New Ryanair Boarding Charges

[Judith]

[quote user="Iceni"]

Have any others decided that airport checks and delays in the name of security mean that in future they will let the car take the strain or am I ploughing a lone furrow ?  John   

[/quote]

No, preferred choice if I had a car would be car, next train, then fly, but this time I'm having to fly at it seems the great holiday season has already begun and could I get a ticket at a price I was prepared to pay to travel via Lille and onwards to the south coast?  So much for the credit crunch.  Bagged tax only flights to Beziers instead, so for that price I'm prepared to dislike the whole experience (as I no doubt will).  It will actually cost me more to get to Stansted from Central London (even by the cheapest method eg bus) than the plane tickets cost, and probably take as long when you allow for delays, check in / security queues etc.   Going by car means I can take my time and make the journey a holiday also!

[Sprogster]

Iceni, the problem of departure gates being too small is not limited to Rodez, as if you unfortunate enough to use gates 1-5 at Gatwick, you will have exactly the same experience. If you can only get half the passengers in the gate area before boarding commences, with the remainder waiting in line in the corridor, any sort of priority boarding system is inneffective.

Also at Gatwick because Easyjet ground staff are so overstretched there is a tendency to not announce the departure gate until the last minute and start boarding almost straight away. Therefore, unless you are prepared to run to the gate to get their first, you will find that you have missed the priority boarding.

[Rose (& Greyman)]

I never cease to be amazed by the stress some seem to suffer from the process of flying. I fly back to UK once a month, usually with FlyBe who are very good if a little pricey relative to the other low-costers. But still a steal in my opinion. However my last trip was RyanAir. Cost €16 all in for a return ticket. I only take hand luggage so printed an online check-in/priority boarding pass 4 days before I left. On arrival at Bergerac airport I was whisked out of the queue by a RyanAir hostess and fed me through security in super-quick time. After waiting in the departure lounge for 50 minutes they called forward all priority boarders. We both stood up and in no time I had strolled up the steps and chosen my seat. Loads of room for a six-footer. The crew were very pleasant and efficient.

We landed at Bristol half an hour early and I was in my car before I was due to land.

The return flight was much the same albeit a bit busier but certainly no trouble. I managed to read in peace and get in a short doze during the 75 minute flights.

Would I drive ? Guess !! [:)] Would I pay €5 for priority boarding. You bet.

[Clair]

Article in The times dated 21/5/2008

Priority boarding charges verge on 'fraud'

[Clarkkent]

I'm surprised that no one has yet mentioned BMIbaby - who allocate seats at check-in, for which there is no charge.

Watch this space?

[AnOther]

From Clair's article:

"Speedy Boarding passengers are directed to the front of the bus and these doors are opened first when it reaches the aircraft, the carrier claims."

Claim what you like but in all the times I've flown EasyJet and been boarded by bus, and it's a fair number, I have yet to see this happen. Speedy boarders may indeed be first on the bus but there is never anyone telling them to move to the front and it's those on last, and hence nearest the doors, that get on the plane first. As for front doors opening first, I'm sure the busses probably have the facility but I have never ever seen it exercised.

Frankly it is a c0n, at least where busses are concerned, and completely unworkable in practice.