Ryanair worst short haul airline says Which

[just john]

 Ryanair-worst-short-haul-airline-Which-says

Swiss was the best short-haul airline, with an overall satisfaction score of 72.
Fliers were particularly impressed by the airline's cabin staff, baggage allowances and value for money tickets.

It's things like friendly cabin staff and reasonable luggage allowances that leave a lasting impression . . . .no, really?

Aer Lingus came a close second, amazingly this airline might just be able to fight 'em off !

[Gardengirl]

We've never travelled with Swissair, which came out baet, or with Aer Lingus. Nor in fact with Thomas Cook, which came out worse than Ryanair.

We take about 3 return trips each year with Ryanair from Luton to Nimes, between driving trips. I never expected much from them, so have had no illusions shattered. We regard them much as we do a bus journey; fairly short, not very comfortable. I do get annoyed with their booking system, but I accept their shortcomings. We get cheap flights to a place near to our final destination, have not had any problems with anything on the actual flights. As the saying goes, it does what it says on the tin.

For longer flights, we definitely go for more comfort and frills.

[Richard51]

When you are only in the air for one and half hours it doesn't really matter too much what the cabin staff are like.  The luggage allowances are clear - just play by the rules.  The card fees can be avoided - though it is more of a hassle for the occasional traveller.  I'm with GG - Ryanair does what it says on the tin.

Mrs R51

[Iceni]

"The influential consumer watchdog has criticised low-cost airlines for not making clear the full extent of their charges when passengers first book a ticket."

To me book = pay and at that point I certainly know how much my RA flight will cost.

Long may this dreadful airline continue being popular.

John

[krusty]

Does anyone take notice of surveys ?

[Théière]

Which magazine is the most expensive mag and not sold in shops because then it would be obvious.

Past recommendations included Equitable Life for your pension [:D]

It is too shiny to be cut up and used in the loo [:-))]

[Stan Streason]

Swiss dont fly from my nearest airport to the places I want to fly so who cares.  Routes and prices are the only things that matter

[den169]

Last year the wife and i flew East Midlands to Dinard for £4 each there and back nothing else just £4 return.How can these idiots knock Ryanair simple if you don't like em fly with someone else.

[PaulT]

[quote user="den169"]Last year the wife and i flew East Midlands to Dinard for £4 each there and back nothing else just £4 return.How can these idiots knock Ryanair simple if you don't like em fly with someone else.[/quote]

But surely not everyone flies for £4 - some pay a great deal more and, in some cases, more than easyJet and BA

Paul

[Gardengirl]

P2, no, not everyone flies for £4; most of us haven't mentioned actual prices. However, OH and I mostly pay low prices, sometimes without tax needing to be paid. We've occasionally had to fly back for medical reasons, and have paid more, sometimes a lot more. At times the cost with Ryanair is higher, but convenience definitely comes into the equation.

With Easyjet we would have to hire a car to get to our home in France; ditto BA, which uses destinations further away. With Ryanair we can be in our home in the south of France 7 hours after leaving our home in SE UK. That involves a taxi to Luton airport, waiting time there, the flight, shuttle bus into Nimes, coffee near Nimes station while waiting for local bus, bus to our small town, and a very short walk to our apartment. [:D] We hope very much that Nimes airport stays open after next year.

With Easyjet, we'd have to get the train/taxi to Gatwick or Heathrow - both far less pleasant and more crowded than Luton airport. Then a flight to a more distant airport, such as Montpellier, Nice, Marseille, queue to hire a car, drive to our town. Next day drive to a nearby large town to return the hire car and bus home.

Yesterday I looked at flights towards the end of August, a very unusual time for us to be heading out here. Ryanair came in at around £130 return for 2 of us, Easyjet £186, Flybe £330, BA £331. With Easyjet, Flybe and BA we would have to hire cars in France and take longer over the whole trip. If I knew a definite date for the meeting I would have booked the Ryanair seats. As it could be anytime within about 3 or 4 weeks, I can't do that yet.

