because they checked in on line and had boarding cards with them their first stop would have been passport control, nothing to do with Ryanair, were they allowed through? Do I understand that as you say the "gate" it was when they were just about to board the plane thst they were refused. I have never done on line check in with them, is it a stipulation that your passport number has to be on the boarding card?

[BusinessStudent]

I've been to Belfast, Rome, Krakow and Berlin with Ryanair and have had no problems with them at all! I love the "Ryanair scrum" - whereby passengers run to the plane in order to get a seat :rotfl:

[dmg24]

If they had gone to the Ryanair desk, they would/ should have reprinted the passes. Saying that, I flew with them myself two weeks ago, and have done online check in for someone for three return flights in the past month, and not had a problem.

[dmg24]

I've been to Belfast, Rome, Krakow and Berlin with Ryanair and have had no problems with them at all! I love the "Ryanair scrum" - whereby passengers run to the plane in order to get a seat :rotfl:

I just misread that as 'Ryanair scum'! ;)

[poppie123]

We had a problem with our printed online check in bit of paper coming back from Dublin. They would not scan going through security because the ink was too dark.
It wasn't a problem though we were told to go to the ryan air desk and they would just print off boarding cards which they did.

[SpecialK84]

Thanks for all your replies guys, this really did happen!

I know you shouldn't need a passport for UK flights (I am a frquent flyer to Edinburgh with Easyjet and have never had any problems!), but apparently Ryan Air just like to be different. On the terms and conditions that come through with the confirmation number it doesn't specify that you need to have passport details on your printed boarding pass (only indicates requirements for travelling to Spain).

With the printed online boarding passes they have a barcode that is scanned going through security - they had no problems there! It was only actually at the boarding gates where they were refused by to fly by the Ryan Air staff (like I said they weren't the only ones refused!). It didn't seem to matter that they both had their passports with them.

They were told that that they could've got the boarding passes reprinted at the Ryan Air desk prior to security, but as the flight was already 1 hour late, they weren't given any opportunity to do this and were point blank refused.

The internet support contact I called said that the passes shouldn't have been printed without the details (as with most internet pages if the necessary fields have not been completed you are not able to proceed), but as the details were actually entered the passes still printed, it was just an error in the system resulted in the details not being captured !

[nico26]

We had a problem with our printed online check in bit of paper coming back from Dublin. They would not scan going through security because the ink was too dark.
It wasn't a problem though we were told to go to the ryan air desk and they would just print off boarding cards which they did.

Ive had this problem as well the scanner cannot read the pass and had to go back to check in but they printed it out again for me..Security told me to go a fast track desk then to recheck as I'd already waited 20mins . So should not have been a problem to get reprinted.This was at Stanstead.

[SpecialK84]

There wasn't a problem at security! Everthing was fine. It was just at the boarding gate. Could not get pass re printed as plane was 1 hour late and check in had closed.

[richardw]

Perhaps there should be an option to generate the pass as a pdf file.

[TimothyEBaldwin]

For all of my trips for which a Ryanair route is plausible I did look at what it would cost to fly:

Selby - Barcelona depart 21st June 2006 returning 1st July 2006, Train fare £332.50 booked 10 days in advance. I don't recall what the air fare was, but a journey booked now with Ryanair (in Winter) on the same days of the week costs £303.43, when travel to/from the airport and additional accommodation is included.

York - Berlin return, Train fare £200 a few weeks in advance. Ryanair had the cheapest flights, but with train + bus fare to East Midlands Airport and a night in an airport hotel came to more than £200.

Glasgow - London, Ryanair was the cheapest airline with a £10 fare. But with an extra night's accommodation would cost about £20, and Ryanair's flight would not fit in the avaible time. The sleeper train fare was £29 from First Scotrail.

Selby - Berlin return, departing Boxing Day arriving by 9am 27th December. I found no flights to Berlin reachable by public transport from places near Selby.

York - Berlin, departing Christmas Eve after a Christmas Party, No flight from UK reachable by public transport found.

Summary: Trains: 4, Train + National Express Coach 1, Airlines 0

For the hypothetical journeys by a UK tourist with time to visit Paris (and Milian) on-route, Oxenholme Lake District Station - Barcelona and London - Bari, Ryanair also loses to the trains.

[Hagar_uk]

The trick to flying with ryanair is knowing what to expect.
If you know in advance they will:

Ttry and exctract money from you for everything
that the flight will be safe but annoying.
that you will fly an airfiled no where near the city you want

Then you can not be disappointed when you get that service.

I fly with ryan a fair amount, not usually for the price, but usually flight times and location ( I have often found the odd locations they fly to have been of benefit)

While I agree with most people that you get what you pay for. The lack of provision if things go wrong is scary, Your 1p flight may cost you £600+ if they cancel the flight andyou don't want to hang around at the airport for the next 5 days waiting for the next flight

[Strapped]

They're fine if you are able-bodied but if you need, for example, oxygen on the flight it works out cheaper to book with one of the big carriers.

ETA: In case of interest to anyone, BA and Virgin provide O2 free of charge. RyanAir charge £100. EasyJet, surprisingly, allow you to take your own cylinders (most carriers do not although some will allow a POC).

[nico26]

I use ryanair for travel to murcia. Prestwick 10 mins from home. Flight in 2 weeks time to Murcia. £55 return and much nearer to my destination than Alicante
One way by taxi to Glasgow airport to catch the early Globespan to Alicante £50 plus fare.No comparison really.If you get them at the right price.

As hagar says know what to expect.Be prepared if anything goes wrong. I used to check alternate flight options before I left just in case I got stranded along the way.

[topher]

Hi

I've booked a flight with Ryanair from Manchester to Dublin in a few weeks time. I'm only away for 2 nights so intend to just take everything in a small bag. The bag I have is bigger than the maximum sizes specified on the website, but it won't be full and its a soft bag.

Does anyone know if they'll allow this through or do I need to hunt for a very small bag?

Thanks in advance!

[angelapops]

How much bigger than 55cmX40cmX20cm is it?

[topher]

Its 52 x 27 x 29 cm but as I mentioned before it'll hardly have anything in it!

[angelapops]

Thats way under the size they allow just make sure any liquids lip stick etc it under 100ml indivually and that total amount of liquid going through security is under 1 litre and is in a see thru' resealable plastic bag.(Ryanair usually supply these free of charge at the airport.)
Once through security you can buy anything else you need liquid and carry it on plane.But watch on return journey as same principal applies.
I usually have a shoulder bag crossed over my body and a suitcase within their size limits with no trouble.

Have a great weekend!

[topher]

I was worried because the bag is 29cm tall and the measurements on the website say 20cm! Thanks for your answer angelapops!

[curtlyb]

They have a yellow metal 'gauge' at the airport, essentially a rectangular box the same size as the limit, if your bag is flexible then it'll fit in ok, if it's rigid and too big then you'll have a problem ;)

.........I usually have a shoulder bag crossed over my body and a suitcase within their size limits with no trouble..........
Be a bit careful here, there's a thread on this site and a big press release last week about Ryanair clamping down to ONE item only which includes handbags etc etc (you can put all your other bags into the one if you've space)... somebody tried taking five items on baord :-)

[angelapops]

Thanks Curly I haven't seen that thread although I have been gobsmacked at times at the amount and size of cabin baggage some people have got away with.

First time I travelled with Ryanair I put my handbag into my cabin baggage to go thru' security and took it out after I got into the departure lounge.
After that first time I just slung my handbag on shoulder straps accross my body leaving my hands free.It has never been a problem. I will look up that thread you have referred to.

[angelapops]

Omg Curtly I wasn't being rude just miss read your name ! :A

[curtlyb]

Omg Curtly I wasn't being rude just miss read your name ! :A

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:..... ;)


http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/news.php?yr=09&month=jan&story=gen-en-200109-2

[lorweld]

News Release

Ryanair’s generous free cabin baggage allowance, of 10kg per passenger, is restricted to one bag into which passengers must place all handbags, laptops etc. This policy is enforced across the network, to ensure fairness to all passengers.


http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/news.php?yr=09&month=jan&story=gen-en-200109-2

So handbags and laptops now have to be put in the one you are allowed carry on.

My worry is people with babies are not allowed carry a baby bag with nappies bottles etc. They have to place it all in the one bag. This will make it very awkward for people travelling with young children.

[Edinburghlass]

I understood that was always the case and have only ever travelled with one piece of hand luggage no matter the airline, you also need to check your departure airport restrictions.

[connlach]

Can anyone advise if it possible to do the following:

2 adults and 1 child on the same booking. We only want to take 1 checked in bag so can we select 1 bag and airport check in for 1 passenger and book the other 2 passengers in online? The site seems to allow this but dont want to be caught out at the airport!

Many thanks for the advice.

[richardw]

They'd lose money allowing flexibility on one booking, so I doubt it is possible on one booking. Perhaps try a dummy booking and see if it is possible, but don't get your card charged.

[McAzrael]

Can anyone advise if it possible to do the following:

2 adults and 1 child on the same booking. We only want to take 1 checked in bag so can we select 1 bag and airport check in for 1 passenger and book the other 2 passengers in online? The site seems to allow this but dont want to be caught out at the airport!

Many thanks for the advice.


You can, but there is a very slim chance that the price will rise in the time it takes you to make the two bookings. There's also a very slim chance that they have one or two tickets left at a lower price than you are seeing for three and you will save a little money.

[jyonda]

Can anyone advise if it possible to do the following:

2 adults and 1 child on the same booking. We only want to take 1 checked in bag so can we select 1 bag and airport check in for 1 passenger and book the other 2 passengers in online? The site seems to allow this but dont want to be caught out at the airport!

Many thanks for the advice.

If you are checking in a buggy then you will get a free checkin as they are mobility equipment and it's 1 per CHILD not child under 2! The surly checkin girl at Stansted tried to tell me otherwise so I produced a print out of the T&C's and she had to check with someone else before finally conceeding the point. She'd also snidely refused to check me in at all even though I never raised my voice, sweared or otherwise been abusive. I just asked if she'd read the T&C's of the company she worked for seeing as she quotes them at people all day long. Anyway, don't put down a check in when you book online as the system will probably charge you. Just turn up well in advance of the checkin close time and say "Ooh I read I need to get a label or something for my buggy" and hand them a copy of the T&C's if they argue with you.

[jammin]

From Ryanair Terms & Conditions (http://www.ryanair.com/site/IE/conditions.php):
one fully collapsible pushchair per child may be carried free of charge.

