Beat Budget Airline Charges Article Discussion

Paddy_O'Moron

Hopefully the (rather useless) EU will take these airlines to task and penalise them for their blatant disguisal of Flight charges - I no longer believe that I can fly somewhere for a tenner (or less), I just go to the Airline's website, key in all the details and see what the bottom line is (remembering to add in Card Charges, online check-in charges etc). This makes it a bit more real, and puts a different slant on 'cheap' flights.
I have a particular loathing of Ryanair, as they seem to have an utter hatred of their customers - when did you ever see a happy, cheerful Ryanair employee? The last time I saw some of them smile was when they were telling a man how much extra baggage charges he'd have to pay.

I get a little bit of revenge - maybe you'd like to try it. First of all I NEVER buy anything from them (apart from flights). Their tuck trolley I totally ignore. Also, if I am flying to a place where I need to show my passport, they usually shout out to have your passport open at the photograph page. I refuse to do this, informing the Ryanair grump that I make a £10 charge for doing this. Childish or what? Yes. But Ryanair treat us like kids, why shouldn't we act like kids? Michael O'Leary has brought Customer Service to a new low. No point in arguing about 'cheap' flights - firstly they are not 'cheap', secondly, rude and ignorant service cannot be justified by allegedly lower prices. That's a bit like Tesco saying 'we are giving you good value, so we can be rude to you'.

Other companies have learned that if you treat customers badly they will go elsewhere. I hope and pray that one day, that will happen to Ryanair, and O'Leary gets a virtual kick in the nuts from the thousands he's ripped off and abused over the years.

MSE_Jenny

Hiya

Thanks for your feedback so far. That is correct that easyJet have a maximum volume for hand luggage, rather than weight. This has been updated in the article.

The tip about unchecking the insurance box is already in there, if you scroll to the special easyJet section at the bottom. :-) Thanks

Helen_Greatrex

Hi,

One way to save money that I've just found is to book your outgoing and return flights separately on Ryanair (at least to Europe).

You save money on the return flight because the prices all end up in euros:
The £10 all taxes inclusive flight becomes a 5 euro all inclusive offer
The booking fee and baggage fees work out cheaper in euros

So my flight, which should have cost £25 (£10 flight, £10 baggage, £5 debit payment) came to £18.40! :j

I don't know if this was just a glitch, but it might be worth a try. Note, it was all on the normal Ryanair UK website
Cheers
Helen

mrbusy77

We got stung by Fly Globespan this year. We booked through an independant organisation last year and paid the full price of our holiday.

We were advised to check luggage allowance which we did. AT NO POINT DID THE GLOBESPAN PAPERWORK MENTION CHARGES FOR BOOKING IN LUGGAGE.

When we arrived at the airport we got a chrage of £13 per case to go in the hold, it was £8 on the way back as we booked via travel agent when we were in Spain. We then got a charge for 24 kilos excess luggage onthe way back. We did not get a chance to empty unwanted items. Not that there was much as we had scaled down clothes and tossed half used toiletries. We were only 7 kilos over on the way out.

Yes, I have complained and asked for a refund but I don't expect to get far. If I have success I wil post and let you know.

It was a costly lesson but we have booked for February through another provider and we have ensured that there are no hidden charges. That is the best advice you can get: Ask before you give your card details over about charges and costs.

theonlyrick

Another thing to factor in to the cost of a cheap flight to an out-of-the-way airport, is if you need to get a taxi there.

I did have a laugh at the article when it said: "If you get to the airport and your cases are overweight, consider whether it’s worth paying the excess or throwing the goods away... Though, of course, there’s an environmental consequence to this that needs factoring in too."

Honestly - there's a MUCH bigger environmental consequence to having flights so cheap. I know a good number of friends and colleagues that now regularly take two or three flights a year - now that's bad for the environment!

thefenman

terry227 wrote: »

Well put it this way...I've arrive at Stansted with 19kg of hand baggage, put 9 of it in my pockets and the 2nd (lightweight) bag in the 1st bag, get through security (of course I hve to take my coat off to be scanned...but it's NOT hand luggage), once thought security, take bag 2 from bag 1, empty my pockets into it, added my coat, and travel that way through to my destination no problem. I do this 4 - 6 times a month. If at some airports, the Ryanair Staff check hand baggage at the gate...just put your coat back on...but in 6 years, I've never been questioned.

I walk from the aircraft at my destination with 2 bags!

Sounds like a lot of curfuffle! I have a better plan. Travel light - and my hand baggage includes a netbook and the inevitable chargers. I certainly wouldn't risk approaching the gate with 2 bags though, hitherto, I haven't had my bag weighed. When I flew to Sweden recently with a companion, she had her handbag as well as a grip.

richardw

terry227 wrote: »

Well put it this way...I've arrive at Stansted with 19kg of hand baggage, put 9 of it in my pockets and the 2nd (lightweight) bag in the 1st bag, get through security (of course I hve to take my coat off to be scanned...but it's NOT hand luggage), once thought security, take bag 2 from bag 1, empty my pockets into it, added my coat, and travel that way through to my destination no problem. I do this 4 - 6 times a month. If at some airports, the Ryanair Staff check hand baggage at the gate...just put your coat back on...but in 6 years, I've never been questioned.

I walk from the aircraft at my destination with 2 bags!

BTW Ryanair only allow 1 bag onto the plane and are enforcing the rule.

l33tsp33k

You are taking a risk arriving at the gate with two bags - I travel a lot and Ryanair in particular are starting to get their gate nazis to check for more than one piece of hand luggage, and making you either repack or (worse) go back to check-in to check in the second bag (causing you to miss your flight, seen a couple of arguments about that one...). Haven't seen them ever weighing luggage at the gate yet though...

I would love a "Ryanair coat" that has massive zippable pockets, you would just wear the coat + contents onto the plane, (as another poster said you can get about 10kg of stuff in if you have big enough pockets), plus your 10kg of hand luggage... result!

Mike

spal123

Tie weighty pairs of shoes to your trouser belt loops by their laces.
Tie extra jackets and jumpers you can't wear around your waist/shoulders.
Only takes a few extra seconds at security undressing/redressing!
I doubt their T+Cs forbid it.
Think of it as Ryanair fashion!

I love the idea of someone making a luggage coat - i.e. wearable luggage
Perhaps MSE.com could commission a branded one for us. It could be good advertising!

thefenman

Paddy_O'Moron wrote: »

when did you ever see a happy, cheerful Ryanair employee?

Frequently - try smiling at them.