A quick thank you (Ryanair)

Bob_the_Saver

Thanks, I'll do my very best.

SallyD

Really enjoyed ploughing through this thread. I'm a great fan of Ryan Air and would never have travelled so much without them for pennies - luv um.

Go fly, have fun.:T

Bob_the_Saver

Squeezyjet, Bristol to Inverness, arrived 5 mins early. Nearly as good as a Ryanair flight except for more small children - including the little !!!!!! sat behind me,

carol444

Ryanair certainly do have bargains available to those people who are not really bothered where they go on holiday and when, and who don't take any luggage with them. But if you have a specific destination and dates in mind and need to take suitcases then Easyjet is cheaper.

UKHCGirl

whilst i am not a massive fan of ryanair nowadays, easyjet is far more unreliable than ryanair. In the 100+ ryanair flights i have taken over the years, i have only been delayed twice.

Bob_the_Saver

carol444 wrote: »

Ryanair certainly do have bargains available to those people who are not really bothered where they go on holiday and when, and who don't take any luggage with them. But if you have a specific destination and dates in mind and need to take suitcases then Easyjet is cheaper.

Given the large number of Ryanair destination this seem nonsense. My Ryanair flights invariably take me very close or exactly to where I want to go. It depends but I go on holiday where I want. I do take luggage but I don't take the kitchen sink.

peterbaker

Had a guilty moment at a Ryanair boarding gate recently. Flight was full, and somehow I seemed to be about the last person in the gate queue.

I decided to go sit down and lurk within sight of the gate just in case an unholy muddle materialised when the gate opened which I could perhaps join without appearing uncouth

No such luck, there was only one person checking boarding cards and passports and the queue was one of those extremely orderly ones which I absolutely dare not barge in on - how embarassing would that be

So I resigned my polite self to getting up as the end of the queue approached in perhaps ten minutes if I was lucky. I went back to reading my paper and pretending to be totally relaxed about whether I did or did not get on the plane last.

Then, from the vicinity of the front of the orderly queue, I heard those fateful words we know and love "Please put your bags in the bin for me ..." and so the muddle spectacle began ...

One or two priority boarders pitched up late too ... luvverly ... more confusion ... a second gate guardian let them through and I now stood to observe the developing opportunity ...

Everyone was aware of the unfortunate victims of a bit of not very nice discrimination I would say ... a family of four including two walking but not very big kids ... three or four bags but only two of normal size ... the Dad didn't have much English ... the problem item was a modest sports holdall shape of which I'd say probably 50 others were let on the plane without challenge, so why this one? His first protestation was "Please it only 8 kilo" ... I could see that it was light and no bother to anyone, but the two gate guardians had decided this family who had no doubt arrived at the gate early to make their lives easier were now going to be inconvenienced in the name of some lesson numero uno that (trust me people) they really did not need to learn.

I was getting rather upset by what I saw. The Dad was trying to squash the holdall into the bin shape ... it wasn't heavy but was a bit springy ... while he was trying his best gate guardian number two started to tell him he would have to pay to put it in the hold. I thought here we go ... he does not deserve this at all - especially since my own 8 kilo sports holdall had become around 16kg whilst I was in the airport and would have been far more difficult to squeeze in the bin too.

So I regret that I decided I'd be asking for a bag-sizing if I said anything so I zipped my mouth and walked around the spectacle feeling very guilty.

Before you knew it I was down the steps about number 15 on the plane.

Even got one of the long legroom seats

I sat there watching the other 170 or so get on, and checking no-one was giving me the evil eye ... "there's that queue jumper!" ... they weren't ... the distraction had meant I'd a clean pair of heels. So as it filled up, another family of four struggled on ... they found three together next to me, but there I was alone in the obvious most neighbouring seat across the aisle, and now their Dad was resigning himself to having to sit some distance away.

Just because I am that kind of bloke, I decided it was time to pay my penance ... I gave Dad my hard won seat, made 'em all smile and as luck would have it found a reasonably comfortable seat next to what turned out to be one of the very few seats left empty when we took off, so not a bad trade . Before I dozed off I had a kind of mixed feel good/guilty factor, and still wasn't sure if the other family had to cough up £35 or whatever :A:(:o

Funny old game Michael has us playing, eh? What would Bob, Nob and you more gentile types have done, I wonder?