[jyonda]

Exactly what I said.

[jammin]

Exactly what I said.

Indeed. I've also had experience of check-in desk staff trying to make out it's per infant, not per child.

[cte1111]

I wonder if one of the Ryanair experts on here could help me? I'm about to try and book 10 Ryan Air flights (5 people * return trip). I've gathered that there is a card charge per flight, unless you use an Electron card. Is a Visa Debit card, the same as a Visa Electron card?

If not, then where have people got their Electron cards from? Just for future references, as expecting to be booking a few flights this year. Thanks.

[richardw]

Is a Visa Debit card, the same as a Visa Electron card?


No, Visa Electron is different.

http://www.halifax.co.uk/bankaccounts/easycash.asp

[fifeken]

Can anyone advise if it possible to do the following:

2 adults and 1 child on the same booking. We only want to take 1 checked in bag so can we select 1 bag and airport check in for 1 passenger and book the other 2 passengers in online? The site seems to allow this but dont want to be caught out at the airport!

Many thanks for the advice.

Yes - it's no problem.

[loobs40]

flew ryanair from Luton to Murcia and back last week. Flights were £20 total for the two of us. I used my son's Electron card to pay saving me the payment booking charge.

Booked us on separate bookings as hubby wanted to take golf clubs (£60 return) and therefore he needed to check in at the airport. By putting me on a separate booking I didn't have to check in saving £10.

Both flights landed at their destination early and the cabin crew were efficient and courteous.

Can't find anything to complain about, in fact it was an excellent service. You just need to be a bit savvy and set your expectations from what is a low fare service.

Actually I have thought of something to complain about..... not Ryanair though. Luton airport have banished the Airparks bus to a distant part of the set down area, away from the main bus and coach area. Arriving back on a freezing Saturday night we had to wait 15 minutes in the freezing cold, with no bus shelter to protect us. Are Luton Airport trying to get rid of the Airparks service ? Wouldn't surprise me. I only paid £12.50 for parking from the Wed to the Saturday, but if I know I am going to arrive late at night in future I might just decide to park at the airport.

[AliGB_1]

Hi everyone, this is my first post to MSE but I was really annoyed at having to pay £10 to use my DEBIT card when booking flights on both Ryanair and BMIBaby. Is this new? Is this legal.
I have had to pay before when using CREDIT card but certainly not £10.
I thought it was free/cheap to use a debit card.
There is no othere option but to pay it though as you can't just turn up with cash or cheque. I am sure this can't be legal? Does anyone know.

Also, the price of checking a piece of luggage in has now gone up to £25 per piece and it is £8 per person, per check-in if it is not done on line.

These flights are not cheap at all anymore. Budget service (i.e. rude, pay for drinks etc) but full price fares once you have added up all the things you require, like baggage!

Anyone know anything about the charges for using DEBIT cards though, I would be very interested. Thank you.

[Altarf]

I was really annoyed at having to pay £10 to use my DEBIT card .. I am sure this can't be legal? Does anyone know.
Yes it is legal, as you can pay with an Electron card for no additional charge.
Also, the price of checking a piece of luggage in has now gone up to £25 per piece and it is £8 per person, per check-in if it is not done on line.
So take the hint and don't check in a bag.
These flights are not cheap at all anymore.
Just travelled to the Canary Islands and back for £10 return, including all taxes, charges, booking fees, etc, etc. If that isn't cheap I don't know what is.
Budget service (i.e. rude, pay for drinks etc) but full price fares once you have added up all the things you require, like baggage!
Nope, I have never experienced or seen Ryanair staff be rude, and of course you have to pay for drinks. As for baggage, you can take 10kg each as cabin luggage, so just plan a bit better.

[Altarf]

where have people got their Electron cards from?

Co-Op Cashminder Account (http://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/servlet/Satellite/1193206368743,CFSweb/Page/Bank-CurrentAccounts) has an Electron card

[Pollycat]

Hi everyone, this is my first post to MSE but I was really annoyed at having to pay £10 to use my DEBIT card when booking flights on both Ryanair and BMIBaby. Is this new? Is this legal.
I have had to pay before when using CREDIT card but certainly not £10.
I thought it was free/cheap to use a debit card.
There is no othere option but to pay it though as you can't just turn up with cash or cheque. I am sure this can't be legal? Does anyone know.

Also, the price of checking a piece of luggage in has now gone up to £25 per piece and it is £8 per person, per check-in if it is not done on line.

These flights are not cheap at all anymore. Budget service (i.e. rude, pay for drinks etc) but full price fares once you have added up all the things you require, like baggage!

Anyone know anything about the charges for using DEBIT cards though, I would be very interested. Thank you.
Hi AliGB & welcome.

If you do a search on here under 'RyanAir rip-off' or something similar, it'll bring up lots of threads that discuss card charges and checked in luggage etc.

On the Ryanair website all these charges are detailed -before you even book a flight.

[naf123]

I would appreicate advice.

I have booked a ryanair flight for this friday. I booked with online checkin and now I realise I need to take a suitcase (due to changes in circumstances) - does anyone know how I can add on a suitcase to my booking?

many thanks

[Altarf]

I believe you can if you go to the "change/manage my booking" section on their website.

[2babyboys]

hello,

i need some really cheap flights to girona, barcelona. The flight quotes were pretty cheap, but the taxes r a joke - double the cost of the flight. has anyone ever actually only paid a certain amount like a tenner including taxes?

On the way home the flights are under a tenner and then £50 taxes, should I wait? Its for May school hol.

Thanks :j

[Engadine]

Plenty of people have paid £10 or less including when flying with Ryanair, it just depends on the promotions they have on at the time you want to book and when you want to travel.

The tax is outwith the control of any of the airlines and is something we just have to pay.

If you wait there is no guarantee that you will find the flights any cheaper, the more seats that are sold then normally the higher the price.

[pompeyrich]

GOING OUT
From Bournemouth (BOH) to Barcelona (Girona) (GRO)
Tue, 17Feb09 Flight FR9912 Depart BOH at 16:35 and arrive GRO at 19:30
COMING BACK
From Barcelona (Girona) (GRO) to Bournemouth (BOH)
Wed, 18Feb09 Flight FR9911 Depart GRO at 15:15 and arrive BOH at 16:10
PASSENGERS

1. MR xxx ADT 2. MRS xxx ADT 3. Ms xxx ADT 4. MISS xxxx CHD
PAYMENT DETAILS
*********8.00 GBP Total Fare
*********0.00 GBP Taxes, Fees & Charges
*********8.00 GBP Total Paid

There you go Bournemouth-Girona, half term week too, £8 for 4. Could have stayed longer but long enough to pick up some cheap baccy

[richardw]

Its for May school hol.

School hol periods are usually excluded from the special offers.

[Gazella77]

you can get a tenner flight but only when there is promotion with 0 on taxes and fares, which does happen from time to time but usually school holidays, bank holidays and weekends are excluded

[nv200]

For all those of you that use RyanAir they have found a new way to charge you even more, so watch out what you buy at the dutyfree!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/4449640/Ryanair-charges-nearly-30-to-carry-on-duty-free.html

[zappahey]

They are charging if passengers have more than the permitted free single piece of hand luggage, as per the published terms and conditions agreed at time of ticket purchase, but never let the facts get in the way of a good headline, eh?

[alanrowell]

This news is 2 weeks old

Ryanair - One piece of hand luggage means PRECISELY that (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1432845)

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/news.php?yr=09&month=jan&story=gen-en-200109-2

and yesterday - as I suspected - they clarified it to mean One piece of hand luggage means PRECISELY that (http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/news.php?yr=09&month=feb&story=gen-en-040209)

[alanrowell]

the flights are under a tenner and then £50 taxes
It's not taxes - taxes AND CHARGES, the main difference being charges go to Ryanair

[BenL]

I have had 6 1p flights from Leeds - Dublin and back.

On Sat & Monday I have 2x £11 returns to Shannon from Manchester.

No bags, no insurance, no priority boarding, Visa Electron.

You have to look for for the "No Taxes" fares and generally fly between Monday afternoon and Thursday morning.

I am getting to Shannon for £1, but its a "rip off" £10 to get back - lol

[grubscuttle]

I've been to Belfast, Rome, Krakow and Berlin with Ryanair and have had no problems with them at all! I love the "Ryanair scrum" - whereby passengers run to the plane in order to get a seat :rotfl:
Even better than that is the way all the British stand up and queue....even before the incoming flight has arrived!

[BenL]

It's very rare that I would buy anything in the airport shops anyway, the only Duty free I have used when ona budget airline was Lanzarote (Canary Islands are classed as duty free)

Ryanair want you to be through the airport quickly and efficiently onto their plane. The spokesman was complaining about airports being like shopping centres these days.

I usually have a 2nd bag but this contains sandwiches etc for eating in the airport and they are all gone by the time i get on the plane.

[M4RKM]

oh come on.. there is a ryan air thread.... keep me sane and put ryanair things in the ryanair thread!

[grubscuttle]

Thats way under the size they allow just make sure any liquids lip stick etc it under 100ml indivually and that total amount of liquid going through security is under 1 litre and is in a see thru' resealable plastic bag.(Ryanair usually supply these free of charge at the airport.)
Once through security you can buy anything else you need liquid and carry it on plane.But watch on return journey as same principal applies.
I usually have a shoulder bag crossed over my body and a suitcase within their size limits with no trouble.

Have a great weekend!
in my experience the airport staff make you put handbags etc inside your "one piece of hand luggage" so I would allow for having to squeeze it in before being allowed through security

[spiro]

At least I now have an excuse to stop the OH shopping at Monsoon in Stansted on the way out of the country.

[Pollycat]

in my experience the airport staff make you put handbags etc inside your "one piece of hand luggage" so I would allow for having to squeeze it in before being allowed through security
Ryanair have recently announced that they are strictly adhering to the single bag rule.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=1432845&highlight=ryanair

A handbag counts as one bag, so you will need to have room to put it inside any other bag you are carrying.

I understand that this also applies to anything bought airside.

[chivers1977]

Just wanted to say, about 5 mins before reading this I discovered that I had an email in my Junk mail from Ryanair telling me that my return flight had been put back until 22.40. Now having once returned back to the UK at midnight with my son (3.5) I never ever want a repeat of that!!!!!:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

Luckily though, flying London to South of France, there are numerous other options (LGW, STN, Luton, Nimes, Marseille, Montpellier) so have requested a refund of the original tickets and booked new tickets LGW to MRS instead of STN to MRS and they are £30 cheaper!!

