Flying with Easyjet and Ryanair

[cookie334]

We've always flown with Air France as it just seemed easier, but their prices have gone up quite a bit and we're looking at other options.

I believe that there's no allocated seating for Easyjet and Ryanair and this worries me as we have the 3 kids (7, 5 and 1). The 7 year old would probably be fine on her own if the worst came to the worst (although I'd still much rather she didn't), but the 5 year old REALLY needs one of us beside him. For anyone that's flown with either of these before can you tell me how likely it is that we wont get seats together? Also I think I'll be booking a seat for DD2, so she will obviously HAVE to be beside one of us.

Also, I know there are a lot of hidden costs with Ryanair, but is there anything similar with Easyjet? I know you have to pay for baggage, but do you have to pay for check-in or anything else? Also, will they let us take a buggy? Or will we be charged for this?

Thanks

 

[manxtatt2]

we have just booked with easyjet as well

think it was £16 per bag , no other costs

re the seating - we have never had problems being seated together

we always try and be quite near the front of the line for boarding

not sure about buggys , have you looked at easy jet website?

 

[hildasmuriel]

Wow - just noticed your tags. How long you had them?

 

[karenmoloney]

We always fly with Easyjet. There is no charge for buggies - in the past I used to bring 2 without a problem. When they call you to board the plane, first they call priority boarding, then people travelling with children under 5, then a, b etc depending on the time you check in. So, if you are travelling with an infant you should be one of the first to board - just make sure you are at the boarding gate on time! Also I think we paid £12 per piece of hold luggage when I booked last week.

Sorry, can't comment on Ryanair as I didn't fly with them with kids so I don't remember how they board.

 

[manxtatt2]

sorry i meant £12 per bag on my post

 

[manxtatt2]

Wow - just noticed your tags. How long you had them?

about 4/5 weeks i think

 

[Bexx]

the 5 year old REALLY needs one of us beside him. For anyone that's flown with either of these before can you tell me how likely it is that we wont get seats together?

I'm sure it won't come to this as you should be in one of the first groups to board. But when we last flew there was a dad separated from his son, and the crew made the announcement that we wouldn't be taking off until someone had moved so that they could sit together.

 

[Roon]

Go on to the Easyjet site and work through the flight to see any hidden extras you don't have to complete to payment page. Likewise with Ryanair.

 

[FiFi Rose]

We have also always used Air France but I wouldn't let the possibility of being separated put you off another airline cause we were seperated by air france in october

I pointed this out at check in when they gave us our tickets they said they couldn't do anything and we should ask the stewards on the plane. They came with us and asked the man in the seat next to us to swap and everything was fine. Didn't help me that I'd had two hours in the airport with DD1 in tears and worrying. Although my DD's were 4 by a couple of days and just 12 at the time they had only flown once before.

 

[gemmybear83]

I'm sure it won't come to this as you should be in one of the first groups to board. But when we last flew there was a dad separated from his son, and the crew made the announcement that we wouldn't be taking off until someone had moved so that they could sit together.

They have always done this when I have flown easyjet. Families with children get to board first alongside the people who bought speedy boarding passes. To be honest I much prefer flying with an airline that gives you seat numbers as I hate the scrum to find seats on the plane, but we dont have children so never get to do the early boarding-but we have never been seperated .

I would not hesitate to both with either if there was a signficant cost saving

 

[cookie334]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I'd have extra travelling costs both this end and that end with Ryanair, so I think it will be Easyjet. I've always been put off because of non-allocated seats and also flight times meant we would miss most of our first day and half of our last day, but since Air France put their prices up, it a few hundred pound cheaper to fly Easyjet now

That's great that the staff are so good at making sure kids are seated together.

Also I was considering paying extra for the speedy boarding if it came to it, but now I know that we'll get on before most anyway that's saved me some extra too.

Thanks again guys, you've all been a great help

 

[Dianetigger]

Air France worked out £10 each dearer (4 adults) than Flybe for flying from Manchester in July after we added 4 lots of suitcases and insurance on, so we decided to stick with Air France.