Budget airlines - dodgy practices?

[Countdown]

I'll admit that I don't normally use budget airlines so apologies if this is old news. However according to my youngest...

You have to check in online or pay £40 at the check-in desk. However the facility to check-in online is only available 24 hours before the flight, unless you want to choose (and pay for) a seat. This sounds all fine in the UK but tricky if you're on holiday and dont have easy access to the Internet....

If you're travelling in a group Ryanair deliberately split you up and seat you separately (probably to encourage you to pay for seat selection). The last time she travelled there were 3 spaces free next to her so they all managed to together, and she isn't normally bothered about sitting separately but, if there are plenty of free seats why be dicks about it?

I know I shouldn't be surprised but it seems over and above the normal level of scumminess you would expect from Ryanair.

[blue_haddock]

Realistically none of this is fresh news and has been happening for years.

The check in 24 hours before hand is a pain but unless your trekking in the sahara most places have phone signal now so its not really that difficult.

And regarding the seats is it really a hardship to sit apart from your friends for like 2 hours on a flight to malaga?

Dont like? well fly with a better quality of airline.

[DaveTheRave87]

It's the business model, attractive headline price but a massive upsell.

Double check all the T&Cs and make sure not to get caught out because they'll let nothing slide.

Saying that, I upgraded to their Premium ticket once and it was excellent value, got a whole load of perks for less than you'd pay for a normal ticket elsewhere.

[Countdown]

blue_haddock said:

Realistically none of this is fresh news and has been happening for years.

The check in 24 hours before hand is a pain but unless your trekking in the sahara most places have phone signal now so its not really that difficult.

And regarding the seats is it really a hardship to sit apart from your friends for like 2 hours on a flight to malaga?

Dont like? well fly with a better quality of airline.

I mostly agree. As I said I had heard that budget airlins had various income generation practices, I just didn't realise how sneaky they were. However forewarned is forearmed

Completely agree with flying with a better quality of airline - however on the routes I needed 95% of the flights were budget airlines (Vueling, Easyjet, Ryanair)

[superpp]

It's the Ryanair business model.

If you want the cheap headline prices just turn down all offered services, it's a bus in the sky.
Perfectly acceptable to me. If you want more, pay more.

[craig1912]

It’s Ryan Air others are different. EasyJet are weeks in advance.

[shirt]

Countdown said:

IThis sounds all fine in the UK but tricky if you're on holiday and dont have easy access to the Internet....

situation implausible

[Racehorse]

Countdown said:

I'll admit that I don't normally use budget airlines so apologies if this is old news. However according to my youngest...

You have to check in online or pay £40 at the check-in desk. However the facility to check-in online is only available 24 hours before the flight, unless you want to choose (and pay for) a seat. This sounds all fine in the UK but tricky if you're on holiday and dont have easy access to the Internet....

If you're travelling in a group Ryanair deliberately split you up and seat you separately (probably to encourage you to pay for seat selection). The last time she travelled there were 3 spaces free next to her so they all managed to together, and she isn't normally bothered about sitting separately but, if there are plenty of free seats why be dicks about it?

I know I shouldn't be surprised but it seems over and above the normal level of scumminess you would expect from Ryanair.

you can't get easy access to internet? must be your idea of a poor joke

[Countdown]

Racehorse said:

you can't get easy access to internet? must be your idea of a poor joke

I suppose if I absolutely HAD to I could, but to give you two recent examples;

I was in Dubai in February and using a local DU sim card. Although I thought it would cover me for the whole of the holiday for some reason it was terminated the day before I left, meaning no data. Another example - my wife was in Pakistan in May and the Govt. decided to switch off mobile internet because it was all kicking off. In both situations I'm sure we could have accessed the website one way or another.

However my point is that I cant see any business reason for restricting online check-in to the 24 hours immediately before take-off. It doesn't cost them any more to open it up to (say) a week before take off so why restrict it? It's like saying only people wearing Nike trainers will be allowed on board.