WARNING - if you have a flight booked with Ryanair, make sure that you check your junkmail and booking on the Ryanair website in case this happens more often. I am aware that airlines will be cutting out unne3cessary flights as they want full planes.... you would think that the plane back from the south of france in the second wk of the school holidays would be full anyway???

[MTPOCKET]

Think we've had our first pointless (and inaccurate) rant.

At least he didn't say it was a rip off. :p

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: the thread asked for our opinions & that is what I gave. It was an accurate account of our dealings with them.

[gmcl81]

When this card is used on the Ryanair site do you enter it under visa electron. I tried this and it said account number was not acknowledged?

[gmcl81]

Sorry -my stupidity:confused:!!! I misentered the card number but have now rebooked and it worked fine:T

[lufcgirl]

Ryanair have been great for me...except for me not realising my usual case could go as hand lugaage saving myself £30 or so per journey!

I've yet to get a 1p flight yet as I usually fly on a Friday, but I can't fault the staff, very polite and helpful...and I never seem to get delayed!

[omelette451]

my return flight had been put back until 22.40.
[...]
I am aware that airlines will be cutting out unne3cessary flights as they want full planes.... you would think that the plane back from the south of france in the second wk of the school holidays would be full anyway???

You've answered your own question... The flight hasn't been cancelled or removed from the timetable, it's simply been re-scheduled to a different time. There are many reasons why airlines do this sort of thing, but it's usually so they can make flights on other routes fit in more efficiently.

[omelette451]

At least I now have an excuse to stop the OH shopping at Monsoon in Stansted on the way out of the country.

Haha, if only! If it fits in the one bag they've already got it won't make a difference!

[sooz]

Noooo.

Monsoon stuff is mostly silk, & that's light. I'm sure she could get onto the plane wearing atleast 4 or 5 dresses :D

[blades123]

I am using Ryanair online checkin service for the first time next week. Can anyone who has used this service before tell me what you do when you get to the airport. Do you have to print anything of the computer at home (ie. a paper borading card)? or do u simply walk straight up to security and show them your passport.

Finally is it easy to use the online checking service. I am from the UK so have no problems with passports

thanks

[busiscoming2]

Hi, yes you print out boarding ticket for out/inbound journeys, when you get to airport you just head for the departure lounge where you show ticket and passport and go through security.

[lufcgirl]

Sorry to hijack, I had an earlier thread which wasn't responded to.

Can you use anything other than a passport when using online check in?

[alanrowell]

You can use an ID card issued by an EEA country

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=chk&quest=whoco

[lufcgirl]

Whats the difference anyway if you use a driving license at airport check in but not online?! They do exactly the same thing anyway...another way to make money!

[omelette451]

Whats the difference anyway if you use a driving license at airport check in but not online?! They do exactly the same thing anyway...another way to make money!

Not really. They keep the rules super-simple for online check-in so as to avoid any possible confusion or doubt that may delay the flight. This is the reason they don't allow non-Europeans to use online check-in (even those who don't require visas for Europe - as I said, they don't want any hassle) and even refund the airport check-in fee for those people, thus actually losing out on making more money.

[curtlyb]

For all those of you that use RyanAir they have found a new way to charge you even more, so watch out what you buy at the dutyfree!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/4449640/Ryanair-charges-nearly-30-to-carry-on-duty-free.html

I do believe that of all Ryanairs hundreds of routes only one entitles you to 'Duty Free' goods therefore a non-event :D

[Altarf]

I do believe that of all Ryanairs hundreds of routes only one entitles you to 'Duty Free' goods therefore a non-event

Six direct from the UK- Tenerife, Marrakesh, Oslo, Haugesund, Basel, and Pula.

[WestMidsMatt]

I'm thinking of booking some flights with Ryanair for the first time, it would be two adults and two children.

I have a point of clarification as regards hand luggage. Reading their website regarding hand luggage, it reads as though children are also allowed one piece of hand luggage each (not infants)? Is this correct can anyone comment/confirm/had any experiences?

[lufcgirl]

Hey
Just after a bit of advice
Yesterday afternoon it was around £50 return Newcastle>Dublin next Friday. Then by the night it changed to £10 return (no taxes). Now it's gone up to about £65 return. Didn't have my card with me to book last night.

Do you think I should wait till tonight and see if the prices change again, or am I lucky to be able to get te £65 return one now?

[Briggsy.notts]

I'm thinking of booking some flights with Ryanair for the first time, it would be two adults and two children.

I have a point of clarification as regards hand luggage. Reading their website regarding hand luggage, it reads as though children are also allowed one piece of hand luggage each (not infants)? Is this correct can anyone comment/confirm/had any experiences?

From reading the terms and conditions as soon as a child is 2 and over they are entitled to a piece of hand luggage. Don't know from experience but that is definately how I have read the terms.

I can not fault Ryanair. I have travelled with them many times over the last 8 years and in that time I have only had 2 flights that have been delayed (by only 30 mins) and only two hard landings. You get what you pay for and they are always my first port of call for a flight due to the price. I try to make sure I don't pay for luggage. Their hand luggage allowance is pretty generous. Only complaint is the charges for paying by card but it seems everyone does that nowadays. Never pay for priority as there are always plenty of seats on the plane and if you want to sit together you only have to ask the single traveller if they mind moving. Most will be very accommodating (unless thats just me, lol).

[Briggsy.notts]

Hey
Just after a bit of advice
Yesterday afternoon it was around £50 return Newcastle>Dublin next Friday. Then by the night it changed to £10 return (no taxes). Now it's gone up to about £65 return. Didn't have my card with me to book last night.

Do you think I should wait till tonight and see if the prices change again, or am I lucky to be able to get te £65 return one now?

Ryanair's prices seem to change very fast but this could also be down to the many offers they have going. I would say it's down to you about waiting. Maybe try again tonight but if the price hasn't changed it might be worth booking at the price you get. The closer the flight date the more the cost. I've seen prices the day before you fly costing over £100 before taxes. I always try to book well in advance to take advantage of overs and cheaper flights.

[Altarf]

Reading their website regarding hand luggage, it reads as though children are also allowed one piece of hand luggage each (not infants)?

Correct. But make sure it fits within the correct dimensions (no larger than 55cm x 40cm x 20cm) and no heavier than 10kg. And when they say "Each passenger (excluding infants) is permitted to carry one piece of cabin baggage on board", they mean one bag, not a bag and a handbag, or a bag and a laptop, etc. Not even a bag and anything from the duty free.

Also if you are flying with children and this is your first time flying Ryanair, be aware that they do not give priority boarding to families with children.

[lufcgirl]

Ryanair's prices seem to change very fast but this could also be down to the many offers they have going. I would say it's down to you about waiting. Maybe try again tonight but if the price hasn't changed it might be worth booking at the price you get. The closer the flight date the more the cost. I've seen prices the day before you fly costing over £100 before taxes. I always try to book well in advance to take advantage of overs and cheaper flights.

Yeah I got stung for £200 return booking the day before a week back! I think I'll try again tonight and see if it changes. God I wish I'd had my card with me!!

[WestMidsMatt]

Question regarding checking in luggage. There's 2 adults and 2 children and we're looking to take one piece of checked in luggage. Question is can the one adult do the check-in of luggage along with themselves while the other adult and two children do on line check in and thus avoid the airport checking in costs?

[lufcgirl]

Question regarding checking in luggage. There's 2 adults and 2 children and we're looking to take one piece of checked in luggage. Question is can the one adult do the check-in of luggage along with themselves while the other adult and two children do on line check in and thus avoid the airport checking in costs?

Make the booking for the one adult wanting to check in luggage seperate. Otherwise you'd all have to do airport check in

[fifeken]

Make the booking for the one adult wanting to check in luggage seperate. Otherwise you'd all have to do airport check in

That is incorrect.

They changed the system a while back and you can do them all on the same booking and individually select no bags/on line check in for passengers 2, 3 and 4.

[lufcgirl]

Ah sorry for the wrong information and thanks fifeken for correcting me!

[Winifred]

Ryanair do tend to re-schedule flights if there are key European football matches. You may find that this is the real reason for changing the flight time.

[mobile10]

Does anyone know Ryanair's policy re 16 year olds? Are they classed as adults or are children classed as 16 years and under? Have looked at everything on their website and can't find the answer

[Teahfc]

Does anyone know Ryanair's policy re 16 year olds? Are they classed as adults or are children classed as 16 years and under? Have looked at everything on their website and can't find the answer

On booking it seems Under 16 on day of flying !

Children
(under 16 years) (http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=chd&quest=uam)
Infants
(under 2 years) (http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=chd&quest=infants)

[mobile10]

Thanks...they contradict themselves a bit though...in another part it states all CHILDREN under the age of 18 years! and in another part it states minors age 14 - 17 years. Seems you have to be 15 and under to be a child when booking a ticket, otherwise you will pay for an adult ticket

[Teahfc]

Thanks...they contradict themselves a bit though...in another part it states all CHILDREN under the age of 18 years! and in another part it states minors age 14 - 17 years. Seems you have to be 15 and under to be a child when booking a ticket, otherwise you will pay for an adult ticket

Tickets are same price anyway :confused: Adult or Child !The 14-17 year old is to do with travelling Unaccompanied as they are not cinsidered adults by Law, but aviation law or Ryan Air law class a Child over 16 as a Adult paying fair.

[mobile10]

I didn't realise that children and adults tickets are the same price !! It doesn't really matter then what age they are:confused:

[jammin]

I didn't realise that children and adults tickets are the same price !! It doesn't really matter then what age they are:confused:
It does if they're under two, when the charge is always £19/€20 each way regardless.

[Balbadier]

Excuse me guys but it is NOT a non-event.

Trust me, I travel with Ryanair very very often and they do not normally charge for duty free even if it is in addition to your 1 bag of carry on luggage.

They had got slack recently and people had gone back to having a handbag in addition to their hand luggage bag.

Anyway, they didn't have facilities to be making charges at the departure gate before and now it sounds like THEY WILL.

You won't think it's a non-event when it happens to you or someone you know.

And yes, it has always been the case in their Ts and Cs, but they have never applied it to duty free, even back when people were making you squeeze your handbag into your hand luggage. So please don't disrespect others who are trying to forewarn us by making it sound like old news.

Be good sports. This is a place to share money saving ideas....... and not a place to stick up for airlines who have found another way to get more money out of us, and where they don't..... because we no longer buy duty free, the airports will suffer as that is where they make their revenue, especially the small regional airports all over Europe.

