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 03/18/2006 11:18:16 AM · #1
This is TOTALLY unrelated to photography, but this is the only place I know of with such a widely ranged group of people!

Is Ryan Air really as good as it sounds? I'm planning on travelling in Europe this fall, and I was just looking for options of travel and here I find flights that are FREE....just have to pay 15 Euros in taxes....that seems unreal to me! I was also thinking about buying a Eurail ticket for 2 months which is about $900 US...is this a good idea? I do plan on travelling alot, so I would make it worth it I think.

Thanks!
 03/18/2006 11:34:22 AM · #2
My parents flew Ryan Air last year so we did some internet research on them beforehand. My recollection is that the reviews were widely varied - from "they're great and cheap" to "I had to be at the airport 4 hours ahead and they still left without me!" My parents had no problems with them and the flight went well. I do think they have extremely tight luggage requirements though so I'd make sure you check that out.
 03/18/2006 11:51:49 AM · #3
I work as a corporate travel agent. I have never booked Ryanair because most of my clients are high end business travelers, but it is my understanding that Ryanair, as well as EasyJet, are both European versions of our Southwest or Air Tran. Low cost carriers. I flew EasyJet in Europe once and they were just fine. Nothing fancy by any standards, but they got me where I needed to go on time for a cheap fare.
Just remember, you get what you pay for works with airline travel too. Cheap is cheap, but that doesn't always mean great service.

Edit to add - every time I have been in Europe I have bought train passes to travel around. Train travel is Europe is very easy and a great way to get from place to place without the hassle of airport. I always spend the extra money to get a first class ticket but it probably isn't really necessary.

Message edited by author 2006-03-18 11:53:53.
 03/18/2006 11:53:13 AM · #4
My info is dated now so careful but Eurail used to be a really good deal if you traveled a lot. There are a couple of legs that are not covered, so get a current list and plan around. Ryan was fine the last time I flew but you ain't going to get a US style baggage allowance :) If you were just doing major jumps then the buses can sometimes be a better deal.
 03/18/2006 12:03:24 PM · #5
Cheap airlines such as RyanAir and EasyJet are good enough if you don't expect comfort (In fact if you're 6+ feet tall, be ready for very uncomfortable flights) and free meal/drinks during the flight. In addition, the flights might be cancelled at the last minute (This happens quite rarely but when it does happen it's a major pain in the ass as these companies are not known for their good customer service). "Free" flights are indeed offered by these companies every now and then but normally you should expect to pay 50-100 € for one-way tickets.
 03/18/2006 12:45:34 PM · #6
The thing with Ryanair is that they a) allow only 10 kg luggage AT ALL and take extortionate prices for anything extra, and 2) they land on out of the way airports - not even secondary ones, rather 5th order. They just use a misleading naming. For example "Frankfurt-Hahn" is 120 km from real Frankfurt in the middle of nowhere; "Paris-Beauvais" is more than 100 km from Paris; and so on. Mostly, there is some kind of shuttle bus to the nearest big town/city, which takes 2 h and costs more than the flight. Don't even think about taxis. And often enough the airport is so tiny they don't have a car rental or such. With other words, only recommendable for really long distances - otherwise, train will be faster and not much more expensive.
Also, those cheap tickets are "from..." offer, which means unless you book 1/2 y in advance you will pay more than for the train anyway.

They are great for flying between the continent and UK/Ireland though.

Otherwise there is a number of comparably cheap airlines that land at better airports, like EasyJet, Germanwings, Windjet etc.
 03/18/2006 12:49:45 PM · #7
I think RyanAir is great. 8 euro per kg over 15kgs for checked baggage is a good thing to be wary about, though, as others have said. Also, they often leave from teh freight airports instead of the commercial - ie, Girona instead of Barcelona, which is a 45 min. bus ride.

If you don't have much luggage and are willing to be flexible with the locations you depart and arrive at, RyanAir is great.

As for Eurail, I used a 10-day pass once and it was the best way to travel, without a doubt. You get to really see the countries you're travelling in. It's more convenient than bus or plane, and more relaxing. Costs more, sure, but if you can afford it it's worth it. Do keep in mind that on overnight/high speed/popular routes you may have to book in advance and perhaps pay a bit more.
 03/18/2006 01:09:03 PM · #8
be aware that from a few days ago you need to pay an extra €7 euro for bags that are loaded into the plane, Carry on luggage is free and you must also declare how many pieces of luggage you want to bring or they charge you more,
Check there site for more details on this as you declare as a sort of online check-in module
 03/18/2006 01:25:55 PM · #9
I can be a bit of a snob, and I have to say that I try to avoid Ryan Air mostly because of the other passengers!
 03/18/2006 01:27:19 PM · #10
This is me pointing at a Ryan Air plane going 'ha ha, I'm not on it!'


03/18/2006 01:39:57 PM · #11
OK if you get everything right in your booking and know your arramgements *exactly*. You will get charged if you need to change anything (flight time or even something as simple as the name on your ticket from "Jenny" to "Jennifer") - unless you have a more expensive ticket which might undermine the point. I have used them but they would not be my first choice unless it was a killer deal.

