Ryanair: Is it really Europe's most punctual airline?

callum9999

NFH wrote: »

I agree with Doshwaster. The best way to spend the waiting time airside is to have a drink, ideally in a lounge at no additional cost. The only exception is LCY where there's no lounge except when flying on BA to JFK.

Even when I had the misfortune of flying Ryanair from STN, there was an independent lounge at gate 49, i.e. only of use to those flying Ryanair. Many lounges don't provide proper food, but this one gave me enough decent sandwiches for a full meal on the flight. Despite catering only for Ryanair passengers, it was one of the best independent lounges I've visited for a long time.

If someone else is paying then great! Otherwise I'd much rather save the £10+ I'd be spending and use it on something else I'd enjoy more.

NFH

callum9999 wrote: »

If someone else is paying then great! Otherwise I'd much rather save the £10+ I'd be spending and use it on something else I'd enjoy more.

It's very rare for lounge users to pay per visit. Usually it's one of the following:

• An included benefit from a credit card or bank account
• Elite status in a frequent flyer scheme resulting from high travel frequency
• About to fly in business or first class

I agree I wouldn't pay £10 for a lounge visit either. Sometimes I have a choice of lounges because more than one of the above conditions applies, but I never pay per visit.

callum9999

NFH wrote: »

It's very rare for lounge users to pay per visit. Usually it's one of the following:

• An included benefit from a credit card or bank account
• Elite status in a frequent flyer scheme resulting from high travel frequency
• About to fly in business or first class

I agree I wouldn't pay £10 for a lounge visit either. Sometimes I have a choice of lounges because more than one of the above conditions applies, but I never pay per visit.

I know it is (well, apart from the lounge you referred to at Ryanair's gates at Stansted presumably), though I'd imagine the vast majority of those who get "free" lounge access have paid extra in some form - whether it be bank/credit card fees, flying in business as opposed to economy or sticking with one airline alliance despite cheaper flights popping up elsewhere in order to achieve that status. I was thinking more about spending £10 in the airport bar that was suggested before anyway - even that lounge you used in Stanstead seems to be around £17.50 for not a lot!

When I say I travel cheap, I mean cheap. If there's a cheaper way to get to my destination that the option I've booked, in 99.9% of cases I haven't seen it!

Doshwaster

callum9999 wrote: »

If someone else is paying then great! Otherwise I'd much rather save the £10+ I'd be spending and use it on something else I'd enjoy more.

As a BA Silver card holder I can use One World lounges when flying with them, and most of them are very good, but I don't bother paying for access when I'm with other airlines. This is mostly because the 3rd party lounges usually aren't as good as the airline owned ones and are little more than glorified waiting rooms. I'm happy enough in the Whetherspoons.

The airline lounges really come into their own when there is a delayed or cancelled flight. I spent 4 hours in the Gatwick BA lounge recently with endless food, drink and customer services on hand. I was well pickled by time it was ready to board and I wouldn't have been too bothered if there had been a further delay. Hic!