35 years of Ryanair flights

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Viewing 12 posts - 16 through 27 (of 27 total)

  • Tom Otley
    Keymaster

    As a reminder – you may disagree with one another’s opinions, but we do not allow personal abuse.
    I will edit out personal abuse (if I see it), and if it continues to happen, then you will be blocked from posting.
    Tom


    canucklad
    Participant

    As I’ve mentioned before, flying Ryanair is akin to playing chess. Or even participating in a boxing match .
    Thus, it’s important that you know how to play the game, and it’s rules .

    1st rule: In this game, you need to accept that your opponent sets the rules
    2nd rule: Never believe you can bend the rules, and always remember rule 1
    3rd rule: Like every opponent your skill should eventually expose vulnerabilities that you can manipulate and take advantage of
    4th rule : When you win, never ever gloat, by doing so you risk strengthening your opponent’s resolve for the next match . See rule 1 again.

    Some of my Ryanair flights have blown BA & other airlines service out of the water —- and at a fraction of the price

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    jjlasne
    Participant

    I flew Ryanair once and because they were the only ones to fly that city pair. That’ s when I found out that Stansted is very far from London.

    Also noticed that there was no bulkhead in the aircraft and thus I found it rather “naked”… And the cabin crew – two FA’s – just met onboard, both Spanish speakers. I booked better seats but never was quite sure what was better about them; perhaps being in front?


    LHRSENflyer
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1003408][/postquote]

    Thanks capetonianm spot on!

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Cedric_Statherby
    Participant

    I have never owned a Ryanair boarding card. But I do have a Ryanair share certificate (it is a modest holding). And the shares were both cheaper than a boarding card and I think have served me better.

    Ryanair is a fantastic business. It has stuck to its business plan, it does what it says on the tin, it gives affordable travel to millions who might otherwise not have had the opportunity (and although I probably agree with much of Capetonianm’s views, one should not knock what the airline has made possible for others), and it has given me excellent returns as a shareholder. It will survive the current crisis – and almost certainly without needing the government support so many other airlines need.

    Will I fly on them? No, unlikely. Do I respect their achievements? Certainly.

    5 users thanked author for this post.

    ASK1945
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1004530][/postquote]

    I simply agree with all that you have written, Cedric. I am also invested in shares of some companies whose services I wouldn’t go near with a barge pole, which have done well because so many others do use their services. I don’t choose to use Aldi or Lidle for shopping or B&Bs for holiday stays – but millions do, and would otherwise struggle to pay.

    In life, “you get what you pay for” (most of the time!). The actions of Ryanair are now extremely well publicised. If you pay £20 for a flight (to anywhere) and it goes wrong somehow, you shouldn’t complain publicly if the help for you is non-existent – just accept it, know that you are going to struggle to get financial restitution and move on.

    My own experience of Ryanair goes back 15 years when I used the airline for a business return flight to a destination to which only they flew from the UK. I paid a typical business-type fare, not a cheapo, and it did go wrong. It was Ryanair’s fault and there was a complete lack of support – indeed lying by the airline about the cause of the problem. I vowed never to use them again, whatever the inconvenience and haven’t.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    IanFromHKG
    Participant

    I have never flown Ryanair – I did have a flight booked with them once but circumstances overtook me (although in the intervening period I did take some time to buy a bag that met their onboard requirements, and of course I lost my money (for that and the fare) when I couldn’t take the flight – but that was my problem and my “fault”).

    The Memsahib has taken a few Ryanair flights and found them perfectly fine, because she understood the WYSIWIG concept and was prepared. The flights were also very short (Dublin to London) and were not obviously party destinations.

    Ryanair does what it does, apparently with great efficiency, and doesn’t do what it doesn’t advertise itself as doing. For customers – caveat emptor. Buy what you want, pay for what you want, or don’t pay for it and don’t get it. I don’t see a problem with that.

    Leaving the conceptual behind however, it’s not an airline on my bucket list. My prior booking was because I needed one (when I booked it, although circumstances changed), and I won’t be crying on my deathbed because I missed the opportunity!

    2 users thanked author for this post.

    GivingupBA
    Participant

    I hope this doesn’t sound elitist, but wild horses couldn’t drag me onto a Ryanair flight. Life’s too short for me to mess around like that. I’ll travel another way. I’m well aware of “You get what you pay for”, and I don’t want to pay for Ryanair’s offerings.

    5 users thanked author for this post.

    canucklad
    Participant

    [quote quote=1004533]I paid a typical business-type fare, not a cheapo,[/quote]

    same scenario, needed to go to Derry and the easiest way to do it was to head across to Prestwick and fly from there.
    Mile for mile, time in air (20 minutes) makes it the most expensive flight I’ve ever taken . If memory serves , £350ish without any add ons !!

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    Cedric_Statherby
    Participant

    In amongst all the press coverage of Ryanair’s loss last quarter – which airline did not make a loss last quarter? – there was an interesting statistic. Revenue was down 95+% (no surprise) but their costs were down a mammoth 85%. That is truly amazing.

    Most airlines will find their costs are on plane leasing and salaries, and for most airlines those are fairly fixed. What are Ryanair’s main costs and how do they achieve this reduction?


    IanFromHKG
    Participant

    [postquote quote=1005323][/postquote]

    Fuel is a huge component of the cost, and most staff (I understand) are on zero-hours contracts so if they don’t work, they don’t get paid


    cwoodward
    Participant

    From the Guardian -Ryanair

    “The Italian civil aviation authority accused the Dublin-based airline of “repeated violation of anti-Covid-19 health measures drafted by the Italian government and in force to protect passengers’ health”.

    Continued violation of the rules by the airline could mean it is banned from flying to or from Italy, or the regulator could impose a limit of 50% capacity on Ryanair flights to give passengers more space.”

    Not untypical of Ryanair. The ‘man’ will surely shout if they are restricted to 50% capacity

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