Ryanair sits hen party in FIFTEEN separate rows as outrage over seating policy grows

mjm3346

The quoted long odds are probably correct if every seat was included however it was made quite clear that the least popular seats (mostly middle ones) are allocated first in the "random" allocation so there is a very high chance of a party being split if they choose not to pay.
Keeping the "premium" seats available for those who want to pay clearly makes business sense.


Have to laugh at the whingers who would be so concerned about their families if there was a plane crash but not concerned enough to pay the £2 per person in the first place.

Caz3121

I don't know why but this thread makes me think of one of those lottery/bingo machines, but full of B and E (middle seat) balls and seats being issued as they come out..there must be a similar number of middle seats as there are lottery numbers...and I have yet to see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 get drawn (although they have the same odds as any other combination)

mjm3346

Forever_blowin_bubbles wrote: »

I Families blundering into sitting apart endanger your safety more than their own if they panic in an emergency evacuation. You would be trodden into the floor if a mother was protecting her baby, or a big romantic bloke was protecting the love of his life!

Adults have to have a reserved seat if they are travelling with children under 12 so no separation there and nobody could be called a "romantic" or even that bothered about someone if they wouldn't pay the small charge to sit with them - "my love for you knows no bounds as long as it doesn't cost a couple of quid to sit next to you".

Ryan Air usually come up with something to keep themselves in the public consciousness and whether they change the policy or not this has been fantastic free publicity for them.

(I wouldn't fly with them anyway so they can bring in a toilet charge, start charging passengers by weight or anything else they like)

budgetflyer

Caz3121 wrote: »

I don't know why but this thread makes me think of one of those lottery/bingo machines, but full of B and E (middle seat) balls and seats being issued as they come out..there must be a similar number of middle seats as there are lottery numbers...and I have yet to see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 get drawn (although they have the same odds as any other combination)

Try it on Euromillions or Saturdays lottery. Pick 3 random pairs one line and 2 random triples next line. I reckon you will be disappointed.
there are only 1 to 55 in the lottery. There are (up to) 1 to 189 on a 737. I would be interested in the odds of a consecutive pair or triple coming out.

if there are 50 couples and 10 families of 3. for them all to be "randomly" assigned seats together, the odds would be staggering

buglawton

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

The odds of all 15 people out of a group of 15 being seated in a middle seat on any row is 1 in 3^15. That's just over 14 million to one.

Getting into the more complex realms of statistical probability of all being on different rows in middle seats on a 28 row plane and I can easily believe the 543 million to one number.

I can't be bothered attempting the maths on that.

Ryanair are extracting the urine by claiming nothing has changed. It's at best a unique business model. At worst it exploits their monopoly on some routes where they have no competition for irritated passengers to head off to.

You have a point there. Whenever Ryanair opens a route it has to make submissions to the authorities at the destination to show it's a worthy operator, because many recent budget destinations - converted military airfields etc - are actually subsidised developments in areas than need economic stimulus. Perhaps some new more ethical airlines can have a go instead.

skybluearmyontour

Would there be as much fuss if the ability to choose your seat was included in your flight price? Is it just the fact that it's seen as an added extra?

My wife and I never pay for allocated seating - they are hardly long haul flights. All I do when I get on the plane is put my headphones on and watch a film on my iPad..I can do that sitting next to anyone!

superbigal36

The Ryanair algorithm should have put
the hen party in a cage in the hold.
I have no prejudice against drunken groups of middle aged women wearing tutus and l-Plates.
_party__party__party_:drool::drool::drool::drool::heartsmil

glennamy

You chose to travel by a budget airline paying out as little as possible, you chose not to pay to sit together.

End of story.

Pollycat

skybluearmyontour wrote: »

Would there be as much fuss if the ability to choose your seat was included in your flight price? Is it just the fact that it's seen as an added extra?

My wife and I never pay for allocated seating - they are hardly long haul flights. All I do when I get on the plane is put my headphones on and watch a film on my iPad..I can do that sitting next to anyone!

If 'the ability to choose your seat was included in the flight price' you would be paying for it whether you wanted to or not.

And it sounds like you don't pay for it now so why would you suggest it was included?

Pollycat

Forever_blowin_bubbles wrote: »

Please, please Miss, let me answer ... might it be because it would be the civilised thing to do?

Ive no idea what it might be - that's why I asked the question of skybluearmyontour.

It sounded odd to me that he/she suggested including the seat selection fee in the flight price but went on to say they never pay for allocated seating.