Incidentally, we've never looked at using Flybe in the past; I thought they might be cheaper than it turned out. I might look at them again for our October/ November flights nearer the time, although we'd have to look into getting home from Avignon.

Thank goodness we haven't needed to fly out using Ryanair's summer timetable - terribly early from Luton, apart from Wednesdays, which is 09.10. Hope they revert to later times in winter! BA did have a good choice of times, although they would rarely be our choice, for reasons above.

 

[brianagain]

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/transport-environment/ryanair-pledges-to-refund-police-after-water-row-1.1037345

Luckily I don't need to use Ryanair (much prefer the train) but who'd want to be on a flight like this?

Brian (again)

[Pickles]

It doesn't just happen on Ryanair ...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/7849890/British-passengers-stuck-on-steamy-US-runway-for-hours

And you pay rather more on a Virgin flight ...

Regards

Pickles

[Just Chris]

If it wasn't for Ryanair, many of us would have difficulties returning to the UK for whatever reason, and the same for folk visiting us. Should Ryanair shut up shop, I can't see anyone else volunteering to fill the void, especially at those prices.

Ryanair perform a service at a VERY reasonable price. Notwithstanding the poor customer service and relations, they do what no-one else can or will.

So, an hour or two's discomfort at the most for a few quid, and you're where you need to go. A small price to pay, I think.

The alternative is the ferry. Expensive, and invariably a long drive on either side. No contest, really.

Incidentally, now that Brive Souillac has opened, with weekend flights to and from London City - anyone done this route, yet?

I think that Cityjet hoped to capture the business market, as Brive is being heavily pushed in that respect. London City airport, though, will not appeal to residents in France, or holiday makers/visitors, so it'll be interesting to see how this develops, and whether Ryanair or another carrier add Brive to their own list of destinations...

Chris

[Richard51]

I'm not sure what market the Brive airport is aiming at.  I know it got a lot of funding from Correze but then at the last minute changed it's agreed name (much to the malcontent of Correze officialdom) to Brive-Dordogne...which suggests they see themselves as targeting the holiday / second home owner / immigrant markets of the neighbouring Dordogne region.  But, as you said, I can't see many leisure passengers wanting to fly to London City?  I'm guessing they are hoping for a bite from one or more of the cheap airlines - Ryanair et al.

Mrs R51

[PaulT]

[quote user="gardengirl "]

P2, no, not everyone flies for £4; most of us haven't mentioned actual prices. However, OH and I mostly pay low prices, sometimes without tax needing to be paid. We've occasionally had to fly back for medical reasons, and have paid more, sometimes a lot more. At times the cost with Ryanair is higher, but convenience definitely comes into the equation.

With Easyjet we would have to hire a car to get to our home in France; ditto BA, which uses destinations further away. With Ryanair we can be in our home in the south of France 7 hours after leaving our home in SE UK. That involves a taxi to Luton airport, waiting time there, the flight, shuttle bus into Nimes, coffee near Nimes station while waiting for local bus, bus to our small town, and a very short walk to our apartment. [:D] We hope very much that Nimes airport stays open after next year.

With Easyjet, we'd have to get the train/taxi to Gatwick or Heathrow - both far less pleasant and more crowded than Luton airport. Then a flight to a more distant airport, such as Montpellier, Nice, Marseille, queue to hire a car, drive to our town. Next day drive to a nearby large town to return the hire car and bus home.

Yesterday I looked at flights towards the end of August, a very unusual time for us to be heading out here. Ryanair came in at around £130 return for 2 of us, Easyjet £186, Flybe £330, BA £331. With Easyjet, Flybe and BA we would have to hire cars in France and take longer over the whole trip. If I knew a definite date for the meeting I would have booked the Ryanair seats. As it could be anytime within about 3 or 4 weeks, I can't do that yet.

Incidentally, we've never looked at using Flybe in the past; I thought they might be cheaper than it turned out. I might look at them again for our October/ November flights nearer the time, although we'd have to look into getting home from Avignon.

