Worth paying for Priority Boarding with Ryanair - have young children

MrSmartprice

Pont wrote: »

I can only comment on a recent flight to Poland (April) from Birmingham. In my view it was totally pointless for anyone to pay for priority boarding as after going through the gate we were herded onto a bus to take us out to the plane. The priority boarders all rushed to the furthest side of the bus, but when we got to the plane the 'non priority door' opened first and so the non-priority flyers got all the best seats.

This has normally been the case. But I flew back from Prague yesterday and Ryanair have a new tactic at that airport. As the passengers queued at the gate, they called the priority boarders and let them through the gate and onto a bus. Everyone else waited, and sure enough this huge bus departed to the plane carrying all 6 of them!

Once it had departed, the rest of us were sent to two more waiting buses. But the despatcher, a dozy girl of about 20, held the buses for about 10 mintes so that the priority boarders got their money's worth. Then we left for the plane and took the usual age to load. Thanks to this idiocy the plane missed its slot and we sat on the plane for a further 20 minutes.

It was fortunate that the flight made up some time and arrived just about on schedule. But I have never seen such a shambles, which seemed in fairness to have been down to the airport despatcher rather than Ryanair.

lalamb77

Thank-you all to the useful information you shared, you were critical in helping us have a trouble-free flight there and back - particular thanks to MrSmartPrice. :beer:

Your advice was spot-on - there were very few priority boarders and we made sure we were really early and queued right at the front. We made sure three adults charged ahead to get on the plane (using the rear doors) and they reserved three rows. It really was straightforward as long as you were prepared to get there early and stand in a queue. I could only really foresee problems if you were right at the back of the queue. I guess its the same principle if you are one of the last to check-in on any airline that assigns seating.

Just wanted to thank-you all and update you on my experience.

Pont

Glad everything worked out for you and thanks for posting back.

ernieee

hi just wondering about me somone aged 13 and a eldery thats is slow walking would it be worth PB?:money:

peterbaker

Since you have been on the ball enough to post for information, sounds like you might be the one in charge, erniee

Rather than be concerned about PB, are you happy that you don't need some extra help through the airport?

Is your elderly companion able to get up and down lots of steps ok?

We are getting to the relatively quiet time of the year for Ryanair so you needn't worry too much about buying PB to ensure being able to sit together. All Ryanair's planes are 189 seat 737-800s ... that's 31.5 rows of 3 seats each side or 32 on the portside and 31 starboard to be more precise! They generally are not full this time of year.

So the advice you seek depends mostly on the route and whether it involves a big airport like Stansted which has rather a lot of walking and steps, or a smaller airport which may have no steps at all apart from the ones to get on the plane.

As you've seen in this thread, Mr Smartprice was able to help the OP because he knew the route and the airports like the back of his hand.

What airports are you using and is your travelling companion just a bit slow or do they have pain if they walk too much?