Anyway I'm flying Vueling so its not an issue

[ecs]

Do they still do that thing where you have to select 'I don't want insurance' somewhere in a list of every country in the world to decline their travel insurance product while booking the flight? They're absolute fkers for that one

[paul0843]

craig1912 said:

It’s Ryan Air others are different. EasyJet are weeks in advance.

As it has already been said,it’s a bus that goes where you want to go.
Agreed Easy jet better,but may not do the same route.
If you know the rules,pay for nothing of the offered services and have a small bag,,some bargain travel is available.
Paul

[shirt]

Countdown said:

I suppose if I absolutely HAD to I could, but to give you two recent examples;

I was in Dubai in February and using a local DU sim card. Although I thought it would cover me for the whole of the holiday for some reason it was terminated the day before I left, meaning no data. Another example - my wife was in Pakistan in May and the Govt. decided to switch off mobile internet because it was all kicking off. In both situations I'm sure we could have accessed the website one way or another.

Anyway I'm flying Vueling so its not an issue

Free internet practically everywhere in Dubai - your hotel, any cafe, the airport.

EasyJet go to Dubai and Pakistan now?

[ThunderSpook]

Ryanair you can check in up to 30 days in advance. People spout some real st about Ryanair without even checking their facts, and everyone believes them.

I’ve never had a problem with them, they’ve been brilliant, and it costs about 4 euros to choose seats so it’s not exactly expensive. They don’t purposefully split people up, they stopped doing that years ago. People like Wizz Air state that they do do that on purpose, but then charge about £50 to choose a seat. I’d rather fly Ryan Air than any other budget airline.

[ThunderSpook]

Countdown said:

I suppose if I absolutely HAD to I could, but to give you two recent examples;

I was in Dubai in February and using a local DU sim card. Although I thought it would cover me for the whole of the holiday for some reason it was terminated the day before I left, meaning no data. Another example - my wife was in Pakistan in May and the Govt. decided to switch off mobile internet because it was all kicking off. In both situations I'm sure we could have accessed the website one way or another.

However my point is that I cant see any business reason for restricting online check-in to the 24 hours immediately before take-off. It doesn't cost them any more to open it up to (say) a week before take off so why restrict it? It's like saying only people wearing Nike trainers will be allowed on board.

Anyway I'm flying Vueling so its not an issue

I don’t think Ryan Air fly to Dubai or Pakistan, problem solved

[Countdown]

shirt said:

Free internet practically everywhere in Dubai - your hotel, any cafe, the airport.

Hotel had wi-fi, when we were out and about we were using the DU sims. You may well be right about the airport, to be honest I didn't try to get onto their wi-fi (I'm also a bit wary of using public unsecured wi-fi). As I said above I'm sure there would have ben a way around it. I just don't understand the need to restrict free check-in to 24 online 24 hours before check-in

shirt said:

EasyJet go to Dubai and Pakistan now?

Who needs Easyjet and Ryanair when you have PIA, (where the wheelbrakes ignite on landing less than 10% of the time ?

[Mick Dastardly]

After a flight back from Valencia in March, I ended up banned from Ryanair for life.

Couldn’t be happier never having to give that ghastly airline another penny.

[Mikebentley]

Mick Dastardly said:

After a flight back from Valencia in March, I ended up banned from Ryanair for life.

Couldn’t be happier never having to give that ghastly airline another penny.

Do tell…..

[pj4d]

ThunderSpook said:

I don’t think Ryan Air fly to Dubai or Pakistan, problem solved

Wizz air do this 😁

[sunnyb13]

british airways holiday finder usually works out better once you take into consideration luggage seat selection etc

[captain_cynic]

Mikebentley said:

Mick Dastardly said:

After a flight back from Valencia in March, I ended up banned from Ryanair for life.

Couldn’t be happier never having to give that ghastly airline another penny.

Do tell…..

I'm also curious, what did you do to get banned from Ryanair?