I have heard a rumour that ryan air intend to charge for using the toilet during a flight.
Flown with EasyJet and Jet2, no real problems with either. Its cheap and gets us there so no worries!!
On principle won't go with Ryanair.
John & Shel
Ryanair now proposing a quid to spend a penny.
Puts up the membershiop fee for the mile high club!
I've used Easyjet for business and pleasure out of Newcastle and they've been more timely and flexible with flight changes that BA have ever been with me - they get my vote Fabio :thumbup:
I saw the interview with Michael Oleary on BBC breakfast time and to be honest I thought he was taking the p*ss (pun intended) when he mentioned the coin slot on the toilets, in response to the questions he was being asked.
I've never flown Ryanair but have flown Easyjet several times and have only had one bad (very) experience. The thing to remember is that they may be "no frills" but are not always low cost and you have to be very careful with the add-ons ( or rather opt-outs) on their website...insurance/speedy boarding etc.
Depending where you are flying to, some of the sheduled carriers' fares may be as competitive.
Son uses Ryanair between Sweden and here and they're excellent value for short flights. If I was on a flight for longer than 4 hours I think I'd want a little more comfort but they great otherwise.
I love as many frills as possible on planes so flying with Easyjet for the first time wasn't something I was looking forward to! However, I found them surprisingly good for the cost and pretty comfortable, I've flown with them a few times now although I wouldn't do it for anything but short flights (3 hrs absolute tops).
Flown with Easyjet a few times out of Luton and East Midlands and always had good experiences.
The last couple of times we have been away we have used Monarch as they have come in as the most competitive on price(very cheap)and also had very good service.
Mr S
Never EVER fly with Ryanair. Their service is abysmal, their planes are filthy and I have no reason to assume their maintenance is any more than the absolute minimum they can get away with. They charge a fortune to take your bag into the hold and then overcharge for the food they offer in flight. Up to £2 for a 150/200ml can of pop.
And Yes they are seriously considering putting £1 slots on the toilets.
My company forces us to use low cost airlines for all UK and Europe flights. Once they start charging for the toilet I will no longer travel with them - even if it means disciplinary action.
Thank god we get to travel business class to the US - not cos they are kind - it's in case we get DVT and sue them. LOL
The problem here is about the perception of air travel as being something more than it really is. Flying was once only for the middle and upper classes but Ryanair want to make it available to everyone as a basic right.
Think about the car comparison - you can get a car that will take you cheaply and very affordably from A-B but we all tend to pay more depending on our preferences. Ryanairs principles are the same:
The basic cost is to take you as a passenger from A-B. If you want to take baggage - then pay a bit more because there is a cost to handle baggage. Ryanair want to avoid airport check ins because the airports charge a fortune for the space - hence the incentive to get everyone to check in on line. Toilets in aircraft need emptying and cleaning and if there is no need to empty and clean them on, for example, a one hour shuttle flight then there would be no cost to do this and hence an overall saving.
Ryanair have a sound business model which is all about compromise - they will take you almost anywhere you want to go in Europe for less than anyone else and without the perceived air travel bullshit but if you choose to incur costs as well then you pay for those costs - just like you do in every other aspect of life.
As far as safewty goes the person who mentioned that is speculating with mischief - Ryaniar have a faultless safety record and they adhere to all of the European safety requirements and then some as well !!
Enjoy flying with Ryanair - just how many Charter flights do you go on with reasonable leg room AND leather seats?
Agree with Too Hot. Yes Ryanair have lots of add-ons, but they're still cheap. Do you want to pay an extra £50 for a BA meal and a nice smile on a £50 ticket, or do you just want to get there? It's a choice. I just booked flights to Italy for under half the price of BA on Ryanair. If I'd wanted to take hold baggage and do airport checkin the two would've been close in price and I might have chosen BA. But I didn't, so Ryanair worked fine for me. And because their profits depend on fast turnaround their on-time record is one of the best in Europe, apparently.
