Ryanair
 

What are your experiences with Ryanair? I am seeing fares ranging from .01 euro to 5 euro for intra-Europe flights. That can't be can it? From Paris to Rome I see one way fares for less than 10 euro (before tax and fees). Seems impossible.

They announced a sale a few days ago.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35097341

Search the Europe and airline forums and you will find quite a few Ryanair threads.

Ryanair has been accused of less than forthright price advertising. However, when you work up a price you will learn what the ticket's actual price will be before you have to buy it. Be sure and try different departure days to learn the lowest fare. Check the airport location and determine how you will get to the city center. Note the baggage limits. Ryanair is a low fare airline. It probably is the most used one in Europe. You will have lots of company.

No insult intended here, mdt... but I'm surprised to see you post this question - - as there are hundreds of posts here by those of us who both love and decry Ryanair. These questions get asked all the time. See http://www.fodors.com/forums/pgMessa...p;tid=35081380 for example from just the past week or so...

Yes, they're reliable... by some measures, they are Europe's largest airline.

And if you're not quite compulsive about reading all their potential charges, you could feel that their low fares are more than a little bit misleading. If you're from outside the EU, plan to check even one bag, and pay with a credit card, then prepare to add AT LEAST 9 GBP per passenger, even after the considerable taxes and fees.

These added charges (2 GBP for at airport check-in, 2 GBP for paying by credit card, and 5 GBP for a checked bag... and MUCH more if it exceeds 15 kg) are fully disclosed before your credit charge is charged... but it can come quite as quite a shock when a fare of 22 GBP suddenly grows to <b>67</b> pounds!

See http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=CHARGES for full details.

Nevertheless, my family has purchased 19 tickets over the years - - and we are buying six more to fly London (Stansted) to Palermo this summer.

Best wishes,

Rex

Thanks for the info and no insult taken Rex. Should have searched...I tend to look at the Europe forum about once a week and don't recall seeing much in the way of airline type stuff so didn't think there would be much.

Will search, read and ask specific questions but thanks for this info thus far. Even with some of the add ons it seems like it would be better / faster / cheaper than taking the train from Paris to Rome or similar city pairings.

Remember there are other budget airlines too. www.whichbudget.com

In the case of Paris, Ryanair flies from Beauvais, which is about 90 km away (I'm sure someone knows the exact distance), and thus requires you take a coach ride first.

If you got a flight that left from Paris CDG or Orly, life would be easier and it would be worth paying more for the ticket.

For Rome, it doesn't really matter, in my opinion, whether you choose FCO or CIA.

When flying, remember you also have to factor in the cost and time of getting to and from the aiport, as well as the time it takes to check in ahead of the flight and wait around inside the airport.

Another thing to consider is that sometimes the flights are at awkward times, either very early in the morning or late in the evening.

That being said, sometimes flying is the best option. I just think it's a mistake to assume that it will always be the most convenient or efficient. So I'd recommend carefully researching and comparing both your flight and train options, and then making your choice accordingly.

Something that WillTravel picked on ( just a little)
You need to to check very carefull what airport you will fly in to as it can be quite a way off from where you want to be. I have not used themselves, but I know loads of people who have and have had no problem. I have not used them as I have never needed to more than avoided them, I have always managed to get cheap flights with Easyjet or BMImbaby at local airports.
As with most cheap air line companies the air fair quoted in the price is the ticket only you have to add on taxes ect , but it still works out a good deal. They have in the pastt been critised for not making the airport they fly in to clear and people think they flying in to mthe main central airports, but when checking it is not. As long as you check where you land and how you get to where you want to be, factor that cost in as well then no problem.

Does Ryanair offer seat assignments? Not necessarily in advance, but at least at check in? For a short flight I honestly don't care where we sit as the flight will be relatively short, but I really can't stand the old Southwest Airlines-type of stampede to get on the plane, the pushing and shoving was awful.

&gt;&gt;For Rome, it doesn't really matter, in my opinion, whether you choose FCO or CIA.

Fiumicino (FCO), which is NOT used by Ryanair has reguler (2 per hour), direct, high speed train service to Rome's main (Termini) station. Ciampino does not; access from Rome to Ciampino is by periodic bus or bus/train.

Access to cities is a problem when using Ryanair, which does not use any of the 15 most popular, convenient airports in Europe. They usually use remote airports with only bus connections.

Have been using Ryanair for some years now while holidaying in the UK so when they finally landed in Malta we were more than relieved.
The prices are true and hard to believe but they are TRUE.Comparisons with our local airlines Airmalta vary from double to three times the price.
While in Rome last year we took a flight from Rome to Venice Treviso 12 euros for 2 flights (yes that is the final price taxes and fares included).
It is also true that Ryan air uses out of the city airports BUT coaches are available after every flight and if the flight happens to be delayed the coach waits for the passengers. Also if u do some research you can use public transport trains etc which costs cheaper. ryainair websites gives detailed information as well.Good luck with your flight

Access to Rome from Ciampino is pretty easy with Terravision coaches, they are connected with the arriving flights of different companies and it worked perfectly fine for me, even when we arrived to the airport due to a delay at 1 AM.

no seat reservation, but you can buy a 10 metre start on the rest of the herd. (seriously)

I have flown Ryanair several times.
In my opinion they are fine as long as you keep to small aiports within short distance of small cities. Otherwise you are in for long and expensive bus/train/taxi/airport shuttle transportation costs and/or an extra hotel night.
In other words, I would fly to Faro or Carcassonne with Ryanair but would not fly to Paris (Beauvais) or to Barcelona (Girona) from Hamburg (L&uuml;beck)
If you book well in advance, you can get real bargains (a trip to Sardinia - from Girona - cost me &euro;38). Do not expect any frills or any consideration from the staff, they are not included in the price.
:-))
I never suscribe to their &quot;recommended insurance&quot; and I refuse to pay for priority boarding.

To echo, yes the prices are true, but they are limited special offers and loss leaders. Try and find a Ryanair flight on a weekend, or at short notice, then you will often find scheduled airlines are cheaper.

I have used them several times and would do again.

I have also flown into both Fiumicino and Ciampino. The latter is hardly an arduous trip into Rome, and on public transport is considerably cheaper than the Leornado express.

Thanks bilboburgler; not to hijack but do any of the European budget airlines offer any type of seat reservations? Or are they all the 'run for the border' type?

No, for what I know. Anyway, I just don't run.. travel time short, and I don't mind where I got seats. And I've only seen people running on flights to Italy, don't know why because I'm in Spain are those are the shorter flights ! :)

Air Berlin charges &euro; 8 (one way) for seat reservations on short to medium haul destinations, or online check-in for free if you can wait until one day prior to departure.

But since AB also offers other &quot;frills&quot;, it does not exactly play in the same league than Ryanair or Easyjet, though they also have one way fares starting at &euro; 29.

Thanks! Like I said, I don't care where the seats are, or even if we sit together on a short flight; it's the whole pushy-shovey thing that is annoying and that I really don't want to deal with if I can avoid it.

Thanks for the info!

If it's the whole pushy-shovey thing that is annoying you and you don't want to deal with it , pay some extra euros 6 i think and when placing a booking choose priority boarding ......... you will avoid it all