Ryanair?

[lindam]

Hello,
I am now in the process of booking flights for later this year. I noticed that there are some reasonable prices listed for flights with Ryanair. However, I can recall having heard numerous times on previous Caminos about the difficulties experienced by others using this carrier (e.g., delays and cancellations of flights). I am wondering if this continues to be a problem when flying with Ryanair? Should it be avoided in favour of another airline?
Thanks for any insights. Always a wealth of information provided by Forum members!

 

[SabsP]

Nowadays I always book Vueling.
Also worthwile to check Iberia for internal Spanish flights.

 

[William Marques]

I have had no problems with Ryanair flights though they used to be very picky about baggage size.

 

[RJM]

I've flown Ryanair a couple of times. No complaints. Prices were very reasonable.

 

[Robo]

Vueling is better in my view. Have tried both a few times.

 

[Tia Valeria]

It is worth checking all their add on prices and latest baggage rules. They have recently changed them. Some airports seem to be less strict imposing them but others stick to them rigidly.

 

[Kiwi-family]

We booked on a midnight flight because it was cheapest, but it got cancelled (a few weeks prior to traveling) and we were bumped onto the twice-as-expensive late afternoon flight for no extra cost - which suited us much better!
Our bags were the right size and we had printed our boarding passes so we were fine.
Next trip is going to be with Iberia because it connects better with our onward flight.

 

[Former member 49149]

Hello,
I am now in the process of booking flights for later this year. I noticed that there are some reasonable prices listed for flights with Ryanair. However, I can recall having heard numerous times on previous Caminos about the difficulties experienced by others using this carrier (e.g., delays and cancellations of flights). I am wondering if this continues to be a problem when flying with Ryanair? Should it be avoided in favour of another airline?
Thanks for any insights. Always a wealth of information provided by Forum members!

Hi, lindam. I wish I could give you an easy answer. Ryanair generally offers reasonable fares, as you have seen. Last year they were threatening strikes, but I am hoping that this year will be ok, as I booked to travel with them on my next return trip. They pride themselves on punctuality, and usually trumpet their arrival if it is ahead of schedule! Also, a lot depends on your starting point. If you have other options with other airlines, you are in a better position to choose. In recent years I have found them offering similar service to their main competitor in Ireland, and often very cheap prices.

 

[Lavdrum]

I always use Ryanair, cheap, efficient and usually on time.

 

[Iano]

You pays your money you takes your chance. I've used Ryanair on lots of occasions. Some great deals to be had and at the end of the day if you get a flight for say €10 and it is delayed by 30 mins then I don't think you can really complain.

 

[Glenshiro]

You don't say when or from where you are travelling, but if you are flying from London before 26 May 2018, I think Ryanair is probably your only choice, as easyJet do not start their schedule until then. (Ryanair fly from Stansted daily from 25 March.)

I have flown with Ryanair many dozens of times (including twice to Biarritz) over the last 20 years with very few problems. They had a problem last year with a shortage of pilots, but that has now been fixed.

 

[timr]

I have made at least 50 flights with Ryanair in the past 5 years. Never had a problem, of any description. Not once. My flight once was an hour late departing. Would not have been able to afford 50 flights on any other carrier I think.
I have also flown Vueling half a dozen times and they were fine. And any time I have flown EasyJet they were good too, but they don't fly from anywhere very near to where I currently live.
There are lots of jokes about Ryanair, but really I think they are fine. They state clearly what you cannot and can do and must not and must do. And you should always read the conditions, but I don't think they are radically different from other airlines. And they have an awful lot of flights. And they ARE without a doubt very cheap.
Occasionally for specific reasons I fly with the national carrier. Yes the flight is a bit more comfortable.....but it is more expensive. You pay your money and you take your choice.

 

[Fletchonides]

Ryanair are generally relatively good in punctuality. If you are basing your question on recent weeks, then there is a French air traffic controller strike today that is impacting flights, and at the beginning of March there was some extreme weather in Ireland and the UK that closed airports and resulted in a lot of Ryanair and other flights being cancelled.

Ryanair are relatively clear about the charges , and while it is possible to pay a lot more, it is also possible to stick to the reasonable price.

