Quoting AAMDanny (Thread starter): it is getting more and more ridiculous. And more and more profitable too

In terms of the flight and prices I have no problem. What I do have a problem with is 1) as a non-EU or UK passport holder I am FORCED to pay £3 to check in at the airport since I cannot check in online. 2) At Check in when I try to claim it, no-one knows where or how to claim it back. 3) you cannot contact FR via e-mail, only in person or on the phone. 4) Queues at the airport for FR's customer service and reservations desks are ALWAYS long, i.e not enough agents, too many problems that need to be solved centrally 5) in order to contact FR at any time other than at the airport, one must ring them and they CHARGE you for the call. I don't care about paying for bags, or food, or gambling, or priority boarding, or for the OPTION to check in at a desk. But FORCING people to pay is where I think they take things too far. With that said I flew them for the first time in April to do STN-TRP (Torp, Norway), and will be flying them again in June to Croatia, Germany, Portugal and Italy. Cheap tickets. AA1818

...God is a Trini...

Airport check in is a service. Since this is done by ground stuff, I have no problem with that. They do all they can to reduce costs, and getting a large fraction of online check ins is one way to do so. So the question is, how long will FR be innovative to squeeze another few bucks from you. Usage of restrooms?

I onlf fly with them when I don't have any luggage as I find them the cheapest option but as soon as I know I'n travelling with luggage I use bmi or BA as it works out in most cases the same price. I do not have a problem to much with them charging for luggage but I do think it is bad charging for check-in when you have luggage or as another user has commented, yiu have no option to use on-line check-in

Touch galley, touch trolley...see how many times you can do that without serving anybody whatsoever

Quoting AAMDanny (Thread starter): But how long are PAX willing to put up with Ryanair's lack of customer service? As long as they are cheaper to fly /Lasr

Quoting Larshjort (Reply 5): As long as they are cheaper to fly Well, or as long as people do not reailize that ticket price is not the only factor: FR flies from middle-in-the-nowhere airports to m-i-t-nowhere airports (it costs money and time to get back and forth), they charge your extra for everything (e.g. wheelchair levy, drinks, etc.) and the planes are just plainly uncomfortable. I have stopped using them and gladly pay an extra 50% for better location of the airport, a minimum of included service on the ground and in the air, and a better product inside the plane. Hope FR dies before it kills many more decent airlines.

You forget that the middle of nowhere is reliable to reach, while the middle of everything is reliable to be in the middle of a congestion. If you arrive by car, calculate in parking fees. Your hope I see no chance - but I doubt that FR has killed any airline, since most of their passengers would never had flown without them. Which airlines died in the area Ryanair covers? Swissair died before them, so did Sabena.

Quoting AAMDanny (Thread starter): How Long can Ryanair rely on its Ultra low fares for Business? It will last forever as long as people need to fly on a budget. A lot of businesses now send their executives on FR. Quoting AA1818 (Reply 2): in order to contact FR at any time other than at the airport, one must ring them and they CHARGE you for the call. It's amazing how short customer calls are when you have to pay 50p a minute or whatever. I remember my airline reservation days in the past, when people would keep you talking all day about their problem if they could. While other callers are trying to get through. Quoting Enginebird (Reply 6): gladly pay an extra 50% This means that you haven't yet paid 50% extra for a fare. I'm sure when it comes time to buy your next ticket you will see sense. FR became popular because people are reluctant to spend unnecessary cash getting to a destination. They, like anyone else do all their sums before booking FR tickets.

Quoting Enginebird (Reply 6): FR flies from middle-in-the-nowhere airports to m-i-t-nowhere airports Secondary airports, not necessarily airports in the middle of nowhere. Quoting Enginebird (Reply 6): it costs money and time to get back and forth Not necessarily. For some people the secondary airports are nearer or more accessible for them. They are less congested, which means the chances of delays etc are less and if time costs money this will be a saving. Furthermore, car parking charges at the secondary airports is often cheaper. How much does it cost to park at Hahn when compared to the cost of parking at FRA? Quoting Enginebird (Reply 6): they charge your extra for everything (e.g. wheelchair levy, drinks, etc.) You can select to opt out of paying for some things. Must you have a drink on board? Do you really want to pay for a family of four being allowed to put their 2 x kids' buggies in the hold? Must you check in at the airport? Quoting Enginebird (Reply 6): the planes are just plainly uncomfortable Many of FR planes are cleaner and newer than those of full price airlines. Have to say I have not found their seats or seat pitch any worse than most charter airlines and even some full price airlines. Colour of cabin and safety cards on seat in front are not to my liking but I am paying to go from A to B, cheaply, safely and on-time, not to sit in some IKEA showroom or whatever. Quoting Enginebird (Reply 6): Hope FR dies before it kills many more decent airlines Rather immature comment. Would you really want to see all FR employees and those dependant upon FR out of work? Quoting Burkhard (Reply 7): but I doubt that FR has killed any airline It has made some airlines take a good look at how they operate - for instance Aer Lingus is now a leaner and fitter airline rather than an over-charging state-owned and union-run entity. FR fiercely defends their home territory - look at what happened when GO tried to compete directly with them, and did not U2 get their hands burned when they tried flying in direct competition with them. The only casualties of FR are airlines that probably would have folded in any event - e.g. Debonair, AB Airlines, buzz. FR will last as long as their passengers will put up with the extra charges etc. Apart from a small minority, most of FR's passengers accept the changes and other LCCs soon follow FR's lead. [Edited 2008-05-09 05:24:07]

