Ryanair

Don't worry about being 'forced' to use Ryanair - we travel with them regularly. They are great. I'm sorry I have no info. regarding luggage etc as DH deals with all that. The planes are lovely and bright and the crews are friendly and helpful. We have never had a delay or any problems with them at all. Enjoy.

Just in case anyone hasn't watched it, here is the Ryanair song by Fascinating Aida (who are even better live) www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6pj3Fdbwng

I now book a case into the hold when I book Ryanair - the steps up and down to the plane are very steep and I find not easy if you have a heavy bag - worth the cost to me just to need to deal with a handbag and small other bag. I also booked my return seat when I checked in to go as you can then print off your boarding pass for the return leg - otherwise I think you can only do it a few days before your return flight and that is not always easy.

I use Ryanair regularly in fact I I ve just got off their plane a few hours ago. I certainly wouldn't call them wonderful as KatyK has I have had a lot of trouble over the years but in fairness the last few years have been better. If there is a problem they are NOT particularly helpful and I have had some nightmare journeys which I won't go into now but if things go to plan they are fine . I never book a seat or my case into the hold it is extortion I think, but they have eased up on their strictness re baggage for instance today I had a cabin suitcase well full and a large back pack again well full You can only check in online 6 or maybe 7 days before without PAYING a fee the leg room is fairly small but you are getting a cheap flight so you get what you pay for I guess I use them because they have the monopoly where I go fairly regularly and they are cheap They aren't good at helping anyone in need but mostly other passangers do like steps etc
KateyK you have been very fortunate I ve had up to 12 hours delays a number of times I have been landed at other airports and coached miles and had major encounters I won't go into now BUT. And this is important not in the last 2 years

And yes Elegran that video is great do watch it to the very end its really funny

Bluebelle How dreadful - yes we have been lucky. We have were delayed once for 10 hours and that was bad enough. It wasn't Ryanair though, I think it was Flybe or Thomsonfly.

Hi KatyK well one night a Friday I slept on Stansted floor after the evening flight was cancelled for bad weather along with hundreds of others only to have the desks open about 6 am serve about 5 people and tell the rest to come back on Sunday as there were no more seats I was going Fri to Sun to babysit while daughter and son in law had a weekend away I was in tears with cold tiredness and frustration but that was a few years back and I do think there had been an improvement since

My advice to original poster is don't worry too much chances are it will be fine One word of advice when booking online to be aware of hidden agendas as you will be taken to things you have to opt out of instead of opt in to

Oh poor you BlueBelle

We have to travel regularly using Ryanair to see our son in Spain as they fly to the nearest airport. We always book priority so we know our seats because I am a nervous flyer and couldn't cope if not sitting next to DH. Re luggage they are quite strict UK side re weight. They used to be very strict on cabin sized luggage stopping passengers near gate if their bags were too big and charging them to put in hold. However, now they will ask you at bag drop off if you want to check your hand luggage for free as they don't have the room for everyone's. As someone else said you are now allowed to take on a small handbag and any purchases made at the airport.

We've travelled a fair bit with Ryanair and other budget airlines with no problems. The worst flight we ever had was with one of the national airlines - Air Canada to be precise, and so bad it could have fuelled a full comedy routine - but that's a whole different story!

I like Ryanair's cabin luggage allowance because you are allowed one bag weighing up to 10 kg with maximum dimensions of 55cm x 40cm x 20cm (and they occasionally do spot checks on the weight of this one), plus 1 small bag up to 35 x 20 x 20. The interesting thing is that there is no weight restriction on the smaller bag, which means it is perfect for your jewellery, Kindle, keys, phone - all your small, heavy bits. You might already have handbags this size, but I bought a couple of bags on Amazon especially for DH and I to use on Ryanair - if you google "Ryanair small bag" on Amazon you'll get lots of options that help you make the most of the allowance.

When you book choose priority boarding. You will have an allocated seat anyway when you print off your boarding card. Don't forget to do the return journey as well!

With priority boarding you won't be asked to put your cabin luggage in the hold. Passengers boarding last are frequently asked to do this as the overhead locker are full. Just in case, make sure you have locked your cabin bag.