[omelette451]

because we no longer buy duty free, the airports will suffer as that is where they make their revenue, especially the small regional airports all over Europe.

Hahaha are you having a laugh? Most of the 'small regional airports' from which Ryanair operates have little more than a newsagent stall, if that. Many of them had few if any flights before Ryanair arrived, so their revenue comes almost exclusively from landing fees paid by Ryanair. Many are owned and staffed by local governments, who appreciate enormously the increased prosperity and employment Ryanair and its passengers bring to their communities. It's naff all to do with the odd pack of ciggies or bottle of Scotch, which in any case are entirely duty-paid with in the EU.

[squirter99]

I'm trying to book a flights (one way) from Rimini to Stansted with Ryanair. The cost is 90 euros. However if I was to book it as part of a return ticket (Stansted - Rimini - Stansted), it's price is 40 euro (for that leg of the journey). It's almost worth me booking the Stansted to Rimini leg even though I don't need it.

Now I thought budget airlines were fairly fixed in their pricing, but here it seems that they offer a discount for return tickets, or is it a premium for one leg journeys?

Either way, if you're booking a one-way journey it might be worth checking how much the return ticket would cost as well.

[phatbear]

How quizzy,

I've never experienced the scenario you mention in all my occasions of using ryanair.

I could be wrong but all of my tickets have been priced on leg by leg basis, ie it makes no difference to the cost if I book one way or a return what dates were you looking at for the flights?

[M4RKM]

hmm.. i always thought that ryan air sold single tickets, and you just bought 2 of them..

odd!

edit.. i've just tried, and the rimini - stanstead leg is the same price regardless if there is a return journey.. (random dates!)

[pcg2001]

Excuse me guys but it is NOT a non-event.

Trust me, I travel with Ryanair very very often and they do not normally charge for duty free even if it is in addition to your 1 bag of carry on luggage.

They had got slack recently and people had gone back to having a handbag in addition to their hand luggage bag.

Anyway, they didn't have facilities to be making charges at the departure gate before and now it sounds like THEY WILL.

You won't think it's a non-event when it happens to you or someone you know.

And yes, it has always been the case in their Ts and Cs, but they have never applied it to duty free, even back when people were making you squeeze your handbag into your hand luggage. So please don't disrespect others who are trying to forewarn us by making it sound like old news.

Be good sports. This is a place to share money saving ideas....... and not a place to stick up for airlines who have found another way to get more money out of us, and where they don't..... because we no longer buy duty free, the airports will suffer as that is where they make their revenue, especially the small regional airports all over Europe.

I really liked your post. Voice of reason!!

I can confirm that I see people in front of me with their suitcases open trying to jam it all inside. And at Stansted the security guys ask to weigh the suitcases before letting you go to the xray machines. I have never seen what happens if the bag is overweight, so cannot offer any anedocte on that.

Once inside, I have not seen problems with weight, but with the number of volumes and sometimes size. Up until last week there were no scales near the boarding gate, but this may change if they really wnat to enforce the policy.

However, near the boarding gates in Stansted there is a ryanair information desk and there I saw some ladies arguing with the ryanair ladies and pointing at the bags and opening them to put stuff inside. I don't know if this was a passenger asking for information about something else and being " harrassed" by the ryanair ladies about the number of bags, or if they asked specifically about luggage restrictions and were in effect "asking for it" - you don't carry 3 bags, walk up to an info desk and ask if you can carry them aboard when the company has a 1 bag rule!!! Not sure, though.

I often buy a few things in the airport and put them inside the hand suitase, however I know that by doing this I am going over the limit of 10 kgs (I have 10 kgs when going through security)- not the one bag limit. My only worry is that there will be scales near the boarding gates... then I would have to pay either £30 or throw the stuff away. as Balbadier said, that is not very Money saving. If someone spots a scale there, do let us know!!

[juleshayz]

Has anyone tried to bok Ryanair flights today. They seem to be upating the site to change £28.50 for just one piece of checked in baggage. I tried from Liverpool and East Midlands to Rome, last week it was £9.50 and I have checked a number of different dates. It is as if they are changing the site as I look.

Apparently they announced increased charges last month, but don't seem to have announced a second wave and not to this extent! In the T&Cs, it still says one bag should cost £9.50. Does anyone know about this? Can they do this? Is there anything we can do?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
Jules

[pcg2001]

Has anyone tried to bok Ryanair flights today. They seem to be upating the site to change £28.50 for just one piece of checked in baggage. I tried from Liverpool and East Midlands to Rome, last week it was £9.50 and I have checked a number of different dates. It is as if they are changing the site as I look.

Apparently they announced increased charges last month, but don't seem to have announced a second wave and not to this extent! In the T&Cs, it still says one bag should cost £9.50. Does anyone know about this? Can they do this? Is there anything we can do?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
Jules

Hi,

as you mentioned I had a look at the T&c and it's still the same...
http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=CHARGES

But if you book a retunr flight you will need to pay £9.50 twice. On top of that you will need to check in at the airport which is £4.75 each way. This adds up to £28.50. So I don't think they changed their conditions...

[Voyager2002]

Yes, they certainly can do this.

Note that the 9.50 fee would be per bag, per sector, so if you are going and coming back you would be paying 19.00. A fifty per cent increase would bring this up to 28.50, which is not astonishing but still a pain.

Is it possible that you somehow added an extra bag for one of your journeys? Or that the extra 9.50 is for card payment, insurance, or a surcharge for flying when the moon is full?

My advice is to travel light, and spend some money buying things there rather than on baggage charges.

[phatbear]

stanstead leg is the same price regardless if there is a return journey.. (random dates!)


Stansted not stanstead!!!!

HO HO HO!!!!!

[mustbemoreorganised]

Hi, my parents are due to go to dublin with ryanair this week with hand luggage only. In the past my dad has taken his breathing machine with him, it's the thing the doctor gives you for sleep apnea(sp). I don't know the exact dimensions, but if he won't get it into the handluggage with the clothes he needs as well. In the past he has taken it on many ryaniar flights in addition to his handluggage with no problems but in light on them clamping down on lap tops, handbags etc I am worried they might not let him take it on without charging him. I've looked on the website but can't see any reference to medical equipment. Does anyone have any recent experience of taking anything similar on a ryanair flight? thanks

[kelloggs36]

Thats nothing, i once paid 1p for a flight and they had the cheek to attempt to charge me a further £10 to take a bag with me!

Talk about pushing it.

I mean as if - £10.01 with Ryanair or £150 with BA (where at least you get breakfast)

:D

But was it really £10.01 as there are no taxes included in this price!

[kelloggs36]

I just compared the prices (as close as possible) to Easyjet for the same dates; Easyjet to Nice and Ryanair to Marseille (a bit of a drive, but doable) and there was no comparison. Easyjet cost £196.72 inclusive of all charges, taxes etc whilst Ryanair initially came out cheaper with the flight cost BUT with all charges, the total price was £276!!

[omelette451]

I often buy a few things in the airport and put them inside the hand suitase, however I know that by doing this I am going over the limit of 10 kgs (I have 10 kgs when going through security)- not the one bag limit. My only worry is that there will be scales near the boarding gates... then I would have to pay either £30 or throw the stuff away. as Balbadier said, that is not very Money saving. If someone spots a scale there, do let us know!!

Some airlines have scales attached to some of their metal guide-box-thingies. I've never seen Ryanair using them, but at Liverpool Ryanair and flybe share boarding gates and there is at least one flybe box with scales on it that could easily be used to settle arguments. That said, I've never seen them make a fuss about bags there at all. I avoid Stansted so haven't a clue what happens there, but I would suspect that they'd get at least one set of scales in the boarding lounge (possibly hand-held ones under the desk?), given that it's their biggest base.

[Driver8]

Some airlines have scales attached to some of their metal guide-box-thingies. I've never seen Ryanair using them, but at Liverpool Ryanair and flybe share boarding gates and there is at least one flybe box with scales on it that could easily be used to settle arguments. That said, I've never seen them make a fuss about bags there at all. I avoid Stansted so haven't a clue what happens there, but I would suspect that they'd get at least one set of scales in the boarding lounge (possibly hand-held ones under the desk?), given that it's their biggest base.

Omelette, i flew to Krakow last Sunday morning with Ryanair and luckily i was in the bar just before they had brought the Ryanair sign out with the case measurer at the bottom and the Ryanair staff were actively asking people to put their cases in the stand to see if they fitted. I didn't see anyone actually get turned back has i thought i'd head for the flight. The same thing was happening at Krakow Airport with some passengers having to see if their bag fitted in the frame.
I don't think it is actually working in Ryanair's favour this practice with the one bag policy has in the seat opposite mine a young woman had her backpack at her feet during the flight, which i thought was a no no, due to all the over head lockers being absolutely packed has the flight was totally full. It was also taking a lot longer for the flight to be boarded due to people trying to find space for their luggage.

[chem_j]

When I was at East Midlands airport last summer, there were a couple who weren't allowed onto a Ryanair flight because they had too much luggage at the gate. Despite much pleading and tears they weren't allowed to take the extra, and in the end the guy stayed behind, and the woman took the maximum she was allowed.
Two years ago I was told at Stansted security that my rucksack was too big and I should go and check it in. Seeing as this was my 4th Ryanair flight in 2 days, and my bag hadn't miraculously grown in the 2 hours since I had got off my previous flight, I just went through a different security gate, without any problems (it was only a small 25 litre one). Ironically, when I got home, I discovered that I had made it through two sets of security with a tub of yoghurt in my bag, which hadn't been picked up as liquid!

[daleuk]

Right guys, looking to book some flights to Palma Mallorca with Ryanair for June/July or August.

The cheapest I can find is £17.49 each way + taxes. = £76 total.

Only a few days ago the same flights were £99 total.

Now do I wait for the price to change? or book now?! argh!

[Teahfc]

£76 book now and dont break the golden rule ! Dont look back !

[miamoo]

I would wait as the flight prices are up and down all the time, especially as your dates are very flexible. If you wanted August only, I would book now.

[Lezanne26]

I flew with Ryanair last September, Murcia to East Midlands. We were told one of the cabin crew had been taken ill so they had to 'offload' 31 passengers in order to fly. The only solution they offered to anyone volunteering not to fly that night was to fly at 6am next morning from Alicante (20 seats available) - make your own way from Murcia to Alicante and pay for it, or fly next day (5 seats available) or day after paying for your own hotel.

