? about flying w/ Ryan Air

[mishoe01]

Hi - I hope I'm posting this in the right spot

I'm considering flying on Ryan Air between Barcelona (Gerona airport) and London Gatwick after the TransAtlantic cruise on DCL.

Are they a good airline? I know that we need to pay for baggage (looks like $15 EUR) and they have priority boarding for extra as well.

What is the benefit (if any) of paying for the priority boarding? Should I do this or is it a waste of $?

Any opinions are welcome!

Thanks!

 

[mishoe01]

I should also ask----

If given the option of flying Ryan, Easyjet or BA - which would YOU do?

TIA!

 

[igk]

Lol I thought you were going to say Ryanair had started flying to Orlando

I haven't flown with Ryanair so can't comment from experience, but they are a 'popular' budget, no-frills airline. I think if you know that you get what you pay for, and know what you are paying for in advance, you should be OK.

 

[igk]

I should also ask----

If given the option of flying Ryan, Easyjet or BA - which would YOU do?

TIA!

1 BA
2 Easyjet
3 Ryanair.

I have flown with Easyjet and personally think they're quite good. I'd choose BA over Easyjet if the price/schedule was the same, but wouldn't hesitate to choose Easyjet if cheaper/better times.

 

[tigger137]

Hi Monica

I haven't flown Ryanair but have to say I probably never will. Their customer service reputation is abysmal, in that they pretty much don't have any. If the flight goes okay, fine. If not, tough, you're on your own.

They're also known for using airports that may not be where you'd think (or they might like you to think). For example, Girona is actually 100km (62 miles) from Barcelona - so you have to factor in the cost of getting there. Also, they're often airports than few other airlines use, so if there is a problem with your flight there's not much chance of getting a flight with someone else.

I haven't flown Easyjet either but their reputation is better. Although the UK low cost airlines are supposedly based on the Southwest model, their customer service is far from that I believe is offered by the US low costs.

Easyjet do at least fly from the real Barcelona and have a few flights each day. BA, however, fly into Heathrow not Gatwick. Also bear in mind that there's a good possibility of strike action with BA following the recent ballot.

Sorry I haven't been much help, but it's good 'talking' to you again!

 

[xxxxvickyxxxx]

I often fly ryan air short distances they are cheap and cheerful never had a problem with them. If BA or someone flew for the same price Id go with them but I have family in Ireland and often get return flights for £10 per person which is a bargain i dont think BA would match!

 

[Riddlers]

Personally I would never fly with Ryanair again...even if they were exceptionally cheaper - there's a reason for that!! We paid for priority boarding as we had a baby and wanted to make sure we were sat together. But as soon as they had let everyone with priority boarding through, they started letting the rest of the passengers board and they just ran straight past us in a rush to get on the plane first - hardly priority boarding !!!
Just my experience, but the staff were rather abrupt with passengers and the food was over priced and not worth bothering with.

 

[Kath2003]

Hi - I hope I'm posting this in the right spot

I'm considering flying on Ryan Air between Barcelona (Gerona airport) and London Gatwick after the TransAtlantic cruise on DCL.

Are they a good airline? I know that we need to pay for baggage (looks like $15 EUR) and they have priority boarding for extra as well.

What is the benefit (if any) of paying for the priority boarding? Should I do this or is it a waste of $?

Any opinions are welcome!

Thanks!

If you have any plans for connecting flights or plans to see sights etc. then FLY BA. They are the only ones who will pretty much guarantee to get you there within a few hours of their published arrival. EasyJet are pretty good but seem to get more delays and by the time you've paid for baggage/boarding/food etc. then you may as well have flown BA in the first place.

I've never flown Ryan Air but I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole.

 

[mark&sue]

as we have a place in spain so fly frequently between spain and london. we have tried both ryan air and easy jet and have stopped using ryan air completely. Easyjet is usually about the same price. Ryan air's priority boarding is rubbish as it is not guaranteed and feels like a free for all. Easyjet is not a lot better but we still use it regularly as head and shoulders above ryan air.

good luck with your flight and any airline can have its bad and good days


susan

 

[mishoe01]

Hi Monica

I haven't flown Ryanair but have to say I probably never will. Their customer service reputation is abysmal, in that they pretty much don't have any. If the flight goes okay, fine. If not, tough, you're on your own.

They're also known for using airports that may not be where you'd think (or they might like you to think). For example, Girona is actually 100km (62 miles) from Barcelona - so you have to factor in the cost of getting there. Also, they're often airports than few other airlines use, so if there is a problem with your flight there's not much chance of getting a flight with someone else.

I haven't flown Easyjet either but their reputation is better. Although the UK low cost airlines are supposedly based on the Southwest model, their customer service is far from that I believe is offered by the US low costs.

Easyjet do at least fly from the real Barcelona and have a few flights each day. BA, however, fly into Heathrow not Gatwick. Also bear in mind that there's a good possibility of strike action with BA following the recent ballot.

Sorry I haven't been much help, but it's good 'talking' to you again!

Hi Mary!!! HOw are you & Patrick doing? I think of you often & wonder if/when we'll ever cross paths again

Didn't know about the impending BA strike....ugh!

 

[mishoe01]

Thank you all for your posts....I will be chatting w/ my DIS travelling companions about this over the weekend.

I fly Southwest all the time here in the States but it sounds as they are more professional/reputable than Ryan Air.

Saving $ is nice but not the deciding factor

 

[tigger137]

Thank you all for your posts....I will be chatting w/ my DIS travelling companions about this over the weekend.

I fly Southwest all the time here in the States but it sounds as they are more professional/reputable than Ryan Air.

Saving $ is nice but not the deciding factor

Professional and reputable are two words I don't think you'd ever see associated with Ryanair.

 

[tigger137]

Hi Mary!!! HOw are you & Patrick doing? I think of you often & wonder if/when we'll ever cross paths again

Didn't know about the impending BA strike....ugh!

We're fine thanks. Except we recently made the mistake of going on a Celebrity cruise instead of Disney.

 

[Neoshoegal]

Not a chance that I would ever fly with RyanAir. Not even if I was a paid considerable amount of money to do so. From everything I've seen heard, no way!
The only budget airline I've flown with so far was BMIbaby, that was ok as you can prebook seats and such.
I tend to stick with the main airlines, by the time you add up all the extra costs you have to pay with the budget airlines, from luggage to even paying just to check in online, the price difference is often so small and sometimes even more expensive, that it's not worth the bother.

 

[gavvy]

I think some people are being overly harsh about Ryanair- more so if you have not flown with them.

If you follow their rules you can get a good deal, if you fall fowl of them you will pay, e.g you have to check in online and print your own boarding card or they charge £40 at check in. Non EU nationals have to have the boarding card stamped before going to security and you only get 15kg of baggage for £15 they charge £20 a kg over that allowance. If you don't use a pre-paid mastercard they charge £5pp per sector handling fee too

I have flown them numerous times for £2 return including taxes to Dublin. If you know how to play their game then you can get a really good deal.

 

[gemmybear83]

I think some people are being overly harsh about Ryanair- more so if you have not flown with them.

If you follow their rules you can get a good deal, if you fall fowl of them you will pay, e.g you have to check in online and print your own boarding card or they charge £40 at check in. Non EU nationals have to have the boarding card stamped before going to security and you only get 15kg of baggage for £15 they charge £20 a kg over that allowance. If you don't use a pre-paid mastercard they charge £5pp per sector handling fee too

I have flown them numerous times for £2 return including taxes to Dublin. If you know how to play their game then you can get a really good deal.

I have to agree with this statement, I have used them numerous times and have never had a problem. I do prefer Easyjet though.