I love talking about nothing. It's the only thing I know anything about. Oscar Wilde

Soon, you'll have to pay to use the toilet   It's the worst airlines on the earth. I hate them. Their president even told all aviation enthousiats are stupid. The only interresting thing in aviation is making money. Their is no respect for the passengers if something goes wrong and for most of the people working for them (if you are not happy, find an other job). That's true, if you are lucky, you can have flights for nearly nothing but most of their passengers book Ryanair, thinking they'll have a cheaper price and in fact, they pay more because of the extra charges and because they land in an airport very far from the city they are going to (If you land at "Brussels South", don't think you are landing at Brussels but at Charleroi!) Same in most of their destinations. There are a lot of airlines like that I flew with (Southwest in USA, Air Asia in Thailand.....) but at least, you have a minimum service and you know what you pay for. These flights were good! Ryanair says "no need of beverage or food in a short flight. Fly with us and you'll pay cheaper because we don't offer theses things you don't need" but even on a short flight, you had to wait at airport, still need time at destination to reach your hotel or home.... So, you will buy something and you'll pay more because in flight, you have no choice! People are free to choose the airlines they are flying with but I thing a lot of them should compare the real price. If everybody do that, I think it's the end of the actual Ryanair.

Quoting SIBILLE (Reply 10): and because they land in an airport very far from the city they are going to (If you land at "Brussels South", don't think you are landing at Brussels but at Charleroi!) It's not just Ryanair that is calling Charleroi airport Brussel south, even the airport themselves does it: http://www.charleroi-airport.com/doc...?nd=o29&tid=29&lg=2&docid=1&site=1 And it's the same with HHN their name is Frankfurt Hahn Airport http://www.hahn-airport.de/ Quoting SIBILLE (Reply 10): but even on a short flight, you had to wait at airport, still need time at destination to reach your hotel or home.... So, you will buy something and you'll pay more because in flight, you have no choice! You have a choice, don't buy anything. Most people can go on for 6+ hours without eating, you could also bring your own so you don't have to BOB /Lars

It's not just Ryanair that is calling Charleroi airport Brussel south, even the airport themselves does it Yes but a lot of Ryanair passengers don't know where they will land (for instance, a friend of mine bough a flight from "Frankfurt" wich is easy to reach by train from Liège (Belgium) but had to take off from Hahn. She was very disapointed, had to go there by car. It took a lot of time and cost a lot of money. You will say she had to take right informations before booking but Ryabair website is not always very clear. Most of the passengers booking there are not interrested in aviation and even don't imagine some big towns could have several different airports. About the food and drinks (wich are not allowed as you have to let them at securiy check, so you have to buy them on board), yes, you are right. You don't have to buy but check around you. Even on most of short flights, most of the passengers eat or drink (even if they are not hungry but just to "kill time"). So. I don't like this airlines but I can understand some people do. Everyone is free!

Quoting SIBILLE (Reply 10): It's the worst airlines on the earth. I hate them. Then simply don't fly them......what's hard about that? Quoting SIBILLE (Reply 10): you had to wait at airport, still need time at destination to reach your hotel or home.... So, you will buy something and you'll pay more because in flight, Again, your own choice either way or are you saying that you never buy food/drink at any airport? What, may I ask, has spending time at your destination got to do with any airline service, let alone Ryanair? Quoting SIBILLE (Reply 10): I think it's the end of the actual Ryanair. Yeah right! lol!! You know, I still get amazed at the small minority of people who seemingly know better at what's best for the several million who fly FR annually. Are they all wrong? Quoting AA1818 (Reply 2): But FORCING people to pay is where I think they take things too far. With that said I flew them for the first time in April to do STN-TRP (Torp, Norway), and will be flying them again in June to Croatia, Germany, Portugal and Italy. Cheap tickets. Ah! but I guess not "too far" that it won't stop you flying them at least another four times this year, eh? Quoting Enginebird (Reply 6): FR flies from middle-in-the-nowhere airports to m-i-t-nowhere airports (it costs money and time to get back and forth) Wrong, and you really shouldn't generalise without checking first.

