Non-motoring > Ryanair flights and insurance Miscellaneous
Thread Author: BobbyG Replies: 21
View Threaded 

New Mon 25 Oct 10 17:18 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - BobbyG
Daughter's school are running a school trip next September to Rome. Staying there for a week etc etc but I noticed from the blurb that they will be flying Ryanair.

Now I have memories of both at the ash crisis and and some other time that schools were let down badly by Ryanair.

What exactly is their policy on cancellations, letting you get another flight etc (bearing in mind this will probably be about 40 seats)

And what would you recommend for insurance to overcome this?

Just don't want to see 40 kids and adults saving for a year to be left at an airport cos the bus broke down getting there or whatever!
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Mon 25 Oct 10 17:32 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Perky Penguin
FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS AND SCHEDULE CHANGES

If your flight is cancelled or before the date of travel, is rescheduled so as to depart more than three hours before or after the original departure time then you will be entitled to a travel credit or full refund of all monies paid if the alternative flight/s offered are not suitable to you and you do not travel.

Ryanair does not provide monetary compensation under Article 7 of EU Regulation 261/2004 for flights which are delayed or cancelled for reasons beyond Ryanair's control (extraordinary circumstances). You may therefore wish to ensure that you have suitable private insurance cover in force to cover such eventualities. Your rights under EU Regulation 261/2004 are unaffected, so in the case of denied boarding, flight cancellation or a delay in excess of two hours; a written notice setting out the rules for compensation and assistance in line with such Regulation will be provided to affected passengers who present themselves to our staff at the airport service desks.

Passengers who book well in advance should check their outward/return flight timings via the “Manage My Booking” link on www.ryanair.com or with a Ryanair reservations centre between 24 and 72 hours prior to departure.

My Comment = However, you need to arrange your own insurance to cover the cancellation, failure or breakdown of any transport you use to get to the airport. Ryanair won't want to know and you will forfeit your fare and have to buy a new ticket and the price on the day = V Expensive. Could be cheaper to buy a ticket from another airline, if there is one that even uses the dumps that Ryanair does!
Last edited by: Perky Penguin on Mon 25 Oct 10 at 17:34
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Mon 25 Oct 10 19:40 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Zero
The flight is the least of your troubles. Insurance is required for all aspects of the journey.

Usually the school will

a: insist on details of a personal travel insurance or
b: provide it as part of the trip
c: provide details of where you can purchase it if they have a group policy you can buy into.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Mon 25 Oct 10 20:23 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Woodster
I've had lots of experience of Ryanair (fortunately not as a passenger) and they will leave passengers high and dry. From Perky's entry:

If your flight is cancelled or before the date of travel, is rescheduled so as to depart more than three hours before or after the original departure time then you will be entitled to a travel credit or full refund of all monies paid if the alternative flight/s offered are not suitable to you and you do not travel.

The travel credit will be with them for some long term future date (useless to you). Alternative flights could be in a few days time. They'll do nothing towards accomodation/taxis etc.

For an amusing insight into Ryanair, search on 'You tube' for 'Fascinating Aida' and watch/listen to 'cheap flights'.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 08:53 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Statistical Outlier
I've not seen them before. Top class.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 09:39 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - CGNorwich
I've travelled all over Europe and visited places I would otherwise never have seen thanks to the low cost airlines Ryanair and Easyjet. I have always been impressed by their efficiency and timekeeping. They deliver exactly what they say in their booking conditions. That is why they have been so successful. Those wanting to fly "Nanny Air" should perhaps look elsewhere but you may well end up playing twice the price for the privilege.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 09:48 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Zero

>> you may well end up playing twice the price for the privilege.

Indeed as you do with Ryan Air, after

Credit/debit card fee
Booking fee
Check in fee
Baggage fee

EACH PERSON EACH WAY

The cost is usually doubled with such nonsense

I wish they would just publish a price rather than this crap, it feels like theft.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 09:56 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - CGNorwich
Yes it can be irritating but its not often that Ryanair do not come out cheapest, even after all the add ons. All the prices and conditions are there to read. Everyone loves to moan about Ryanair but they still use them - Why , because they are cheap.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 10:01 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Zero
After the "add ons" they actually come out pretty close to the major carriers.

However the only way I fly Ryan Air or Easyjet is because of destination (ie not served by a major) or timetable.

