h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/ryan.htm

http://www.channel4.com/news/micros...R/ryanair_caught_napping/index.html

Did anyone see this programme tonight? Was anyone as shocked as me?
Bearing in mind the revelations, would you fly with them in the future? I certainly will not.

I started watching it, then found something more interesting instead.

I've flown Ryanair once, and thought "never again". I didn't need this programme to convince me of that. Frankly, "proper" airlines are only a few quid more these days...I'd rather fork over the cash for a seat number, treatment like a human being, and a destination airport *somewhere* near where I'm visiting.

RF

Using reverse psychology, because of this programme they will up security and lower prices to attract customers, so i'd say now would be THE time to use them.

Nah.

*Never* is the time to use them.

Cattle on their way to slaughter are treated better than Ryanair passengers.

RF

Cor Blimey RF they've really rattled your cage. You like to elaborate? Are we a frequent flier with them?

Nope. Once was enough.

RF

http://www.channel4.com/news/microsites/R/ryanair_caught_napping/index.html

Sorry folks, the second link didnt seem to work...........this one does.

70% so far in favour of ......well, you go see.....

Is there anyone who would fly Ryanair after tonights programme?

I refer you to the cheapskates reply on post 3

I flew once with them, never voluntarily again !!!

Mind you, some of the short hop operators in the States are worse. Filthy planes, frayed seatbelts, rude staff and 15 minute turnarounds!!

I didn't see it (the latest series of "Lost" was on on another channel - no contest really), but there has been a huge row ongoing in Ireland over the last few days with Michael O'Leary (Ryanair CEO) taking every opportunity possible to refute the claims of the program. And, to be fair, he does appear to have some greviances about some of the things portrayed on the program and Channel 4's communications with him. One thing about O'Leary - He may be an arrogant so-and-so, but he's not camera shy.

Personally I have flown them on many occasions, and I have to admit between gritted teeth that the service is by and large not bad. It's prompt, efficient and uneventful, which is all I am looking for in a short-haul flight.

I have never flown with them and never will, I don't know who their spokesman is but he comes across as uncaring, arrogant and self centred.....he put me right off ever travelling with them, however cheap they get!

My ex used to commute from Shannon to Leeds Bradford on a weekly basis using Ryanair and thought they were great. He'd rather spend his money on other thinngs and loathes BA for being both rude AND expensive, which they were consistently when he was doing a three-week turnaround from London to Tel Aviv.

I expect my airlines to be safe, but isn't it simplistic to expect frills if you aren't paying for them?

Ben

I had this conversation a couple of days ago on the holiday MB...

The major problem I have with RyanAir from where I am is that the pricing isn't transparent and their choice of airports is lousy!

For example - if I wanted to fly to london in a couple of weeks time ...
Flying into UK on a thursday and flying out the next monday...

Ryanair's website quotes me two flights at €0.99 - which eventually means I'm paying €48.67 - plus the €20 train fare to and from St. Etienne... Plus however much it costs me to get from Stanstead to London (and back) - the coach company's booking site is offline at the moment so I can't check the price, but I'll assume it's around €20...

So, with Ryanair I'm paying approx. €90

With BA I'd be paying €129...
(plus 5 Euros bus fare)


So, I save €45 by going with Ryanair...

Only it'll take me an extra 2 hours to get there
I get less baggage allowance
I get less legroom
I don't get a BA sandwich (no great loss though
I get less of a guarantee that I'll get there at all
Last time I flew, my aircraft was late departing (not the airline's fault - there was a problem at the airport), I missed a connection and had to spend 4 hours in Amsterdam... For that, I got a free meal and €50 off my next flight - try getting that out of Ryanair!

So, am I really that much of a skinflint that I'll put up with the extra travel time and risks that traveling with a budget airline entails just to save £30 - you've got to be joking!

It really does depend on where you want to go, and what the alternative is

I'm flying with them next week. Frankfurt Hahn is miles away from Frankfurt, but only a cheap coach ride away from Luxembourg, where I'm headed. The alternative is to pay 10 times the price with Luxair, there being very little competition into Luxembourg airport itself.

But yeah, you get what you pay for. I know I wont have a specific seat (don't really care), won't get a free drink (ditto) and will have to watch the luggage restrictions (do care a bit about that!).

As long as there's no compromise on safety, I'll continue to use them.

I know what you mean about airport locations Whisky.

I had to explain and explain and explain to Swedes every single time I got one to book me a flight that Stanstead was NOT the same as Heathrow, that Gloucestershire was NOT a suburb of London, that 2 hours down the M4 was NOT the same as 4 or 5 hours cross country or on the M25, and that it really, truly, honestly was worth the extra cash to me to fly to LHR.

Ben

I didn't see the program but there is an old saying: "You only get what you pay for."

Would also like to point out that if any Lifejackets are missing or a door slide is inoperable (as mentioned in the programme), then Ryanair would be in contravention of CAA regulations as these are mandatory safety items.

It still seems to be the case though that if you can fly for a pound, then that does seem to make people leave their worries at the door......

What was a bit bad also was when the poor new undercover trainee on her first day(!) had to check people's passports and boarding cards at the gate. Doing her job PROPERLY i.e. checking that the person matched their passport photo got her in trouble for making them a couple of minutes late for departure! She had even been advised to "just check to see that they're holding a passport". Thats a bit worrying!

Also did anyone catch the bit where the training lady was telling the trainees that they don't ask anyone in seat 1A if they will help in the event of an emergency because there is some sort of metal spike there that will kill them on impact!? Scary!

It is a Dept of Transport regulation that you HAVE to check that passports match the traveller AND than name on the boarding pass.
Failure to do so and ........hey, guess what? The airline concerned is in contravention of government regulations. I guess though that if people are only paying a pound to travel, then that really must not matter to them..............

Is there anyone who travels with them that is happy to overlook this?