Ryanir - expect nothing and be pleasantly surprised. (Ryanair)

Member Name: rodmc

Product:	Ryanair
Date:	03/01/05 (8568 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap, lots of destination

Disadvantages: Poor customer service, chaos at the gate, Can go very badly wrong

Ryanair, as I am sure most of us are aware of is a budget airline which is also one of the most successful airlines in Europe. Like it's boss Michael O'Leary it is brash, loud and often controversial in almost any area. From pricing, through to marketing and attitude to customers.

Network
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Ryanair flies to a host of locations across Europe including major towns and cities, although often to secondary airports. If you are lucky you will fly to an airport close to the main city you are heading for but often it's a 100-120 minutes journey from the airport to the major city. Flight times can also often be annoying, and given you may need to travel far to get to the airport you can find yourself having to set off three hours before your flight to get their on time. However at most airports they do offer express buses which are timed to run with the scheduled flights.

Pricing
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The best thing you can say about Ryanair is the pricing, if you book early enough it can be a case of 99p plus tax each way. However more often than not you book late on and end up paying way more than the advertised price. It's always worth checking their site for the latest deals. I've often managed to get return flights including tax for around £30.

Services
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Almost none, is the short answer. You can check your luggage in and collect it, but Ryanair a point to point airline so if you have a connecting flight you need to collect your bags and check-in again. This can add a lot of time between flights.

Once in flight you pay for anything you want such as tea, coffee or a snack. But you really can't complain as the ticket prices are so low.

Rumor has it that Ryanair may stop you taking on anything other than hand luggage. It may also be removing things such as the little tables and window blinds. in return you may end up with in flight TV's that you pay for. Again this is worth checking as much of it is speculation and may depend on flights.

Ryanair do not allocate seats when you check-in. This means there is nearly always total chaos when you try to board the aircraft at the gate. Therefore if you want a specific seat you are advise to queue at the gate as early as possible.

Reliability
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In general I've had no problems with Ryanair, however when it goes wrong they have no slack in the system and treat customers like rubbish. I had an eight hour delay once, which ended up with me arriving in Stockholm around 2 am. Also they provide no compensation or vouchers for food or hotels if you are stuck. Therefore if the trip is essential then travel insurance is a must! You can also get round some problems by booking using your credit card as many often provide some money for delays and hotels. However do check your credit card agreement.

Ryanair use an interesting method of improving flight punctuality. Often they book flight slots for much longer than the flight takes, therefore making everything seem like it is early.

I've yet to lose a bag on Ryanair, so can't comment on what happens if your bags go on a global tour. I can only assume it is better than Iberia!

Overall Comments
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A good range of routes make Ryanair a good budget choice. However I would expect nothing from them, that way anything which goes right will seem like a bonus.

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