Thank goodness we haven't needed to fly out using Ryanair's summer timetable - terribly early from Luton, apart from Wednesdays, which is 09.10. Hope they revert to later times in winter! BA did have a good choice of times, although they would rarely be our choice, for reasons above.

 

[/quote]

Gardengirl locations are personal to each person - we live a couple of miles from Gatwick and the airport that our French house is closest to is Toulouse so easyJet is easiest for us - we did also have the choice of BA until they moved to Heathrow - now that is an airport that you have to have an extremely good reason for flying from.

We have used Ryanair when looking for a property - Stanstead to Carcasonne

I still stand by my earlier comment that BA and / or easyJet can be chaeper than Ryanair. Fine if you are retired and can go at anytime then yes you can get the very cheap flights - if not then you are at the mercy of accepting higher costs.

Paul

[brianagain]

[quote user="gardengirl "]That involves a taxi to Luton airport, waiting time there, the flight, shuttle bus into Nimes, coffee near Nimes station while waiting for local bus, bus to our small town, and a very short walk to our apartment. [:D] We hope very much that Nimes airport stays open after next year

[/quote]

Have travelled from (via) London to Nimes several times in the past few years by Eurostar changing at Lille for a direct TGV to Nimes - much more civilised and far less stressful. Why do so many people ignore the advantages of travelling by train?

[Gardengirl]

Yes, P2, that's exactly what I said; Ryanair suits us, because it's very convenient as well as often being cheaper. I stated that for many of us it was convenient - price wasn't necessarily under discussion. To repeat, I think of it as a bus; not an ideal way of travelling by any means, but convenient at times.  And even those who are working usually have holiday dates fixed ahead, so it's not just fine for those who are retired. Our family and friends come out here without paying too much, at periods which fit in with work; they look on a calendar, find dates for eg Easter, book seats, fly out. No problem.

Brianagain, we did use Eurostar once to get here, and very good it was too, albeit expensive. We stayed overnight in London the night before, as we didn't want to set off early next morning as it was OH's first journey after a heart attck.. So all in all, it was expensive and took what must have been heading for 24 hours by the time we got here. The way we travel here means we can get door to door in 7 hours, without too much hassle. That even includes a coffee stop in Nimes while waiting for our local bus, and gives us a liitle while to get our ears attuned to the local accent - whether someone's saying vin, vent or vingt takes a few minutes!  [:)]

We've also used Eurostar to go on a few other trips, almost always using Lille instead of having to cross Paris. I'm always struck by the great use people make of mobile phones while sitting in their seats; very bad manners. Once on the TGV south, we find the vast majority of French people go out between carriages for their calls; much more civilised!  [:)]

[Richard51]

[quote user="brianagain"]Have travelled from (via) London to Nimes several times in the past few years by Eurostar changing at Lille for a direct TGV to Nimes - much more civilised and far less stressful. Why do so many people ignore the advantages of travelling by train?

[/quote]

It's the old convenience thing again.  We are quite a distance from the railway station here in the UK.  Even when we got to our nearest train station it's 2hrs to London, then underground to get to the Eurostar terminal.  At the other end we would have to change at Paris and the nearest local station to us in France is half an hour drive away.  I'm guessing with all the connections we could probably drive it quicker.  That's without the fact that the price would be several times the price of a Ryanair ticket.

Paul - Easyjet, Flybe etc don't do routes that are convenient for us.  The nearest we could get is to fly to Bordeaux which would then add 3 hours to our journey.  It's not always the out of school holiday prices that are cheap with Ryanair. We are travelling for the half term holiday with Ryanair for £60 each return.  

Mrs R51

Edit - I have travelled with Easyjet before (but not to France) and I do like the fact that they have size but no weight restrictions with carry ons. 

[MrCanary]

It is well documented that I am not a Ryanair fan, but they have provided me with a service that helped me buy my house in France and is still there should I need quick and urgent travel.

Perhaps they would help themselves if they put somebody else in front of the cameras when they do media interviews. Their chief exec was once funny, then he became boring, now he is annoying. He is playing a big part in damaging their reputation.