Bob_the_Saver

peterbaker wrote: »

Had a guilty moment at a Ryanair boarding gate recently. Flight was full, and somehow I seemed to be about the last person in the gate queue.

I decided to go sit down and lurk within sight of the gate just in case an unholy muddle materialised when the gate opened which I could perhaps join without appearing uncouth

No such luck, there was only one person checking boarding cards and passports and the queue was one of those extremely orderly ones which I absolutely dare not barge in on - how embarassing would that be

So I resigned my polite self to getting up as the end of the queue approached in perhaps ten minutes if I was lucky. I went back to reading my paper and pretending to be totally relaxed about whether I did or did not get on the plane last.

Then, from the vicinity of the front of the orderly queue, I heard those fateful words we know and love "Please put your bags in the bin for me ..." and so the muddle spectacle began ...

One or two priority boarders pitched up late too ... luvverly ... more confusion ... a second gate guardian let them through and I now stood to observe the developing opportunity ...

Everyone was aware of the unfortunate victims of a bit of not very nice discrimination I would say ... a family of four including two walking but not very big kids ... three or four bags but only two of normal size ... the Dad didn't have much English ... the problem item was a modest sports holdall shape of which I'd say probably 50 others were let on the plane without challenge, so why this one? His first protestation was "Please it only 8 kilo" ... I could see that it was light and no bother to anyone, but the two gate guardians had decided this family who had no doubt arrived at the gate early to make their lives easier were now going to be inconvenienced in the name of some lesson numero uno that (trust me people) they really did not need to learn.

I was getting rather upset by what I saw. The Dad was trying to squash the holdall into the bin shape ... it wasn't heavy but was a bit springy ... while he was trying his best gate guardian number two started to tell him he would have to pay to put it in the hold. I thought here we go ... he does not deserve this at all - especially since my own 8 kilo sports holdall had become around 16kg whilst I was in the airport and would have been far more difficult to squeeze in the bin too.

So I regret that I decided I'd be asking for a bag-sizing if I said anything so I zipped my mouth and walked around the spectacle feeling very guilty.

Before you knew it I was down the steps about number 15 on the plane.

Even got one of the long legroom seats

I sat there watching the other 170 or so get on, and checking no-one was giving me the evil eye ... "there's that queue jumper!" ... they weren't ... the distraction had meant I'd a clean pair of heels. So as it filled up, another family of four struggled on ... they found three together next to me, but there I was alone in the obvious most neighbouring seat across the aisle, and now their Dad was resigning himself to having to sit some distance away.

Just because I am that kind of bloke, I decided it was time to pay my penance ... I gave Dad my hard won seat, made 'em all smile and as luck would have it found a reasonably comfortable seat next to what turned out to be one of the very few seats left empty when we took off, so not a bad trade . Before I dozed off I had a kind of mixed feel good/guilty factor, and still wasn't sure if the other family had to cough up £35 or whatever :A:(:o

Funny old game Michael has us playing, eh? What would Bob, Nob and you more gentile types have done, I wonder?

It's every man (or woman) for themselves,. I only ever take a small bag
even for my last 2 flights this week (Jet Airways to India Comfy seats but stingy with the booze!) :eek:

Nobjocki

peterbaker wrote: »

Had a guilty moment at a Ryanair boarding gate recently. Flight was full, and somehow I seemed to be about the last person in the gate queue.

I decided to go sit down and lurk within sight of the gate just in case an unholy muddle materialised when the gate opened which I could perhaps join without appearing uncouth

No such luck, there was only one person checking boarding cards and passports and the queue was one of those extremely orderly ones which I absolutely dare not barge in on - how embarassing would that be

So I resigned my polite self to getting up as the end of the queue approached in perhaps ten minutes if I was lucky. I went back to reading my paper and pretending to be totally relaxed about whether I did or did not get on the plane last.

Then, from the vicinity of the front of the orderly queue, I heard those fateful words we know and love "Please put your bags in the bin for me ..." and so the muddle spectacle began ...

One or two priority boarders pitched up late too ... luvverly ... more confusion ... a second gate guardian let them through and I now stood to observe the developing opportunity ...