Obviously, people were very reluctant to do this and when not enough volunteers were forthcoming they started trying to offload passengers who were the last to book the flight! I ended up being one of those who volunteered to offload so that the flight could take off - I don't know what would have happened if they hadn't got enough volunteers as Murcia Airport actually closes at 11pm - what would they have done with a plane-load of people? I ended up waiting outside the closed airport on my own at midnight until my lift arrived. Ryanair ground staff didn't care what happened as long as the flight took off and they could go home.

When I wrote to Ryanair to claim back my expenses for this fiasco (extra petrol, toll fees, 2 days lost income) they conveniently lost the original receipts that I sent them.

When I did actually fly home there were no problems - cabin crew friendly & helpful, seats OK - it was quite amusing seeing everyone trying to squash their hand luggage into the overhead lockers though!

[fifeken]

But was it really £10.01 as there are no taxes included in this price!

There are usually no taxes on the 1p flights.

[will-he-payitoff]

If you are not going in the school holidays it might be worth waiting for a sale.

[jimd-f]

if you wait you may get a £5 or £10 including tax or you may get £99 each way.
how flexible are your dates. will your accommodation costs change from early june to august school holidays.
if the flights suit you timewise and you think £76 is a good deal then book it and dont look at it again.
if you have enough flexibility and no accomm costs to factor in then you could take the gamble and wait.
your call.

[mustbemoreorganised]

Can anyone help?

Hi, my parents are due to go to dublin with ryanair this week with hand luggage only. In the past my dad has taken his breathing machine with him, it's the thing the doctor gives you for sleep apnea(sp). I don't know the exact dimensions, but if he won't get it into the handluggage with the clothes he needs as well. In the past he has taken it on many ryaniar flights in addition to his handluggage with no problems but in light on them clamping down on lap tops, handbags etc I am worried they might not let him take it on without charging him. I've looked on the website but can't see any reference to medical equipment. Does anyone have any recent experience of taking anything similar on a ryanair flight? thanks

[beasto]

Me and 6 mates are going on my stag do to Bratislava on 8th May, we're flying with Ryanair...

Having looked into it, i am pretty sure i have a good idea of what i am and am not allowed to do regarding baggage, but just wondered if anyone can clarify a few bits for me? (just to make sure i am not an idiot, or cost me and my mates extra drinking money!) :-)

We have selected the "online check in no baggage" option, does that mean NO baggage at all? or can we still take hand luggage each up to the 10kg allowance?

If we all have only hand luggage, are they going to get arsey with us because we dont have hold luggage that may make them money?

On their website, it says "sharing bags between parties is prohibited" - so i cant let my mate put some stuff in my bag if its available?

Anything else i need watch out for?

Any replies will be much appretiated and i'll be sure to have a drink for you all when im there! :-):beer:

[GlennTheBaker]

Me and 6 mates are going on my stag do to Bratislava on 8th May, we're flying with Ryanair...

Having looked into it, i am pretty sure i have a good idea of what i am and am not allowed to do regarding baggage, but just wondered if anyone can clarify a few bits for me? (just to make sure i am not an idiot, or cost me and my mates extra drinking money!) :-)

We have selected the "online check in no baggage" option, does that mean NO baggage at all? or can we still take hand luggage each up to the 10kg allowance?
You can take your hand luggage.

If we all have only hand luggage, are they going to get arsey with us because we dont have hold luggage that may make them money?
No.

On their website, it says "sharing bags between parties is prohibited" - so i cant let my mate put some stuff in my bag if its available?
As long as each piece of hand luggage conforms to the relevant regulations, you'll be fine.

Anything else i need watch out for?
Just make sure you stick to Ryanair's rules and you'll have no problems.

Any replies will be much appretiated and i'll be sure to have a drink for you all when im there! :-):beer:
Have a great time.

[omelette451]

On their website, it says "sharing bags between parties is prohibited" - so i cant let my mate put some stuff in my bag if its available?

If you pretend it's your stuff, how will they know?

[lorweld]

Can anyone help?

Hi, my parents are due to go to dublin with ryanair this week with hand luggage only. In the past my dad has taken his breathing machine with him, it's the thing the doctor gives you for sleep apnea(sp). I don't know the exact dimensions, but if he won't get it into the handluggage with the clothes he needs as well. In the past he has taken it on many ryaniar flights in addition to his handluggage with no problems but in light on them clamping down on lap tops, handbags etc I am worried they might not let him take it on without charging him. I've looked on the website but can't see any reference to medical equipment. Does anyone have any recent experience of taking anything similar on a ryanair flight? thanksI'm sorry mustbemoreorganised, I'm not 100 % sure of the answer but I have a feeling I heard before you've to have a letter from his doctor stating that it's an essential piece of medical equipment. But again I'm not positive on that. I think you'll have to ring their customer service to enquire. Sorry couldn't be of any more help.

[will-he-payitoff]

Has anyone used the argos special lately 286/1962 going next month and dont fancy being stuck at the gate.

[Strapped]

Can anyone help?

Hi, my parents are due to go to dublin with ryanair this week with hand luggage only. In the past my dad has taken his breathing machine with him, it's the thing the doctor gives you for sleep apnea(sp). I don't know the exact dimensions, but if he won't get it into the handluggage with the clothes he needs as well. In the past he has taken it on many ryaniar flights in addition to his handluggage with no problems but in light on them clamping down on lap tops, handbags etc I am worried they might not let him take it on without charging him. I've looked on the website but can't see any reference to medical equipment. Does anyone have any recent experience of taking anything similar on a ryanair flight? thanks

I'm pretty sure that he will have to check it in the hold, and that he'll have to pay for this but obviously check with Ryanair. If its an NHS piece of kit, would it be possible to "borrow" one at his destination instead of taking his own (this can be arranged in most countries). If it's a breathing problem, they'll also require a "fit to fly" letter from his doctor, which states whether or not he requires O2 on the flight too (and if he does, this is £100).

[beasto]

Thanks for the info on my post,

if we all take hand luggage, are they more likely to check the dimensions? i just measured my bag and its 57x36x30 (the ryan air rules say 55x40x20) but itll be under the 10kg allowence, or is it best to just book 2/3 hold bags between a few of us and pay the difference?

Also, if i choose the 0 bags airport check in option, and it turns out we need to check in a few bags, is that possible or is it a stick their fingers up at you scenario?

Cheers

[Pollycat]

Thanks for the info on my post,

if we all take hand luggage, are they more likely to check the dimensions? i just measured my bag and its 57x36x30 (the ryan air rules say 55x40x20) but itll be under the 10kg allowence, or is it best to just book 2/3 hold bags between a few of us and pay the difference?

Also, if i choose the 0 bags airport check in option, and it turns out we need to check in a few bags, is that possible or is it a stick their fingers up at you scenario?

Cheers

beasto
your bag is bigger on two of the dimensions, 10cm (4 inches) on the depth is quite a lot bigger and will probably be visible to staff at the boarding gate.
I doubt it will fit into the hand luggage gauge.
If they refuse to let you take your bag on as hand lugage, you'll be sent back to the check-in desk to have it put it in hold.
If the check-in for your flight has closed, you'll either have to not take your bag at all or miss your flight.
If you check in bags IN ADVANCE online, it will cost you less (£9.50 online against £19 at the airport PER BAG).
You will have to pay the check-in fee as free on-line check-in is only available to people not checking luggage in.

Your best bet is to read here:
http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=CHARGES

[beasto]

beasto

If you check in bags IN ADVANCE online, it will cost you less (£9.50 online against £19 at the airport PER BAG).


Your best bet is to read here:
http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=CHARGES


Cheers for that, looking at the link, im now quite confused, when i have gone through as far as booking the flights, its told me that its 9.50 with no bag but check in at airport, or 28.50 with 1 bag, the link you have supplied seems that it should be the 9.50 to check in + another 9.50 for the first bag, then 19.00 extra per bag afterwards... on the booking form online, it goes:
0 bags - airport check in - 9:50
1 bag - airport - 28:50
2 bag - airport - 66.00
3 bag - airport - 94.50
(all per serson, still if we all take 1 bag thats like an extra 200 quid!)

I dont understand why the charges on the link say 9.50 when booked online...but they so obviously arent... :-(

[fifeken]

Cheers for that, looking at the link, im now quite confused, when i have gone through as far as booking the flights, its told me that its 9.50 with no bag but check in at airport, or 28.50 with 1 bag, the link you have supplied seems that it should be the 9.50 to check in + another 9.50 for the first bag, then 19.00 extra per bag afterwards... on the booking form online, it goes:
0 bags - airport check in - 9:50
1 bag - airport - 28:50
2 bag - airport - 66.00
3 bag - airport - 94.50
(all per serson, still if we all take 1 bag thats like an extra 200 quid!)

I dont understand why the charges on the link say 9.50 when booked online...but they so obviously arent... :-(

The first bag is £9.50 each way when booked on-line. £19 is the each way price for second and third bags when the total weight is still 15kg or less. If paid at the airport then each bag is £19 each way. Of course if you are going to check in a bag you must also pay the compulsory airport check in fee. As has been said before, you need to take all of the costs into account before booking.

[Saint_Chris]

Returned from a great weekend in germany

flew out with ryanair from manchester to dusseldorf, on thursday night, flight on time, hand luggage was ok, right sizes, correct weight,

people with 2 bags were being turned back at security and told to go to the check in desks.

I received 3 e-mails regarding this before leaving, so it was all there.

i have always taken 2 plastic bags with my liquids in, the lady on security told me it was only 1 bag, but hubby was let through with 2 :confused:

Also security lady told me that, as of yesterday you have to use the correct bags, which can be bought from manchester airport for £1, and all other airports have been charging for this.

flight home last night was a experience, flight was really full, and there was a gang of lads who had been drinking before the flight left, they were ok, but very loud.

Someone decided that after they had got on the plane, they didn't want them on, so after a long time 4 of them were escorted from the plane, or rather pushed by the german police.

So this flight didn't land on time, but it should have done.

thanks again ryanair, for another cheap weekend away, with a good flight.

[beasto]

The first bag is £9.50 each way when booked on-line. £19 is the each way price for second and third bags when the total weight is still 15kg or less. If paid at the airport then each bag is £19 each way. Of course if you are going to check in a bag you must also pay the compulsory airport check in fee. As has been said before, you need to take all of the costs into account before booking.


Oh!

Got it!

