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Budget airlines stress, is it just me?

(39 Posts)
roganjosh Fri 25-Mar-22 11:41:13

We fly Ryanair by choice travelling between home in Spain and UK and other European destinations. Book via their website and follow the instructions and have never had any problems, they were brilliant rebooking flights during Covid so no complaints from me.

Blondiescot Fri 25-Mar-22 11:23:25

Flown with several budget airlines and never had any problems. Think some people have a degree of snobbery when it comes to them. I've got no issues - if the price is right, get me on that plane!

Ginny42 Fri 25-Mar-22 11:20:56

I have no choice but to fly Ryanair next week. I've used them many times and on the whole I just arrive early and go with the flow. Fortunately I am able to choose priority boarding to give me time to board. I found them very thorough in checking covid passes last December.

My greatest concern at the moment is the queueing at Manchester airport. Not sure I'm strong enough to queue for 2-3 hours! My friend thinks I should choose assisted boarding, but I'm only a bit weak after recovering from illness and don't have anything really wrong with me like others, so I feel I shouldn't.

GagaJo Fri 25-Mar-22 10:59:06

I second your faith in Swissair, biglouis. I've flown with them 3 times and they offer excellent service from check-in to getting off the plane. They're fantastic.

GagaJo Fri 25-Mar-22 10:57:52

I've flown Jet2 a few times and they've been lovely. I've had a few niggles with Easyjet and will never fly Ryan Air again. But Jet2 are not in that category for me.

I also will never fly BA again. I think they offer a really poor level of service despite not being cheap!

TerriBull Fri 25-Mar-22 10:48:33

I've flown Easyjet without too many problems, have spent the last two years cancelling and rebooking flights with them.

I don't fancy Ryanair, personally I'd rather not go anywhere than fly with them.

There was an incident on Jet2 airlines on a flight to Turkey that was highlighted in the Mailonline the other day, some awful woman shouting and abusing staff and other passengers, drunk of course! Unscheduled stop in Austria I believe to offload her, that of course costs the airline extra money in landing charges. I believe she was fined £5,000. Of course such people can be on any flight, I remember a sweary drunk man on a Singapore Airlines flight coming back from Australia who was off loaded in a scheduled stop in India. Flying a bloody nightmare at the best of times!

baubles Fri 25-Mar-22 10:32:56

I’ve just returned from a trip to Rome flying with Ryanair who I’ve flown with many, many, times. I generally don’t take the hand luggage only option as it’s a pain lugging it around airports although I used to when flying frequently to visit my mother. I find if I take my time with the booking process it’s fine. I just accept that the starting price is low then I add on my luggage and seat, making sure I add the same for the return journey. DH needs extra legroom so I always book these seats.

I can honestly say that in many years of using Ryanair, as well as other airlines, I have never experienced any problems with my bookings or my flights.

Just to add I always use the Ryanair website, never go through a third party.

All in all I find it’s much easier than the olden days when I’d have to go into our nearest city in order to collect my very expensive Aer Lingus tickets from their office.

biglouis Fri 25-Mar-22 10:29:43

Ive never flown a budget airline because Im disabled and frankly they dont have a great reputation with able passengers so I would not want to leave it to chance.

Last time I flew alone I went Swissair and they really looked after me. Being a German managed airline everything was like a military operation and the plane was met with a wheelchair at every transit. I could not have managed Frankfurt airport (which is huge) without this help.

Even though they really looked after me I have sort of made up my mind I will probably never travel by air again. I just dont like the way you get treated as so much "fodder" at airports. There is just too much bullshit and standing around. It takes all the pleasure out of travelling. When you get to your 70s youve had enought of all that.

jenpax Fri 25-Mar-22 10:29:25

Oh God! Its my first time flying with Ryanair at Easter! Not my choice as such, we have booked a holiday in the Canaries for ourselves youngest DD and her 3 children. We wanted to fly from our local airport, and the holiday is all inclusive, so the airline was the travel company choice!
I am absolutely dreading the flight! Both of the tiny children are/ will be undergoing assessment for spectrum disorders! so a 4 hour flight with them will never be easy!
I too am super anxious about the luggage issues? especially after reading the last two comments!

maddyone Fri 25-Mar-22 10:28:57

You’re not alone. I too will never fly Ryanair again. I’ve used them twice, awful company.
We use EasyJet for most short haul flights. Still a few niggles but overall much better.

Lucca Fri 25-Mar-22 10:28:05

I hate booking budget air tickets
All those add ons you don’t want

Enjoy Portugal (I wasn’t able to go in the end )

MerylStreep Fri 25-Mar-22 10:21:31

I hate Ryanair with a deep and utter loathing ?

Sparklefizz Fri 25-Mar-22 10:15:54

You're not alone. I will never fly Ryanair again !!

Sago Fri 25-Mar-22 10:10:17

Next week we fly out to Portugal with Jet2, we return on a Ryan Air flight.

It’s a complete nightmare!

I am convinced there will be some box I haven’t ticked or the airline have changed the rules re baggage size overnight.

Have I accidentally packed some small animals and a kilo of cocaine in my hand luggage and finally do my scales work or will I be wearing half my luggage on the plane?

I will check my handbag so many times for passports, purses and phone I’m at greater risk of losing them!

I look at all the other passengers at check in and if they are going through the same turmoil as me then they are hiding it well.

Please tell me I’m not alone.