For example, wanted to visit Seville. Ryan air were the only direct carrier.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 10:00 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Perky Penguin
If you can book well in advance and go hand-luggage only Ryanair are fine. Book a month before travelling, or less, and they are no bargain! I have been to Germany on a special offer for £10 each way. Top tip for the gentlemen - travel with one of those multi pocket vest/jackets. You can pack it with stuff and it it isn't weighed! Article here

tinyurl.com/29cos2f
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 10:02 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Zero
>> If you can book well in advance and go hand-luggage only Ryanair are fine. Book
>> a month before travelling, or less, and they are no bargain! I have been to
>> Germany on a special offer for £10 each way. Top tip for the gentlemen -
>> travel with one of those multi pocket vest/jackets. You can pack it with stuff and
>> it it isn't weighed! Article here

You didnt pay 10 quid tho.

Booking fee? Checkin fee? Credit card fee?
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 10:18 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Perky Penguin
Yes I did!!!! It was a long time ago admittedly. No taxes, no on line check in charge, booking fee waived as part of the offer, It is still good value so long as you watch out for the add-ins and the Total to Pay at the end of the booking process
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 10:19 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Manatee
When I was doing regular one or two night trips around Europe I frequently travelled in a Barbour jacket. Those dead-rabbit pockets are huge and I'd fill them with chargers, books, etc to keep the carry-on weight down. A bit warm in the summer though.

There is product specially made for this but it's difficult to get hold of in the UK, or was when I looked.

www.scottevest.com/
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 10:04 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Mapmaker
I love Ryanair. Flights are on time. Cabins are clean. Aeroplanes are new. Staff are charming, friendly and work hard. And they're dirt cheap.

Now, if you want free drinks on board (but you don't expect that when you get on the tube), if you want to check in at the airport rather than from the comfort of your desk, if you want to take more than hand luggage (but their allowance is pretty generous, and realistically a holiday is more fun if you're not lugging 30kg with you everywhere) then I agree Ryanair isn't the airline for you.

But you can fly to - and return from - anywhere in Europe more cheaply than you can travel to Manchester on a Friday evening.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 10:07 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Zero
but they charge you to check in on line as well!
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 11:18 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Bromptonaut
My preferred low cost carrier is FlyBe. Plenty of flights from Birmingham to main domestic and european destinations .

They also have a good range, particularly to France, from Southampton. An airport that's incredibly easy to use and accessible from a huge swathe of southern England.



Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Tue 26 Oct 10 at 11:19
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 14:00 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - hobby
Only used Easyjet and BMI, they've been fine and I now go hand luggage only which makes life easier. The only story I've heard of with Ryanair concerns some friends who went to one of those Baltic states earlier this year, their flight back was cancelled and they were left high and dry for several days, no compensation, no alternative, and nothing to do with the ash cloud... faulty plane.

TBH I tend to make sure I carry my free rail passes with me in case I need to get back home on time when the airline mess up, at least I can then get back, even if it will take 24+ hours to do it!
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 14:43 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - CGNorwich
For finding out which budget airline flies where:

www.flycheapo.com/
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 20:42 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Perky Penguin
Interesting chart here

www.britishairways.com/travel/value-calculator/public/en_gb?link=main_nav

comparying ryanair, easy and BA's charges for services involed in booking and taking a flight.
Last edited by: Perky Penguin on Tue 26 Oct 10 at 20:42
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 21:00 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - mikeyb
Flew easyjet to and from Madrid last week. Flight delayed both ways as we had to fly through striking french airspace.

Was very surprised to be given a refreshment voucher after 1.5 hours delay. Not what I expected for low cost (although had paid 120 quid for the flight)
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 21:25 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Skoda
>> Not what I expected for low cost

They had to cancel our return flight from Amsterdam recently. Next flight ~26 hours later, put up in a pretty decent hotel given the budget ticket price. Meals covered, good communications (text message to advise of cancellation ~6 hours before the flight was due).

Some folks were 2 days for the next flight, the only difference was an extra day in the fairly nice hotel (3.5* i'd have said if there was such a thing).

Other folks booked same day with another company, but the info given made it seem refunds would be easy to get hold of. Our experience claiming refunds for lunches & bus tickets was painless.

I'm staunchly in favour of easyjet for <4 hour flights, have been for a few years now.

Virgin upper for longer flights. Will never ever ever fly BA again.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
New Tue 26 Oct 10 21:37 
 Ryanair flights and insurance - Bromptonaut
>> Interesting chart here
>>
>> www.britishairways.com/travel/value-calculator/public/en_gb?link=main_nav
>>
>> comparying ryanair, easy and BA's charges for services involed in booking and taking a flight.


I've a mate at work whose family are in Ireland. She reckons that after accounting for the charges etc and the fact that she's in SW London so can get to LHR easily it's not even worth checking Ryanairs' prices.
Reply to this message | Report message
       
Latest Forum Posts