Sorry, blanked out for a bit... 9.50 + 9.50 for each way then the 9.50 for the check in,

Final question, if i choose the Online check in option, and tell my mates if they wanna bring a bag over the hand luggage size then it'll cost em 19quid each way, they are still able to book in the bag at the airport arent they?

So we are all online checked in, but have 6 bags... we can all go and pay 6 x 38.00 and our bags'll be on yeah?

Cheers for the info!

[Pollycat]

Cheers for that, looking at the link, im now quite confused, when i have gone through as far as booking the flights, its told me that its 9.50 with no bag but check in at airport, or 28.50 with 1 bag, the link you have supplied seems that it should be the 9.50 to check in + another 9.50 for the first bag, then 19.00 extra per bag afterwards... on the booking form online, it goes:
0 bags - airport check in - 9:50
1 bag - airport - 28:50
2 bag - airport - 66.00
3 bag - airport - 94.50
(all per serson, still if we all take 1 bag thats like an extra 200 quid!)

I dont understand why the charges on the link say 9.50 when booked online...but they so obviously arent... :-(

beasto
the charges shown on Ryanair website are exactly what they are charging.
I've done a dummy booking and this is what the charges are FOR A ONE WAY FLIGHT:
0 bags - airport check in : £4.75
1 bag - airport : £4.75 + £9.50 = £14.25
2 bag - airport - £4.75 + £9.50 + £19 = £33.25
3 bag - airport - £4.75 + £9.50 + £19 + £19 = £52.25

I think maybe you are looking at costs for a RETURN flight.
0 bags - airport check in : £4.75 x 2 = £9.50
1 bag - airport : £14.25 x 2 = £28.50
2 bag - airport : £33.25 x 2 = £66.50
3 bag - airport : £52.25 x 2 = £104.50
which is not far off what you've said (I'm not sure where the £94.50 has come from.

Only you can decide whether it's worth taking more than hand luggage.
But I'd recommend that you decide before you go - and think twice about your oversize bag.

[Pollycat]

Oh!

Got it!

Sorry, blanked out for a bit... 9.50 + 9.50 for each way then the 9.50 for the check in,

Final question, if i choose the Online check in option, and tell my mates if they wanna bring a bag over the hand luggage size then it'll cost em 19quid each way, they are still able to book in the bag at the airport arent they?

So we are all online checked in, but have 6 bags... we can all go and pay 6 x 38.00 and our bags'll be on yeah?

Cheers for the info!

Our posts crossed, glad the penny dropped. :rolleyes:

You can't do on-line check-in if you want to check bags into the hold.
You can only do on-line check-in if you have hand luggage only.
If the 6 bags are under 10kg and are within Ryanair's stated dimensions for hand luggage and you intend taking them into the cabin with you - do on-line check-in and 0 bags. This will cost you all £0.00.

You and your mates need to decide who is taking hand luggage only (select on-line check-in - costs nowt) and who is taking hold luggage (pay for airport check-in plus cost of bag(s)) - as per Ryanair's list of fees x 2 for return flights.

[fifeken]

Oh!

Got it!

Sorry, blanked out for a bit... 9.50 + 9.50 for each way then the 9.50 for the check in,

Final question, if i choose the Online check in option, and tell my mates if they wanna bring a bag over the hand luggage size then it'll cost em 19quid each way, they are still able to book in the bag at the airport arent they?

So we are all online checked in, but have 6 bags... we can all go and pay 6 x 38.00 and our bags'll be on yeah?

Cheers for the info!

No - your on-line check is no good if you subsequently bring a big bag. You'll have to pay the bag fee (which is £38 return 'cos you're doing it at the airport) and the airport check-in fee.

[will-he-payitoff]

Oh!

Got it!

Sorry, blanked out for a bit... 9.50 + 9.50 for each way then the 9.50 for the check in,

Final question, if i choose the Online check in option, and tell my mates if they wanna bring a bag over the hand luggage size then it'll cost em 19quid each way, they are still able to book in the bag at the airport arent they?

So we are all online checked in, but have 6 bags... we can all go and pay 6 x 38.00 and our bags'll be on yeah?

Cheers for the info!
How long are you going for, if its a long weekend you must be able to manage with a small rucksack. We do it every year just remember no aerosols or large bottles of shampoo etc.

[MrSmartprice]

How long are you going for, if its a long weekend you must be able to manage with a small rucksack. We do it every year just remember no aerosols or large bottles of shampoo etc.

It never ceases to amaze me how much junk people take on holiday with them. We travel frequently with Ryanair and a cabin bag is plenty for 4/5 days. Even 9/10 days in Spain is easy if the villa we hire has a washing machine, which they all do. My OH has changed her packing big-time!

If you want the best Ryanair deals, take a close look at your packing. Remember last time you went on holiday and brought back loads of stuff you never wore.;) It really is not necessary for every woman to have a different frock and shoes for every night. Who notices if you don't?:rotfl:

[Bengt]

Me and 6 mates are going on my stag do to Bratislava on 8th May, we're flying with Ryanair...

Having looked into it, i am pretty sure i have a good idea of what i am and am not allowed to do regarding baggage, but just wondered if anyone can clarify a few bits for me? (just to make sure i am not an idiot, or cost me and my mates extra drinking money!) :-)
...

Anything else i need watch out for?

Any replies will be much appretiated and i'll be sure to have a drink for you all when im there! :-):beer:
Watch out for the very good beer. Was there in October on a 1 p incl taxes flight. The beer was £1.20 (using the current exchange rate) for 500 ml of Staropramen or the local Slovak beer The Golden Pheasant (if i spelt it wrongly try spelling it in Slovak!)..
Excellent place for a stag p-ss up...

[nichart20]

Hi does anyone know when the next £1.00 or 1p offer for ryanair as I want to book to venice but they are coming in at just under £200.00

[lufcgirl]

£10 flights are on at the moment but they have weird dates for them. Probably school holidays or something!

I'm still chuffed with my £10 return to Dublin only a week in advance!

[mdhughes03]

I have just looked at leeds-barcelona return in june for £40 return for the two of us-bargain. reckon we can pack lightly and take hand luggage only so no taxes, no charges :beer:

now, who knows of a cheap hotel? :D

[cardiffforthefacup]

Free flights are on again

[lufcgirl]

Yep, free flights are on again with the most awkward of dates. But if you search you usually get £5 or £10 each way anyway

[fifeken]

Free flights are on again

But this time the "Free" doesn't include taxes and charges where usually it does, so no flights for a penny total cost this time if I understand it correctly.

Edit: Obviously I don't (or there website is wrong!!!) as I've just found 1p total cost flights.

[richardw]

There are some 0.01Euro including taxes flights, but they are to the UK airports.

[fifeken]

There are some 0.01Euro including taxes flights, but they are to the UK airports.

The ones I spotted were both inbound and outbound. Also saw some £10 ones with no taxes and charges.

[pompeyrich]

Plenty of 1p (total) flights from Bournemouth-Milan or Girona, out tues weds or thurs, back on the saturday

[pcg2001]

I am sure this has been asked before but I cannot find the answer anywhere. I wish to cancel a flight and would like to ask for a refund of the govenrment taxes. even if this means only getting very little back. However since I cannot find a link on their website, does it mean I would not be entitled to any refund at all. and if so why bother having this FAQ!!!???

Thanks in advance.

From http://www.ryanair.com/site/PT/faqs.php?sect=chg&quest=unusedflight#

Can I apply for a refund for my unused flight?

All Ryanair fares are fully changeable flight/dates/times/routes and names (up to 4 hours prior to original flight departure) however fares, fees or charges are non-refundable. Government taxes are the only portion of taxes, fees and charges which are refundable. Government tax refunds are subject to an administration fee of just £15, which is half BA's admin fee of £30 and significantly lower than BMI's £25 or Easyjet's £17.50. If the refund amount due to the customer is less than the applicable refund administration charge then no refund will be made. Government tax refund requests must be made within one month from the booked travel date.

[fifeken]

Yes you can get a refund of the taxes minus the admin fee so check exactly what tax you have paid (but remember to take out the charges which are sometimes lumped in with the tax) to work out what you are owed. You must apply to the address given on their website under the heading "For Refunds - Cancelled Flights" on this page:

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=cnt&quest=custserv

[mustbemoreorganised]

Hi, my parents are due to go to dublin with ryanair this week with hand luggage only. In the past my dad has taken his breathing machine with him, it's the thing the doctor gives you for sleep apnea(sp). I don't know the exact dimensions, but if he won't get it into the handluggage with the clothes he needs as well. In the past he has taken it on many ryaniar flights in addition to his handluggage with no problems but in light on them clamping down on lap tops, handbags etc I am worried they might not let him take it on without charging him. I've looked on the website but can't see any reference to medical equipment. Does anyone have any recent experience of taking anything similar on a ryanair flight? thanks

Thanks to those who replied with advice. Just so you know they let my dad on no problem with his breathing machine so they do make exceptions for medical equipment.

[Pollycat]

Thanks to those who replied with advice. Just so you know they let my dad on no problem with his breathing machine so they do make exceptions for medical equipment.

I'm pleased to hear that, thanks for letting us know.
I hope your Mum & Dad are having a great time in Dublin.

[nico26]

duplicated

[geoff_soper]

I see 'Entropay' is not mentioned on this Ryanair thread, but appologies if already mentioned.

If you don't want to pay Ryanair's outrageous payment surcharge of £9.50 per person on every return flight & don't want to go to the trouble of tracking down the rare & exotic Electron Card. Get a Entropay virtual card (www.entropay.com (http://www.entropay.com/))

Within 3 minutes I've just applied for my virtual card. Been issued with it. Transfered money to it from my debit card & used it to buy my flights. Ryanair treated it as an Electron card with no payment surcharge.

The only cost is the 5% that Entropay take off any money put onto the card

So my £10.01 ski weekend return flight* cost me £10.51. If I'd paid direct, using my debit card, Ryanair would have charged me £19.51.

Entropot's 5% charge means you save money if your Ryanair ticket costs less than £190 return, per person.

(The lack of a booking fee lets me ski longer if snow is nice by owning a reserve return seat on the next day. It costed 1/00th of a euro. I feared I'd be hit by minimum payment surcharges & currency exchange costs but Entrepot charged only 1p to my card)

Perhaps there's other pre-pay virtual cards that charge less than 5%?

It would be good if this tip could be included on Martin's Ryanair page.

