Ryanair ---- Now Too Much Hassle?

johne2010

This is not a cache issue, the security code page has been re-introduced by Ryanair.

2sides2everystory

Well I am flying one of their exact routes this weekend with the competition. Can't be a^sed with the Ryanair offer now.

MeanExpat

"The security code IS STILL THERE on RyanAir.com/site/en" and on foreign websites too.

I would be interested in knowing how to "clear cache, cookies and browsing history". I found a "delete browsing history" page but it did not work. Do I need to restart the PC? Any clues welcome.

Only way to avoid the paying fees (apart from the new passport card) is to have an address abroad and a non-UK prepaid mastercard.

But for how long? Has anyone tried this method?

antenna

An address "abroad" (ahem!) with a uk pre-paid euro card booking a return starting abroad using a foriegn ryanair site works for me.

MeanExpat

So I need to convert my GPB prepaid Mastercard into a Euro prepaid Mastercard? Can this be fed from a UK GBP bank account? Would you loose a bit in exchange rate?

And it works only one way? I suppose that's £6 return for paying fees which is not too bad.

Have a foreign euro account too which I will also investigate next time I am in foreign land.

2sides2everystory

Next week I shall be conducting some experiments with a new GBP card registered to an overseas address.

I have already played around with several combinations (clearly the cardholder does not need to travel and if you know a selection of global cardholders well enough then you too can experiment!

My experience so far tells me that Ryanair are expending a disproportionate amount of money constantly tweaking that part of their booking system that deals with
(a ) UK cardholder addresses,
(b ) GBP Prepay Mastercards in general and of course
(c ) flight bookings or return flight bookings which commence with a departure from the UK

in order to foil anyone who is trying to evade the fall out of O'Leary's attempts to stick it to the UK regulators.

When booking Ryanair, even if you arrive at a situation where it appears you have avoided the fee i.e. at that point where you are about to click "Purchase Now" the chances of you getting an error message when you click are greater than 90%, even if you are deliberately using a foreign language section of Ryanair's site. If you have a GBP mastercard and an overseas billing address their system seems to automatically claim a Billing address error. Would be good if anyone else can confirm this.

A non-GBP prepaid mastercard with a non-UK address (even if issued by a UK based card issuer) does not seen to give the same problem but of course you have to be prepared to suffer the FOREX implications.

As I said earlier, Ryanair have already lost the business of one return trip for two this weekend from me. Exact same airports both ends. And I can take more in the cabin with Easyjet.

Steve_xx

2sides2everystory wrote: »

As I said earlier, Ryanair have already lost the business of one return trip for two this weekend from me. Exact same airports both ends. And I can take more in the cabin with Easyjet.

Just to be clear here. Your EasyJet flights this weekend, did they cost less than the equivalent Ryanair offering inclusive of all fees etc?

2sides2everystory

It was the deal for me. We decided where we wanted to go and the best deal included EasyJet. I have given up trying to show Ryanair what I want. They gave up listening long ago and they are now very actively closing down choice almost spitefully. They have forgotten that people "travel" and that they are competing for a service which accounts for only three or four hours worth of experience in most cases for each of their passengers.

Sure Ryanair grew like topsy but their business has now plateaued. They are behaving like they think they have been so successful that they hold the key to our travel wallet but they squandered the chance to lead on that completely. Ryanair don't know their a$$ from their elbow in that department, their scratchcard from their cheap hostel.

O'Leary's imagination is limited because he is an accountant. Basically he isn't leading innovation, he is leading removal of choice which leads to reduced costs for his business that's all.

He has a particular failing - he doesn't want to create relationships other than direct costed routes to profit and now his costed routes are becoming circuitous and very selfish. By routes I do not mean where he flies. I mean how he operates. When times are hard, customers sometimes select their deals in more reliable fashion. Customers like me will rough it and use Ryanair when it suits us and we'll exploit their weaknesses to extract additional value. We'll use their competition when it suits us too, and enjoy a different type of service.

I'm in charge of my travel arrangements. If O'Leary wants some then he'll have to work a bit harder to please me more often!

Steve_xx

2sides2everystory wrote: »

It was the deal for me. I have given up trying to show Ryanair what I want. They gave up listening long ago.

Yes, I understand what you mean. But did it, at the end of the day, cost more to travel with EasyJet than it would have done with Ryanair?

2sides2everystory

I haven't checked closely and nor do I plan to. Haven't even considered it since I booked. It was still cheap for a two hour flight and as I have said, it isn't "travel", it's just the flights. In fact with this booking I have learned a lot about how EasyJet do things differently. Their customer services are actually accessible via a number of routes for example and they don't charge the earth for it or for making simple changes to bookings, nor do they charge for checking in at the airport and as I said they are not particularly anal about cabin baggage either.

Works for me in 2011.

Ryanair can't trade on 2007 any longer. 1p flights are a complete myth now. Ryanair typical flight prices are cheaper than most but now not by very much at the end of the day in 2011, all things considered.