1. You need to check in Online at least 4 hours before the flight. They will charge you a lot if you turn up at the airport not having checked in.
2. You need to not care where you sit. You can pay to select a seat. if you don't pay, then you will likely end up in a middle seat. If there are more than one of you, you will be separated.
3. You can pay to check in a bag. You probably want to do this if you bag is too big for carry on, or if you have poles/ other non-carry on items. (see multiple threads about the possibility or not of taking poles in carry on). My wife and I usually check in one backpack, containing our poles, liquids, and a penknife for slicing the chorizo for lunch on the camino.
4. You can pay for Priority boarding. This has got interesting recently. Priority Boarding gets on the place first. However, priority Boarding gets to take one carry-on case and one smaller bag like a laptop bag on board. Non-priority boarding only gets to take one small bag on board; the bigger carry-on you bring to the gate as usual (so usual rules for liquids etc), then its taken off you and put in the hold (at no extra charge). You then have to wait for it at baggage claim when you arrive. So if you are not in a hurry, then non-priority is OK. I have paid for priority once, when I wanted to be off the plane and gone. Anecdotally, if you pay for Priority Boarding, there is a higher chance you will get a window or aisle seat rather than a middle seat.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I've never had issues with Ryanair except for backpack size/cost of checking.

 

[MegR]

We booked part of our return flight with Ryan (and second leg with another airline) about two weeks ago. Last week we were notified that Ryan shifted the floor Gehrke -12 hours later! They refunded the money, but the second leg is a complete wash (ne refund since it’s a different airline.).

Having said that though, we’ve flown with Ryan at least 1/2 dozen times before without ant issues.

 

[Janee]

Hello,
I am now in the process of booking flights for later this year. I noticed that there are some reasonable prices listed for flights with Ryanair. However, I can recall having heard numerous times on previous Caminos about the difficulties experienced by others using this carrier (e.g., delays and cancellations of flights). I am wondering if this continues to be a problem when flying with Ryanair? Should it be avoided in favour of another airline?
Thanks for any insights. Always a wealth of information provided by Forum members!

I am due to fly back from Santiago on 15 April and the times have changed already since booking in January. As well as that the cabin baggage policy has changed, so I am slightly concerned what will happened when I check in on the day... worth considering a more reliable company if your times are restricted.

 

[Athena Atterdag]

I've flown with Ryanair a lot over the past five years, and they're okay - if you know the rules, of course (but the same applies to every airline). The most important thing is to remember to check in online and print your boarding pass or save it to your phone, as airport check-in costs... well, a lot!

I heard that there were issues with Ryanair flights last year, but just last week I've flown with them first from Turin to Brindisi and then from Brindisi to Rome, the only issue being a one-hour delay of the second flight. (On a side-note: of the several dozens Ryanair flights I've taken, this was the second delayed flight, they're usually extremely punctual!).

The new cabin baggage policy is that you can take two bags onboard (a 10 kg backpack/suitcase and a small bag) only if you paid an extra 5 pounds or so for priority boarding. If you didn't pay for that, you can bring only the small bag onboard, and the larger backpack/suitcase will go into hold for free. However, I and my friend were allowed to take both small bags and backpacks into the cabin - because they were moderately sized backpacks and not suitcases, I guess.

Overall, Ryanair wouldn't be my airline of choice if I could choose any tickets without taking their price into consideration, but they're fine, and they're cheap.

 

[Ian Afloat]

I own a barge pole with which I would not touch them.

 

[MickMac]

I own a barge pole with which I would not touch them.

Ryanair supply a need in the market at a reasonable price. I once flew British Airways for three times the price of Ryanair and faced 2 Hour delay (Horses for Courses) can I borrow your barge pole for British Airways?

 

[Saranger]

And as advice for non-EU residents (like Americans), you need a paper boarding pass on Ryanair as you can't get your BP on your phone. If you wait until the airport they'll charge you a ransom to print it for you. In SdC you should print one at Casa Ivar or even at the Parador Hotel...now just don't start a line of Pilgrims traipsing through the hotel to use their business center or they'll remove it to a secure location!

 

[Jodean]

Flying Frankfurt to Porto with them round-trip in just 12 days. Paid for priorty boarding to insure that we have our back-packs with us as carry-ons, etc. For me, it was the easiest and cheapest. Even with all of the extra costs, it still was half the price of any other airline going to Porto from Frankfurt.