Ryanair are also controversial in that they have been found to cut corners (e.g., charging the disabled for borrowing a wheelchair).

With Low Cost airlines you need Plan B in place if there is a problem and they leave you high and dry. Certainly take a sandwich and a bottle of water for the flight, and check the arrangements/cost at the far end - you may find that the airport is 50 miles from the City it is named after. It can be worth booking your bus/tube over the net first.

Alternatives would be e.g., Easyjet or most of the scheduled airlines which have cheap fare options now.

I'd recommend using the website www.skyscanner.net to find a flight (no affiliation).

John D

Message edited by author 2006-03-18 13:42:48.
 03/18/2006 01:40:14 PM · #12
Thank you all for your great advice!! I'll be sure to take it in to account when I'm there....sounds like the Eurail is a better option as of now, but it's still a ways away...Again, Thank you!
 03/18/2006 02:00:11 PM · #13
I live in Spain , in Santander . It's a small city but we have an airport , the only possible travels were to Madrid and Barcelona; now with Ryanair there are planes to Rome , Frankfurt and London.
It's surely not the best solution and you have to read all carefully but many people I know travel with them without trouble.
Just my two cents.
 03/18/2006 02:26:11 PM · #14
Originally posted by Tycho:
Cheap airlines such as RyanAir and EasyJet are good enough if you don't expect comfort (In fact if you're 6+ feet tall


I use EasyJet and am very happy with them, I'm 6'7" and 300+ lbs - I just ask for priority boarding (never a problem), am one of the first on the plane and sit happily at the front row.

The luggage allowance is 20kg checked in and no weight limit on a standard sized hand luggage, also a laptop (in case) and photographic equipment (in case) can be carried on in addition to the standard hand luggage.

Never used RyanAir though.
 03/18/2006 02:49:07 PM · #15
Hello.
I heard the other day, that they try to save money any way they can, including security. This was on a documentary on Scandinavian TV, sorry but I can't remember if it was on a Danish or Swedish channel. I have never used Ryan Air and think I'll stay away from them after seing this documentary. On the other hand, I have used Easy-Jet and it was fine, no complaints. We love driving, so that is how we travel Europe most of the time.
I know that SAS had an offer a couple of years ago, where you could hop around, it was really cheap. Like Copenhagen-Rome-Madrid-Copenhagen.
Try www.flyprice.dk We are going on a 12 day cruise in Norway this summer, and I found good tickets there for all 10 of us on that site.
Happy travelling.
03/18/2006 04:02:36 PM · #16
I've used RyanAir between London and Rome, they use 727 and 737 wich are a bit smaller then the 747 and 757, and they squeeze in as many seats as possible, so it's a bit tight if you're big, but they provide excellent service, their flights are usually on time and everything is as it should be.

I bought the trip from London to Rome and back for the same price as a daypass to zone 5 costs on the London underground :)

and I will be using them again when I travel through Europe.

03/18/2006 04:04:54 PM · #17
Originally posted by colda:
...I'm 6'7" ...


Wow!
 03/18/2006 05:49:30 PM · #18
Originally posted by DanSig:
I've used RyanAir between London and Rome, they use 727 and 737 wich are a bit smaller then the 747 and 757 ...

If you see a "baby" 737 nestled under the wing of a 747 you'll consider it more than a "bit" smaller : )
 03/18/2006 06:24:15 PM · #19
Originally posted by mk:
Originally posted by colda:
...I'm 6'7" ...


Wow!


Yeah, finally somebody taller than MK. :P
 03/18/2006 06:32:39 PM · #20
I dont know about "RyanAir", but I always fly budget airlines and love em.!

I used to fly Spirit, but switched to AirTran..

AirTran gets a bad rep, because its actually Value-Jet that had that terrible crash in Florida years back.

But I love em.. I usually upgrade to Business section for 15 bucks more than the ticket price, and drinks are free and they serve you before take-off..

Nothing but love for value airlines for me.
03/18/2006 06:34:47 PM · #21
Originally posted by wavelength:
Originally posted by mk:
Originally posted by colda:
...I'm 6'7" ...


Wow!


Yeah, finally somebody taller than MK. :P


Yeah. Hot!
 03/18/2006 06:45:19 PM · #22
Hi,
With both Ryanair and Easyjet, the earlier you buy the better are the prices. Have flown about 10 times with them and have had no trouble. Their punctuality is as good or better than that of the traditional airlines but they may use smaller airfilds little away from the big centers. Connections are good though. Keep in mind also that should there still be cancellation you you may need to pay yourself for the overnight stay and neither are there "free" on-board banquets! As they say, "If you want a meal, go to a restaurant!"
Have a good time

armin
 03/19/2006 02:09:36 AM · #23
Originally posted by mk:
Originally posted by wavelength:
Originally posted by mk:
Originally posted by colda:
...I'm 6'7" ...


Wow!


Yeah, finally somebody taller than MK. :P


Yeah. Hot!


*blush*
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