Flown:F27/TU134/Viscount/Trident/BAC111/727/737/747/757/767/777/300/310/320/321/330/340/DC9/DC10/Dash8/Shorts330/BAe146

Quoting SIBILLE (Reply 10): It's the worst airlines on the earth 42.5 million flew FR in 2006 and they expect over 50 million this year. If they were the worst airline on the earth, would they achieve anything near that number? Quoting SIBILLE (Reply 10): I hate them. Your choice. Quoting SIBILLE (Reply 10): Their president even told all aviation enthousiats are stupid. When? Their CEO (not their president as the airline does not have one) once referred to aviation enthusiasts as 'aerosexuals' but AFAIK he has never said they were stupid. So what if he did? Politicians get away with saying far worse things about the public. Quoting SIBILLE (Reply 10): Their is no respect for the passengers if something goes wrong On one occasion when something did go wrong on my FR flight, the ground staff at LGW went out of their way to assist passengers in comparison to another full cost airline whose staff simply disappeared when their passengers became angry and abusive. Later that day there was a thread on this site saying that FR staff at LGW simply told all their passengers to "F$$k off" and put up a notice on their check in desk giving a Dublin number to call. I was there and nothing like that happened. Most of the bad publicity comes from people who just like to mock FR as it is successful. Quoting SIBILLE (Reply 10): most of their passengers book Ryanair, thinking they'll have a cheaper price and in fact, they pay more because of the extra charges and because they land in an airport very far from the city they are going to I book FR for three simple reasons. Their fares are generally lower which enable me to VFR several times a year, rather than just once or twice as used to be the case before they were around. The safety and punctuality is excellent. And the airports "in the middle of nowhere" are actually the most convenient for my planned journey.

I love talking about nothing. It's the only thing I know anything about. Oscar Wilde

Quoting BCAL (Reply 14): I book FR for three simple reasons. Their fares are generally lower which enable me to VFR several times a year, rather than just once or twice as used to be the case before they were around. The safety and punctuality is excellent. And the airports "in the middle of nowhere" are actually the most convenient for my planned journey. I fully agree with you. I live in Galway and my family live in Swansea, Wales. Thanks to FR, I can visit them on a regular basis and know I'm going to get there safely and pretty much on time. Shannon airport is an hour's drive from where I live and Bristol is 1 1/2 hours from my family. Also, the flight times are perfect for a weekend at home. For me, FR does exactly what I need. There is an option to fly Aer Arann from Galway to Cardiff (via Dublin) but I have never used this flight yet because it's always at least €150 return. I've never paid more than €75 return for SNN-BRS. Also, what more do I get from RE? Ok I can check in a bag for free (but the weight limit for that has gone down to 15KG) but I still have to pay for food and drink on the aircraft so how can I justify at least €75 more? I simply can't! Keep up the good work FR. You're helping me to travel far more than I ever dreamed I'd be able to.

According to one of my colleagues, my problem is that I'm addicted to travel!

Quoting Enginebird (Reply 6): Well, or as long as people do not reailize that ticket price is not the only factor: FR flies from middle-in-the-nowhere airports to m-i-t-nowhere airports (it costs money and time to get back and forth), Yeah - DUB, RIX, WAW, MAD, SXF, CIA MAN, LPL, BHX, LTN, STN, LGW, EDI, and BHD are right in the middle of nowhere   You can't taint the whole airline just because their airports for Brussels Frankfurt and Oslo are not the closest. For a lot of other countries, they are. Also, consider that not everyone lives in or travels to the city centre. Many businesses are located in suburban areas nowadays. For a lot of people an airport that you consider as middle of nowhere (such as Hahn) are actually very popular.

It's staggering how people can complain about small charges like that when they're getting the ticket for sometimes ridiculously cheap prices. BA charge for the use of check-in too, they just include it in the overall price - meaning you have to pay for it even if you check in online. And don't give me all the "well not all fares are dirt cheap" rubbish. Of course they're not, prices increase with demand, that happens across the industry. Quoting Enginebird (Reply 6): FR flies from middle-in-the-nowhere airports to m-i-t-nowhere airports (it costs money and time to get back and forth), Funnily enough, not everybody is going to the city to which each airport serves. Not everybody flying to/from Stansted will be going to London, so for those living away from the city, these airports are far more convenient. And what about airports like Ciampino - a secondary airport that is closer to the city than the main international airport in Rome. Is it more expensive and time-consuming to get to there as apposed to Fiumicino? Of course it isn't.

No info

Quoting SIBILLE (Reply 10): Their president even told all aviation enthousiats are stupid Yes, as BCAL correctly pointed out it didn't happen. Mind you, reading some posts in some threads on A.net he could certainly be forgiven had he said it though.