<BR> Hello to all! I keep hearing about Ryanair airlines and keep reading about all the incredibly low prices for flights that they offer. I am wondering how legitimate are they? I am also wondering if anyone can tell me more about their experiences with Ryanair (i.e what their flight was like: pleasant or no, good service or not, etc.etc...and what I should expect. <BR> <BR> Also, I am wondering if Ryanair offers flights to Istanbul or maybe to the Middle East?? <BR> <BR>Thanks for any and all help you can give!!!! <BR>Patricia

We flew Ryanair London&lt;&gt;Dublin a couple of years ago; it's certainly a legitimate airline. Our short flight was no more/no less than any other flight on a short-hopper. Their site is www.ryanair.ie. <BR> <BR>I think their cheap fares are part of a price war among the no-frill airlines that operate in Europe, like europebyair and easyjet.

Pros <BR> <BR>Incredibly cheap fares (eg Dub - Edinburgh for $15 return) <BR>Great variety of small airports (ones that are ignored by the big carriers) <BR>If you don't want a drink - they won't charge you for it <BR>No silly curtains on board <BR>The UK's second largest airline <BR> <BR> <BR>Cons <BR> <BR>Some of the passengers whinge - they want to pay hundreds of dollars more for BA's crap service - what free drink?. <BR> <BR>Intra European flights only. <BR> <BR>I only fly two airlines - United Business for transatlantic travel and Ryanair for intra-European flights. <BR> <BR>If you are mature and have travelled widely this is the airline for you but if it's your first time and you need your hand held a little you might want a different airline. <BR>

Just think Southwest if from US. Same type of airline.

Pro: cheap fares. <BR> By all accounts they are as safe as anyone. <BR> <BR>Con: more liable to be "bumped" if you turn up at the last minute. <BR> Often use small secondary airports.(some prefer these?) <BR> <BR>Hot news : UK radio today announced Ryanair is expanding its facilities at Stansted Airport (London) & buying more planes. <BR>They recently announced a number of new destinations. <BR>Current prices Scotland/Ireland are crazy (£5) due to a war between Ryanair & Go!. <BR>Also try Easyjet.

Agree with above- they are the SOuthwest of Europe, with service that is a little more European civilized and less down-home hokey. The fares can't be beat, the service friendly and efficient, planes clean and well maintained, but they do fly to the smaller airports. For example, their paris landing site is in Beauvais, a good hour bus ride from town. ALl in all, I'll continue to fly them.

patricia u get what u pay for & ryan air is no exception <BR>however be careful if you have connecting flights , ryan air left me stranded & facing a huge bill when their flight arrived 2 & a half hours late in Aarhus .I missed my connection to copenhagen on an internal SAS flight. <BR>I had friends holding a soccer ticket for me in copenhagen & thinking that I had changed my mind they sold the ticket & when i did arrive i had to buy a new one at four times the face value on the black market <BR>I also had to buy a new flight ticket on SAS. <BR>good luck <BR>

Patricia, <BR> <BR>Ryanair is an Irish owned no frills airline with unbelievable cheap prices. Michael O'Leary, CEO, was once quoted as saying that airlines will be paying people to fly in the future. Their main hubs are Dublin, Stansted and Brussels (not the main airport in Brussels). <BR> <BR>They offer very cheap fares - sometimes the price of the tickets are lower than the taxes charged. Turn around time is very fast and they don't wait for anyone - leaving very promptly. You pay for every thing on board eg drinks etc, no seat allocation and no frills and forget claiming for lost bags etc. You get an incredible fare and little else bar a safe journey. At the moment they only fly within Central Europe and do not cover the Middle East or Turkey. See their web site at www.ryanair.ie <BR> <BR>Cathy

Ryanair is MUCH better than Southwest.

We fly Ryanair all the time from Brussels-Chareloi. Incredible rates and its a cinch to book online. Just show up early to check in, can have long lines and as seats are not pre-assigned, there can be a mad rush fro the plane. Tip: they almost always board and deplane from both doors - board in the back. Its away from small children and the crush is not nearly as bad. Just back from our latest - $22.00US round trip Brussels to Edinburgh.

To everyone, <BR> <BR> Wow! I wasn't expecting this many responses. You have all been very helpful. It sounds like there are certainly a lot of pros not to try this great service. I am also curious as to whether you get paper tickets, or not? And do you get bumped even when you've paid? <BR> <BR> The experience where the first leg of the flight was late is scary though. How can one make sure this doesn't happen? <BR> <BR>Gracious thanks to all who responded! <BR>Patricia <BR>

I am having trouble pulling up ryanair. <BR>Do they fly our of Gatwick? Also do they fly out of Shannon as well as Dublin.

Ryan Air flies out of London via Stanstead. Beware... a flight to "Frankfurt" landed us at a small airport (Hahn Airforce Base) which was a 2 hour bus ride to the Frankfurt train station. In the USA, we wouldn't call a New York airport one that landed you in DC and carted your butt 2 hours on a bus or train!!!

I have a problem with any pair of airlines that are not "partners". If you don't have the full flight on one ticket set, then if the first airline is late and you miss the second airline, you're on the hook for the connection. (That's the way it was explained to me...) I wouldn't aim to make any connection with 2 hours to spare between 2 unaffiliated airlines, especially at a big airport that may require a change between terminals. Also, does your luggage necessarily follow?

Patricia,Kathleen, Maurice et al <BR> <BR>Ryanair is a point to point airline and do not take any responsibility for you making a connecting flight even if it is one of their own - that is why they can depart on time ie no waiting for nobody. You collect your own lugguage as there is no transferring between flights etc. The airports that they fly into and out of are small regional airports ie Hahn which is in the Frankfurt region in Germany, and so the airports are not as crowded or hassled as major airports. <BR> <BR>Ryanair flies from Shannon to London Stn and Brussels for 10 irish pounds and to Hahn near Frankfurt for 57. AT the moment you can fly for 1 Irish pound - yes one pound - from Dublin to Edinburgh - next stop you will only have to pay the taxes !!. They also fly into and out of Gathwick but not that frequently. <BR> <BR>Re getting bumped - be there on time as they close the doors and if yu are not there then it is your problem !! <BR> <BR>Hope this helps, <BR> <BR>Cathy

Ryanair is Southwest without the frills. <BR> <BR>Be on time - I saw one man miss it by about a minute and they wouldn't open for him. <BR> <BR>They do fly gatwick to dublin. <BR> <BR>Check dates carefully as they can vary greatly from day to day. <BR> <BR>Only real negative i thought was the constant trying to sell you duty free, phone cards, etc.