I wouldn't fly em to New Zealand, but for routes where flying is a bit like taking the bus, I'm happy to go with the cheapie. IF there are delays etc they can be gits, but I figure that I have to fly enough that the cumullative savings end up being enough to cover an occasional short-notice alternative flight.
I've flown plenty of times with Easyjet. Never once has the plane been on time. So if you have a connecting flight,be very careful of the overlap times.
The speedy boarding option is to me essential. Not only does it jump the queue in checkin, it also gets you onto the plane first. That way you are pretty much guaranteed a window seat / aisle seat at the front / back / middle of the plane, just how you like it.
This week I took a couple of bmi baby flights. One guy had the right idea, he brought a big mac meal onto the plane and ate that instead of the 3 quid sarnies being offered by the trolley dollies.
Of all the airlines I've used recently, Air France offered the best service (arriving on time, meals, cleanliness etc), BA I would put in second place. BMI Baby third and Easyjet last. Only due to the delays do I rate Easyjet low. When I travel it's usually for business and mostly the travel is in my own time i.e. non paid, so any delays in arrival at the destination impact on family times.
I've flown on Easy Jet for years (Switzerland, Holland & Denmark) and recently a trip on Ryan Air also to scandinavia, and have never had any problems. I much prefer spending a bit more on accomodation at the other end, and would have no trouble recomending either. I think for short haul flights they're great.
Not being a 'flyer', I don't understandwhat this check-in saving is and how it works.
Doesn't everyone have to queue-up to get on?
lp
The speedy boarding option is to me essential. Not only does it jump the queue in checkin, it also gets you onto the plane first.
This is not always the case. If they are using a bus to take you to the plane, all speedy boarding ensures is that you get on the bus first!
Aside from the price inflation at checkin I don't have a problem with Easyjet. However I would never fly Ryanair again. There was an interesting C4 documentry on them, and the very suspect business practices that they have. There's a reason that they manage to get such a quick turnaround, which you'll realise when you're sitting in a pile of sick from the previous flight.
While Easyjet et al charge you for hold baggage etc Ryanair is the only company that charges a "disability tax" because they got sued for charging people for taking wheelchairs on their planes so decided to simply charge everyone for that.
Having said all that I guess it's personal preference, I won't fly Ryanair just as I won't buy non organic meat, or Israeli produce.
/me goes to buy his Saturday copy of The Guardian
I have flown with both airlines many times and end of the day, you get what you pay for.
I have no problems with using them, they can feel like cattleplanes at times but i just ignore all the crap and fly to were im going and enjoy myself.
Dont see the point in getting stressed of stuff, but if you want more than cattle class then go with a bigger airline.
Ryan air is a bus in the sky. Want to take a bag up to 10kg... carry it on free. Want someone to check it in take it to the plane for you, load / unload it and bring it back for you Ryanair get charged and pass that cost on. Coffee, sandwiches and sweets cost money and are not in the fare. Easyjet costs are more transparant and indeed if you don't take a bag they reduce the price. BA,Air France etc cost bucket loads more. We had 5 people to spain in summer for £450 return with bags with Ryanair, Dublin for £25 return, Outstanding. Easyjet to belfast £50 for two return and am going with easyjet to Majorca for £60 return each..... mind blowingy cheap. £3 for a coffee is steep but not much more than some coffee shops charge. Their flights are relativly short most of the time, buy a drink in Boots before you get on.
Two of us out to cap d'agde and back £103 with one bag.
I would not mind if there was no bog and no seats. £50 each there and back to the south of france is pretty good in my books.
(Bristol - Bezier out 24/07 back 30/07)
Flown with both - they are no-frills airlines so you get what you pay for.
I don't think any UK airline can cut corners on maintenance so the earlier comment about Ryanair doing "any more than the absolute minimum they can get away with" is rubbish.
If you do decide to fly Ryanair/Easyjet, my advice would be to book ahead to get the cheaper fares and get an Electron card to avoid the credit card booking fee!
:lol: 
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