Ryanair again

[RumziGal]

[quote user="Llantony"]

"Pay more and fly BA'

[/quote]

BA don't always cost more, and in fact can even cost less.

But if you're stuck in some out-of-the-way place like Montpellier, Ryanair is pretty much your only way out in the winter.

I've done 4 Ryanair flights this year so far, 2 were on time and 2 were delayed by at least 2 hours each.  C'est la vie.

It's true that the unseemly scrum to get onto the plane doesn't enhance the experience!  [:)]

 

[oglefakes]

Having only flown Ryanair once to Sweden, I must say that it was all very easy and painless, even with two children. That said, I do think it would be naive to think that the punters going to Gothenburg for the weekend are the same demographic as those of to sunny climes, or the usual stag party locations, and as someone said previously, the passengers make most of the atmosphere onboard.

IT savvy?, they sure are.  Try playing around with the online booking system. Do this: choose dates/locations; put ONE passenger; record the price. Now play with the number of passengers. The prices change dramatically in some cases depending on how large the number is and the location.  My theory is that if you book something like seven or eight+ (which I was) then they assume it is a hen/stag/footy club weekend and charge accordingly. It isn't to hard to assume that they prefer a group of single (or at least childless) young people who don't have the time/desire to spend hours and hours on the web looking for bargains and will use the links on the R.A. site for hotel/car hire, over a family with mortgage +kids +big outgoings +++ who are using R.A. to save money in the first place.

I will be using R.A. frequently over the coming months, but I am setting my expectations very low to avoid disappointent. The approach I'm taking is to treat it like a prostrate examination: You dread the buildup, when it's over and your at home you feel great, but at the time it's a right pain in the ...[:P]

[Jc]

I've never had any complaints about Ryanair-take-off on time-get in early but I don't use their "cheap" car-hire.    HOLIDAY AUTOS rules  -   OK!!! Last time I went to Montpellier there was a queue of 30+ people at the Hertz desk(recommended by RA).Allowing 2 minutes for each-probably too little-that's an hour wait.I walked straight up to the firm Holiday Autos had organized and it was cheaper.

[Ron Avery]

Not quite sure why this old topic has been dug up again after 5 months, looks like someone couldn't sleep amd a did a trawl,[Www] but just to correct an earlier posting,

"Ryanair have cornered the market on several routes e.g. taking over Nottingham-Toulouse from BMI Baby." [:-))][+o(]

Nobody took over the East Midlands to Toulouse route,  BMI Baby re-routed it into Bordeaux and then dropped the TLS - Manchester flights at a month's notice  BUT Ryanair do not and have not flown into Toulouse from anywhere.  In  addition Ryanair do not "corner the market", they ARE the market, if they did not fly to some of these places, nobody would!!

[Renaud]

Growing up in the 50s and 60s flying always had certain glamour. Airports seemed modern and passengers were shown to their comfortable BOAC aircraft seats by good looking staff who handed out free martinis. It was exclusive and expensive.  

 I think much of the angst modern air travellers feel is due to a folk memory that flying ought to be like this.

 Stelios at Easyjet, deconstructed what was left of the BOAC ethos and BA business model. I recently flew Easyjet to Athens and back and it was a cheap but reasonably pleasant experience. Even Gatwick seemed reasonable compared to Heathrow and Standstead – but I accept that this might be a one-off.

 As noted by the previous postings, RyanAir has racheted the cheap flight business model up another couple of notches. The flights are dirt cheap, the experience is not good and you have to accept that there is no Plan B should fog or anything disrupts the schedule. A RyanAir ticket is in a way a lottery ticket.

 However if you are paying very little for your flights, you cannot complain on the grounds of value for money.

[Llantony]

Oops, it was me that mentioned Ryanair - Toulouse so I was mistaken there.  Ryanair started up flights from East  Midlands to Bergerac and BMI Baby left; just coincidence I expect.  I much preferred BMI Baby tho.  I don't object to delays, they happen, but to the way Ryanair has no strategy when a flight is cancelled altogether.