For a general moan, this Electron loop-hole needs to be stopped. Other airlines have been forced to follow Ryanair's lead, otherwise their advertised prices would appear uncompetative. I see Air Aerlingus & Easyjet now run the Electron fiddle, allowing them to surcharge almost all their customers, while still producing banner adverts of unachievably low prices. If this cancer spreads to other industries, no advertised price will be reliable (only achievable if you own, say, a Bank of Peru Debit Card?)

(*In passing : Stanstead>Friedrichshafen ; 7am Sat 28 Mar > 21:40 Mon [or 2140 Tue!] 90 min drive to St Anton)

[MrSmartprice]

I can't see why you refer to an Electron card as 'rare and exotic'.:confused:

I have had one for ages, and it only gets used for Ryanair flights. It happens to be an Abbey one, but I know the easiest to get hold of is the Halifax one.

They are no big deal. I read the other day that over 25% of all Ryanair customers now book with Electron. You don't get stung for that 5% surcharge either - now that really is a scam.:rolleyes:

[foster123]

Ive booked 1p flights with ryanair using electron card brought four returns for the grand total of................................................ .......................8p

cant complain at that

[curlylox]

Sorry if this has been answered - has anyone used a Post Office Moneycard to book with Ryanair? This card says Visa Electron on the front - you pre-load it with money and then spend it. I think it is mainly used for travel as you can get it in sterling/euros or dollars. It would be worth having one just to use for booking Ryanair flights!! (if it works)

[nico26]

Need help regarding online check in with hand luggage.I now Need to bring back some study books now for hubby on return leg. I am not sure of weight of the books and it might put me over. Do I need to alter my booking to add baggage for the return flight before I go or can I do it before my return.

[mr_maniac]

Hi there,

I present to you all, today, a problem. I've got myself and 3 other 18 year olds looking to fly out to Friedrichshafen (in southern Germany) on the 29th of June, returning on the 9th of July. This means flying from London Stansted using Ryanair, but of course, this is Ryanair we're talking about, so it ain't that simple.

The question is - is there any way of telling when the price of flights will suddenly go up or down? Including 1 bag each (and subsequently airport check-in), the four of us, had we booked the flights yesterday, would have paid (I've checked this, as we went as far as the payment processing screen) £254.64 for our return flights. This price seemed quite reasonable, and was about £80 lower than it had been a couple of days previously, because the outbound flight did not include taxes! With this in mind, the four of us agreed that we would try and sort out payment for the flight within the next 10 days or so.

However, I have re-checked the Ryanair site today, with the same booking details and flights as before, and suddenly the price has rocketed! The outbound flight now has no fare, but over £100 of taxes/fees/charges, meaning that the overall cost of the flights and bags comes to £327.32 - such a large price rise would make a significant difference to our spending power whilst we're out there, since we're all students and not made of money!!

So then, what do we do? Wait it out and hope the price falls again, but risk the flights becoming sold out altogether (there's just the one flight per day to Friedrichshafen from Stansted, and vice versa), or book now and take the painful extra price hit, but save ourselves from paying a potentially even higher price?

Please help!!! Stupid Ryanair, why do they have to be this way?!

:D Cheers,

mr_m

[richardw]

the four of us agreed that we would try and sort out payment for the flight within the next 10 days or so.

You can't hang around with Ryanair.

[mr_maniac]

This much is apparent! - Now you see, hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it doesn't help save money on this occasion! And we're not in a position where we can easily get hold of over £250 between us within 24 hours, and since we're now on half term, won't be able to meet up until that sort of timeframe anyway! :)

The thing is, you can never tell if the price is going to suddenly rise, or suddenly drop - I wasn't expecting the price to go up again, not so suddenly anyway, but we're caught between wanting the 'peace of mind' of having the seats booked no-matter-what, and a desire to try and spend as little on getting there as possible, so that we can spend more actually having a holiday when we get there - and we all know what Ryanair are like with their sudden sales as you edge nearer the date!

mr_m

[dealsearcher]

Second guessing Ryanair? Vive le sport! ;)

You are leaving before the end of the summer term so you are not going in the more expensive holiday time. It's already over four months away so you would be booking early. I am not sure why the cost is so high. Only one flight a day doesn't help. Maybe there is a convention going there on 29 June and they have booked up the flight? Try 1, 2 or 3 days either side.

[albalad]

just tried for a nearby(ish) aiport Hahn , which had free flights one way and £0.79 flights return (exc taxes) and it still came to over £280 - £114 of which is airport check-in , hold baggage charges .

When you take away the check- in charge it is only around £50 pp , which is not too bad for a 2.5 hour flight

Do you need a hold bag ?


unless they have another £5 - no taxes promo (probably , but when ) you are unlikely to get it much cheaper . As your flight out is FREE and your return is only £2.79 + taxes

[mr_maniac]

Hi dealsearcher and albalad -

Yes, we'll need the baggage, because we're camping for 10 days - it's a shame that Ryanair are so incredibly harsh in their baggage charges, but they have to make their money somewhere. We don't have a problem with paying them, but it becomes an issue when you start getting all these extra taxes and things chucked in...

Yesterday, the outbound flight had the caption "NO TAXES", whereas it now says "Regular Fare", which is actualy £0.00 for the outbound flight, but with £112ish of taxes/fees/charges - which is £112 more than it was yesterday! However, that price is now about the same as it was earlier this week, before the NO TAXES thing kicked in all of a sudden...

Going outside of the summer holidays was part of the plan, Dealsearcher - I've tried going a few days either side, but it's still pretty much the same fare of £220ish excluding bags...

I don't think £50pp person is bad at all, and it was more than reasonable yesterday when it came to just over £60 each, with bags included - but why has it suddenly gone up £75 in one day!? And when's it coming down again!!!

Thanks for your help :)

mr_m

[dealsearcher]

... and if one of you has an electron card you avoid the debit / credit card charge. Remember that is for each person and each sector - so times eight.

[terryw]

When you take away the check- in charge it is only around £50 pp , which is not too bad for a 2.5 hour flight

Do you need a hold bag ?
Most people take far too much stuff anyway! If packed properly into the maximum size"hand" bag it is amazing how much stuff can be carried on board.

Does a small party of travellers require four industrial size hair-driers, four containers of giant size hair shampoo, four sets of curling tongs etc etc? Consider sharing hold luggage bags or buying cosmetics and the like abroad.

terryw

[alanrowell]

Second guessing Ryanair? Do something useful with your life instead like banging your head against a brick wall. It's more productive.

Only advice I can give is book when you like the prices AND DON'T LOOK AGAIN

[miamoo]

When you see a cheap price with Ryanair you have to book it there and then, the next day it will most probably have gone up.
If you don't have the money for the flights there is no point checking, you will just be annoyed if you see them really cheap.

[kingston_toon]

I'd wait, and would bet money on you getting the flights for £10 per person per direction (plus luggage charges on top of course). Ryanair's sales usually start 3 months before the date of travel, and because they change so often, routes can be included in one and not the next. If you can invest the time in checking *every* day from mid-Marrch onwards you'll eventually find a deal (even if it means booking one direction, then waiting and booking the other when it goes down in price).

You are also travelling on a Monday and a Thursday which are generally fairly good days for cheap fares. Have faith. It's a gamble but I do it for every single trip and it usually pays off. Even for Friday nights... the Fri evening flights to Bremen and Weeze often go down to £10/£5 inc all taxes, but usually only for a day or two, then the price goes back up.

Enjoy Friedrichshafen... it's a lovely town!

[albalad]

have just come back from a four day trip , where 6kg was plenty - including bag , sat nav , camera ,jeans and some winter clothes, spare shoes - wore boots , jacket hat & scarf going through customs .
I always now use a flexible holdall for ryanair as it is much lighter and flexible(for the sizing cage) a normal hard sided hand baggage case can weigh 2-3 kg on it's own

[mr_maniac]

I myself used less than 10kgs when I went to North Germany for 2 weeks (though I was staying with a family, rather than camping which requires you to bring some sort of camping stuff as well!) - we could probably squeeze all our stuff into 3 holdalls (I'd thought of that one as well albalad!), but that's probably something to be investigated in due course, if we decide to wait and see if the price comes down...

I'll have quite a hard job convincing the others that we should wait, though - the 'peace of mind' argument is quite a strong one, but if we decide to do that, we'll have to be prepared to pay more - quite a bit more, now that the price has gone back up again... if it returns to the sort of value we had yesterday, I think we'd book at that point rather than wait any longer, as I think everyone was happy with that price!

One of the group is now off on holiday somewhere, so we won't be making the payment for at least a week or so, so maybe there's not much point in looking again until we've got the money sorted and are ready to pay :)

mr_m

[jaymac]

I've done ten days in Spain with hand luggage only...and that was in January! Ten kilos is actually quite a lot though if you need camping equipment I can see you might have a problem.

BYW, on the Ryanair site, if you click on the "book now" at the top of the first page then tick " my dates are flexible" yoou can then move backwards and forwards on the calendar to find the cheaper flights.

[mr_maniac]

Thanks for that Jaymac - I've just tried that, and it appears that my flights would cost almost exactly the same, even if we were booking for August, at the height of peak-season!

Something tells me that we'd be being ripped off if we booked at this stage?

mr_m

[FZwanab]

Did you try the flight checker on this site? and are you signed up for the weekly emails, as they usually let you know when fares are at rock bottom.

[Carol444]

This is what I BELIEVE I have discovered about Easyjet flight prices, and I think the same holds true about Ryanair, but I stand to be corrected.

Firstly you get a normal flight period where no sales are taking place and flight prices are reasonable.

Next you get what I call the pre-sale period. This is a 2-week period before a sale when the prices to all destinations seem to drop.

Finally, you get to the sale period. In the sale period any destination which no one actually wants to go to, or any destination which has very expensive accomodation and a high cost of living (eating and drinking out and day trips) goes into the sale (1p for Ryanair and a certain percentage off for Easyjet).

HOWEVER any destination which most people want to go (Alicante) or any destination which has a cheap accomodation and a low cost of living, sees a flight price rise in the sale period.

The moral of the story is, for the best flight prices to the best destinations buy your tickets in the pre-sale period (2 weeks before any Sale occurs).

[terryw]

This is what I BELIEVE I have discovered about Easyjet flight prices, and I think the same holds true about Ryanair, but I stand to be corrected.

Firstly you get a normal flight period where no sales are taking place and flight prices are reasonable.

Next you get what I call the pre-sale period. This is a 2-week period before a sale when the prices to all destinations seem to drop.