You are only asked to put the bag in the hold if you don't queue up fairly early I ve never had mine put in the hold They take the first 97 bags into the cabin so as long as you get up from your seat and queue early enough your bag will go with you
You really don't need to spend money on priority booking as when you book online the seats are booked in together and you have your seat numbers there and then so why spend more money There were only five people in the priority queue today I really don't see the advantage
Depending on how long you are going away for if it's more than a week you may have to print your coming back journey out there or pay to do it early

Just to add they really don't check the dimensions of your second bag at all and mine today was a large backpack full

You can't always rely on getting away with it though. Most of the time you will, but I've seen people charged at the gate for bags that are too big/too heavy. I was quite cross once because a young girl was stopped and fined and the bruiser behind her, with a much larger bag, was allowed to slip through.

They used to Maggiemaybe but the last four times I ve travelled they have made no attempt to size it and they no longer have those cage things that you had to try your bag in to make sure it's the right size If you are travelling with only cabin bags there is no one to check as you just go straight through customs and they don't check sizes and the only other time anyone sees you is as you board and they don't check there

I have also noticed that coming into Stansted you no longer have to show your passport for about the last year You always did have to

Stansted must be the exception to the rule. They are certainly very hot on passport control when arriving in Birmingham or East Midlands. Quite right too.

What?! Every airport I've been to recently, home and abroad, has had tight security in place. Why would they not be checking passports?

And they certainly still have the cabin bag cages at our local airports. And staff watching out for anything suspicious as you board. Which is what I would expect.

I fly with then regularily, I am disabled and have had great service every time, the only problem I had was trying to thank them as the only site I could find was for complaints !!!!!
Then one morning O'Leary was on BBC Breakfast and I sent a hurried email to the programme, it was not mentioned but later in the day I got a very nice email from Ryanair thanking me.

Sorry if this offends some people but I actually think there is a lot of snobbery concerning budget airlines. I regularly use Ryanair and find them reasonable for the price paid however I have a friend who refused a "girls " weekend away as she doesn't " do cheap airlines ". Her loss as we had a great time and no problems with flight. In my experience Flybe are poor but I also remember the surliest cabin crew female ever on a BA flight!
Luggage wise, there have been good tips here and I would add that you certainly have to watch your weight allowance at Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Wherever you go, enjoy!

Take a padlock for your hand luggage as they may take it off you as you board and put it in the hold. Keep essential medication, documents, jewellery on you in a small bag for the same reason (I hadn't as I didn't realise they would do that, so I was rather anxious).
Our cabin luggage was not large btw, we just happened to be nearer the end of the queue to board.
Some people seem to take the maximum cabin luggage possible and there simply isn't enough room for it all in the overhead lockers.
We had also paid extra for one piece of hold luggage between us.

Otherwise they were fine.

You're right, Beth61, about the snobbery. I only heard of this recently when a very posh friend of mine was telling me she'd "gone budget" for the first time in her life. She'd got cheap tickets to a convenient airport very close to where a family wedding was taking place in Switzerland. Everything went well and she says she is now a convert. The rest of the family party insisted on going via a big name airline, even though they then had a long train journey which meant their route was nearly three hours longer.

I fly regularly on Ryanair and find them very good. I pay more on the train to get from south London to Stansted than I ever pay to fly across to France. What's not to like? It's very easy to knock cheap airlines. The extras are just that 'extras' and if you don't require them then don't select them. It's quite a short flight to Austria dahlia, so just go with the flow and you'll be fine !

Thank you all so much for your reassuring advice - Gransnetters never disappoint! I feel much happier about our holiday now. I agree with some correspondents that staff on the bigger airlines leave a lot to be desired in the service department. British Airways have been very stuffy in the past, though Monarch staff have been brilliant. Just the luck of the draw, I guess, but thanks again.

Decathlon sell a cheap small rucsac which is exactly the right dimensions for the smaller carry-on bag and I managed to get 5kg in it. Also take (or in my case make) a coat with many large pockets both on the inside and out. I managed to get most of my clothes for a week with the family in Spain in it. Failing that wear as much as you can !