Everyone was aware of the unfortunate victims of a bit of not very nice discrimination I would say ... a family of four including two walking but not very big kids ... three or four bags but only two of normal size ... the Dad didn't have much English ... the problem item was a modest sports holdall shape of which I'd say probably 50 others were let on the plane without challenge, so why this one? His first protestation was "Please it only 8 kilo" ... I could see that it was light and no bother to anyone, but the two gate guardians had decided this family who had no doubt arrived at the gate early to make their lives easier were now going to be inconvenienced in the name of some lesson numero uno that (trust me people) they really did not need to learn.

I was getting rather upset by what I saw. The Dad was trying to squash the holdall into the bin shape ... it wasn't heavy but was a bit springy ... while he was trying his best gate guardian number two started to tell him he would have to pay to put it in the hold. I thought here we go ... he does not deserve this at all - especially since my own 8 kilo sports holdall had become around 16kg whilst I was in the airport and would have been far more difficult to squeeze in the bin too.

So I regret that I decided I'd be asking for a bag-sizing if I said anything so I zipped my mouth and walked around the spectacle feeling very guilty.

Before you knew it I was down the steps about number 15 on the plane.

Even got one of the long legroom seats

I sat there watching the other 170 or so get on, and checking no-one was giving me the evil eye ... "there's that queue jumper!" ... they weren't ... the distraction had meant I'd a clean pair of heels. So as it filled up, another family of four struggled on ... they found three together next to me, but there I was alone in the obvious most neighbouring seat across the aisle, and now their Dad was resigning himself to having to sit some distance away.

Just because I am that kind of bloke, I decided it was time to pay my penance ... I gave Dad my hard won seat, made 'em all smile and as luck would have it found a reasonably comfortable seat next to what turned out to be one of the very few seats left empty when we took off, so not a bad trade . Before I dozed off I had a kind of mixed feel good/guilty factor, and still wasn't sure if the other family had to cough up £35 or whatever :A:(:o

Funny old game Michael has us playing, eh? What would Bob, Nob and you more gentile types have done, I wonder?

Glad to see you managed to overcome your fears about Ryanair's " safety record " to fly with them. :rotfl:

So what you're saying is you jumped the queue then gave your seat to Dad out of guilt - a magnanimous gesture but not much use if he's travelling with a family of four.

Why didn't you give it to Mum instead, unless you're gay, of course.

I jest.

As always Ryanair's baggage policy is clearly stated on the website and if this fellow was trying to argue that his bag only weighed 8 kilos he's certainly intelligent enough to understand Ryanair's terms and conditions.

I take it that despite this " delay " the flight departed on time ?

But an interesting post with which to keep this thread going, old fruit.

peterbaker

You misunderstand me Nobbie, exactly because it was a family of four I spotted who had claimed the three seats in the row across the aisle from me once I was safely onboard and out of the clutches of the handbaggage police with my overweight overdimensioned bag, I realised my aisle seat was the best seat possible for the concerned seatless Dad.

About the flight departing on time ... it didn't actually, but with a tail wind and Ryanair's generous trip times it did land within 5 minutes of the allocated arrival time and we got the blessed yet another trumpet fanfare

Really not sure what happened to family #1 with the 8kg bag, and heresay command of the Ts&Cs. Still feel a bit sorry that they were clearly picked upon.

As for safety concerns well I keep my eyes peeled and I notice we seem to have quite a crop of girlies on the Ryanar flightdecks at the moment so I am sure they are ruling the roosts - even saw one slip of lass kicking the tyres! Was however slightly concerned to find that the return flight was:
(a) very definitely late
(b) 3/4 cabin crewed by our friends the singing Poles at least one of who seemed to have a rather limited command of English and started each sentence with "I have a question" as in "I have a question ... BRACE BRACE BRACE!!!" to which the polite response might not be "I beg your pardon - I did not quite catch that"
(c) not the originally rostered aircraft
(d) less than perfectly turned out with at least one rear toilet labelled "INOP" which language is of course aviation jargon between engineers and pilots to mean the same as "OUT OF ORDER" in punter-speak
(e) devoid of food or drink for sale due to the last minute change of aircraft.
Al of which suggests to me that it was drummed into service that day with a deliberate decision made that they could use it for a whole day with a toilet out of action.


I say though, Nobs, that Bobbie does gad about, eh what?