Finally, you get to the sale period. In the sale period any destination which no one actually wants to go to, or any destination which has very expensive accomodation and a high cost of living (eating and drinking out and day trips) goes into the sale (1p for Ryanair and a certain percentage off for Easyjet).

HOWEVER any destination which most people want to go (Alicante) or any destination which has a cheap accomodation and a low cost of living, sees a flight price rise in the sale period.

The moral of the story is, for the best flight prices to the best destinations buy your tickets in the pre-sale period (2 weeks before any Sale occurs).

Yep Carol , you have got it right. I wish I had written your post.;)

bw

terryw

[terryya]

I was just wondering if you miss the outward leg of your journey can you still use the return or do they cancel it?

[omelette451]

So Ryanair has announced a partnership with a cruise company. I can't wait to see what happens when they're blamed for people missing their cruises...

http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/news.php?yr=09&month=feb&story=gen-en-160209

[ManAtHome]

Possibly more complaints about the £50 to use the gangway rather than the £15 for hiriing a grapling hook and crampons...

[lorweld]

I was just wondering if you miss the outward leg of your journey can you still use the return or do they cancel it?
No they're treated as seperate tickets so no problems if you miss the outbound flight.

[jammin]

So, what do we think?

I like the way you can set a "home" airport, for one thing..

[poundshopbrown]

looks nice! have you tried to book anything yet? i`m having problems

[jammin]

I haven't yet, no.

Here's a screen shot anyway, in case they change it again:

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/5091/72533262xg0.th.jpg (http://img6.imageshack.us/my.php?image=72533262xg0.jpg)

[BusinessStudent]

The website looks very nice ! - Well Done Ryanair!

[jammin]

I'm not sure myself. Might take a bit of getting used to, tbh. I'll have a play around.

Actually, I don't really care that much about the website. It's the prices of the flights that matter.

[jammin]

Right, my mind's made up. Prefer the old style home page. It was more informative (more prices) and a less busy looking than the new one, imo.

[brightonman123]

a wise man once said 'chrome dont get you home'...

so long as you can flind times / prices easily, and book with little fuss or extra cost, than go for it.

[LesD]

I'm not sure myself. Might take a bit of getting used to, tbh. I'll have a play around.

Actually, I don't really care that much about the website. It's the prices of the flights that matter.


And it would be nice if it actually worked! ("Unavailable...try again!")

[Tarry]

Actually, I don't really care that much about the website. It's the prices of the flights that matter.

I agree with you. What matters to me is how userfriendly the site is.

[Halloway]

Like everything Ryanair does, it's !!!!ing terrible.

[cardiffforthefacup]

I did not notice the change until you pointed it out and I have used the site more than three times today, I just thought the colours were missing from the tabs from not loading the page properly. duh!!!

[Claribelle]

I tried five times yesterday to book flights but it kept telling me I'd made errors and to correct them, then when I did that, it deleted the corrections everytime and kept telling me to do it all again! So I'm not impressed!

[richardw]

http://www.bookryanair.com/skysales/FRSearch.aspx is still the same.

[belandgus]

I have booked flights for myself and the kids to visit my parents at Easter. I regularly travel with Ryanair for the same purpose, and always check that the best offers seem to be available. I booked my tickets on Tuesday evening, and now see today that had I booked the flights today would have saved 75% of the price I paid due to their sale! I AM SO CROSS. As with retailers etc... do they not have to advertise the imminent sale starting - so I would have waited to book!! I appreciate that prices change, and you have to book when you think it acceptable to you. But the fact that this latest offer is a 'sale' does that make any difference to my rights!

I presume I cannot cancel the flights I have booked and re-book (I am aware of the amendment fees and it wouldnt be worth changing as I would pay more in fees!).

Any advice or anyone had a similar problem with Ryanair? I am so mad!

Thanks

[richardw]

It was a bit obvious that another sale was starting on Wednesday, as the £15 sale on Tuesday was a one day sale.

[stephb34]

I think if you cancel these seats you can get the taxes money back if losing the actual price of the seats is less than the new price then you could do that and rebook. Hope that makes sense.

[richardw]

I think if you cancel these seats you can get the taxes money back
This is ryanair we're talkin' 'bout!

[pompeyrich]

Have you actually checked the flight prices again, as there is a blackout period, covering Easter, 3rd-19th April, all routes, not much help I know but may make you feel better.

[M4RKM]

I AM SO CROSS. As with retailers etc... do they not have to advertise the imminent sale starting - so I would have waited to book!!



2 things.. you booked, why check today

secondly, where does it say that a retailer has to advertise an imminent sale? any store can reduce a price at any time during the trading day, afaik.

M

[Irishorangutan]

It was a bit obvious that another sale was starting on Wednesday, as the £15 sale on Tuesday was a one day sale.

To be fair, if you don't regularly fly, or peruse the airline's websites, you wouldn't necessarily know that there would be another sale coming. :confused:

I too lost out on the 75% discount, having booked my flight for £15 return instead of £3.50 - but looking only a few hours later, the prices were back up to £14,99 plus taxes etc.

It's pot luck, and to be honest I'm not particularly angry. I got a great deal that I can't complain too much about. I don't like flying anyway, and especially with Ryanair, but I can't afford much else so I'm grateful to Ryanair for the cheap price, even if it could have been cheaper if I'd been luckier with the timings.

[richardw]

you wouldn't necessarily know that there would be another sale coming.

There's always another sale coming with Ryanair.

The OP said they often travel with Ryanair.

[payless]

Ryanair cancel flights to London - Rimini March - May

I've heard rumours, still nothing on their website but now on airoprt site
http://news.riminiairport.com/eng/news.cfm?IdNews=5117

don't know if also canceling other routes as well

[Irishorangutan]

There's always another sale coming with Ryanair.

The OP said they often travel with Ryanair.

Often travelling and being a regular on the website and being up to speed with their sales techniques are different things.

[real1314]

Any advice or anyone had a similar problem with Ryanair? I am so mad!
Thanks

My advice is to chill out. :D

Would you be jumping for joy and singing from the tree tops if the price had gone up by 10x ?

You paid a price that you were happy to pay, they don't have to warn you that the price may go down, nor that it may go up.

[chuckley]

dont look too diff 2 me, but then again i only use the search.

[sturll]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7899446.stm

Ryanair lets pax use mobile phones aboard for a fee.

The first person who gets a text saying something along the lines of "Im in the plane over France" is compelled to post it here :D

So, good thing/bad thing?

[omelette451]

So, good thing/bad thing?

Good for Ryanair shareholders and those who like having their travel subsidised by people stupid enough to pay for Ryanair's 'extras'.

Bad for those who don't like being forced to listen to other people droning away on their phones. And unlike on a train you can't ask them to move to a vestibule!

For me, though, the most shocking thing is the photo on that BBC article: when has a Ryanair plane ever looked like that???!!!

[tara747]

Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad Bad

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

[tara747]

Ryanair and mobiles in the same sentence... Jesus wept.

[karendb]

Hi - I've just booked to travel with Ryanair from Stansted to Santander in April - £85 inc. fees for all of us so I'm pretty happy with that. There are 5 of us - 2 adults and 3 kids - 16, 14 & 13. We flew from Stansted a few years ago but the rules have changed since then - they definitely weren't so strict about the one piece of cabin baggage.

We'll either stay in an apartment or, more likely, a mobile home for 12 nts - so won't have to take bed linen & towels. However, we're only taking hand luggage so I'd be really interested in some packing tips. We normally do ferry-drive type holidays in Europe and take everything but the kitchen sink - tennis/badminton rackets, picnic stuff etc. etc. so this is a big change for me.

I can think of some things:

1. Wear any heavy clothes/shoes and possibly loads of layers (Michelin man, move over!)

2. Vacuum pack your clothes so you can fit more into the correct-size bag.

3. Take as much as you can in your pockets - ie sandwich for eating on board.

4. Weigh your bags before you leave home - I might just get a hand weigher though - these sound like a good idea.

Also, what about taking shampoos etc.? Do they really only allow one bottle per person? We're not too fussy so would it be cheaper just to buy some at the local supermarket?


Maybe we could make this a Sticky because I'm sure others could make use of the info...

Thanks for your time - Karen

[FloFlo]

Great thread, I'd also like to ask if anyone has found any bargain luggage that fits the ryanair handluggage criteria.

[richardw]

Make sure the apartment has a washing machine and drying facilities for clothes.

[karendb]

Make sure the apartment has a washing machine and drying facilities for clothes.

Yes - I know the camp site has clothes washing facilities but not all apartments do, so a good point :)

[Andy L]

Ryan air limit you to 10kgs of hand luggage each, generally that's more likely to be a limit than what you can fit in the right size bag, especially if you consider the weight of vacuum bags & a pump

Shampoos etc - the limit for hand luggage is not bottle larger than 100ml and all containers must fit in a, sealable, plastic bag no bigger than 1l (1000ml) in size. So really buy them either airside or at your destination

[Scubabe]

Hi all,

Nabbed some flights to Germany in a couple of weeks time for a mere 4p return for both of us yay!

At the time I booking, I *thought* I had read all the conditions properly, but now I am a little confused.

The FAQ page says:
To qualify for Online Check-in each passenger must present either a valid passport or National Identity Card (Driving licences not accepted), issued by either the government of an EU/ European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland which matches the document details printed on their online boarding pass, at both airport security and the departure gate.

Now, I have interpreted that as : you can check in using a valid passport, OR you can check in using a National Identity Card issued by an EU country.

Is that the right way to interpret it?

It's just that I travel on an Australian passport, not a UK one...

Has anyone had any problems checking in online with a passport which is NOT an EU passport??

I don't want to have to pay airport checkin fees :(

Thanks in advance!

[jammin]

Now, I have interpreted that as : you can check in using a valid passport, OR you can check in using a National Identity Card issued by an EU country.

Is that the right way to interpret it?

It's just that I travel on an Australian passport, not a UK one...

G'day, sport! (sorry).. moving on..

That's the incorrect way of interpreting it.

You can only check-in online with Ryanair if you are the holder of an EEA passport / EEA National ID card.

You should go online, "Manage my booking", and pay for airport check-in.

Note that, on the up-side, this can be refunded later, after the flight:
Where a passenger is unable to avail of Online Check-in by reason only of not being the holder of either a valid passport or a National Identity Card, issued by the government of an EU/EEA country, any airport check-in fee paid will be refunded upon application.
http://www.ryanair.com/site/IE/conditions.php