Oh no, what have I done?

It is something to do with the surname O'Leary that makes me nervous. David O'Leary appears to be trying his best to get the mighty Aston Villa relegated as he drones on about his 'honest bunch of lads', while I have just put the fate of my summer holiday in the hands of Michael O'Leary, the chief exec of Ryanair.

Against my better judgement I have booked two return tickets to Perpignan (they were the only ones that fly there from London other than the horribly expensive Air France) with the airline that can't land at the right airport. I'm sure Ryanair will point to its impeccable customer service stats but I can't help but feel uneasy.

You see, in a previous job I used to write about airlines and was inundated with Ryanair complaints from punters. And Michael O'Leary had a paranoia that makes Jose Mourinho look happy-go-lucky. If it wasn't airport owner BAA who were out to get his airline, it was the Irish Government, or the UK Government or the European Union, or people in wheelchairs. But if anybody brought-up customer service complaints at press conferences, it was a case of 'feck 'em, what do they expect for 90p'.

The airline had a habit of pulling routes from airports if something upset them or switching flights to a nearby airport, disappointing thousands of customers who would have already booked accommodation and car hire.

I'm sure everything will be alright, but would be interested to hear of other peoples' experiences, both good and bad. In the meantime, I'm going to invest in a watertight travel insurance policy.

Michael Clarke, This is Money

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Comments

[John]

Seem to have a lack of concern for customers. Long slow moving check in queues - lack of check in desks. Arrive early or late to avoid.
Beware changes in terms between booking and flight. In January we turned up for a flight and found out at the checkin desk after queuing that without notifying us they had changed their regulations for lugggage allowances. Either pay an exorbitant excess or unpack bags and reallocate. We had to buy another bag. Fortunately the airport were aware of what was going on. Ryanair were only interested in charging excess and had made no provision to assist passangers. So called 'cheap flight' suddenly becomes expensive.

[Paul Honer]

Hi

I am a fan of no frill low cost airlines, you only pay for what want you want, great. I beleive that without the Ryanair/Easyjets of the world, national flag carriers would still be charging the earth for the pleasure of 'flying the flag'.

Last year, we went to Charleroi for a two day trip, when returning to the UK, after all passengers where checked in, the plane departed for UK one hour ahead of schedule

The cabin crew stated that as all passengers had checked what was the point in waiting. In all my years flying I never heard any other schedule carrier do this.

That to me is customer service, why hang aroung at airport terminals drinking expensive coffee or getting drunk on luke warm beer when you could be on your way home

Horrah for Ryanair/Easyjet

[David Johnstone]

I have just completed a Ryanair return flight from Stansted to Poitiers,returning via La Rochelle.The flights went well enough(apart from one's knees in the face lack of space syndrome) but the quality of the 'english' spoken by both captains and aircrew regarding flight details and safety rules,when gabbled down the p/a system were so mangled & virtually incomprehensible that I shudder to think how the passengers would have re-acted in an emergency; probably because of this most looked thoroughly unconcerned.

Cabin crew particularly should themselves be given better instruction on 'broadcasting' clearly and annunciating better standard English. Also more passing comments during the course of the flight (not all at the beginning or end) from the Captains would make each journey more interesting- eg; flying conditions,height travelling,weather forecast for destinations,landmarks being flown over when visibility permits .

I agree with most which is said. I am ryanair stewadess, and we have to suffer with complaints from passengers all the time. it is past of our job. But I am sure that when i speak on behalf of all cabin crew, we try and do our best to make your flight enjoyable. Eventhough it is difficult to smile when 50 people complain at you and the airline which you work for.
we just do our job and in the end we are responsible for your safetly.

[Neil Ashton]

RyanAir mislead customers with offers of very cheap tickets and then add to the cost with all manner of extras.
I recently flew on business to Berlin and had only a briefcase with me. Nevertheless I was charged £7.00!
The staff did not seem interested if it was the correct charge or not and were really rude for no good reason.
If they spent less time selling silly scratchcards and more time on customer service then I might consider using RyanAir again.

[Tony]

I am as infuriated by incomprehensible and silly dishonest charges with Ryanair as Neil Ashton (above).

Surely advertising 17.16 euro for two adult tickets which end up as 162.76 Euro including 'taxes, fees, charges and levies' (but not personal insurance or car rental etc) is not only stretching the tolerance of customers but illegal under European advertising standards?

Not only do the costs clearly not represent what they are attributed to (they change dramatically day by day and have been shown to be far in excess of that required) but they appear and disappear. I have invoices for two identical flights one month apart and one has a 'wchr levy' and one does not. One charges a baggage fee and one does not. One is 88 Euro for four passengers and one is 123.44 Euro for two etc. This does not include the clever little 'uncheck the box' trick to get an additional 6 Euro for not having a check-in bag.

Blatant lying in an endeavour to massage the cost of a service would be castigated in any other service industry (rather like a restaurant adding washing up, cleaning the floor and their fire insurance premium to a meal bill). Ryanair must have an office full of staff dreaming up the next scam but they are not alone; all low cost airlines do it and it should, in my view, be made (if it is not already) illegal.

[GS]

I must agree with all of the previous, however for the sake of getting abroad cheaply we're stuck with budget airlines. You'd think that other airlines would be more market aware as people like myself would use them if only their short haul fares were not so outlandishly expensive

[Lizz Poulter]

I'm trying to get the best value from a Ryanair flight from Nimes to Luton, but the currency exchange link is broken and the site seems to want me to pay credit card rate for using my French carte bleue (a debit card). Anyone know the rate Ryanair uses if I pay with a UK debit card - is it the prevailing one or a profit-making (for them) 1.47 or other ripoff rate?

[Lizz Poulter]

Anyone know how Ryanair set exchange rates for flights bought in Euros on British bank card? Why don't they just let the bank (the excellent Nationwide in his case) do the exchange?
Do they also believe that French Cartes Bleues are credit cards?

[CA Taylor]

Brilliant low fares, new aircraft and excellent time keeping from quiet passenger friendly secondary airports. Have made numerous round trips recently from Glasgow Prestwick to Dublin, Oslo Torp, Duesseldorf Weeze and Frankfurt Hahn all without any problems. Care needs to be taken when booking online if no hold baggage and travel insurance unwanted. Priority boarding and online check-in defintely worth £2. Understand and play by the Ryanair rules and hassle unlikely. For such cheap flights, don't expect more than an exceptionally efficient and well run airborne bus service by hard working flight and cabin crews.

[Mary Carr]

I've flown dozens of times between Stansted and France with Ryanair, usually to destinations at Montpellier, Nimes, Perpignan, Carcassonne and Limoges.
I've never had a problem and always found a bargain fare.
Staff are always friendly. If you play by the rules you are unlikely to be disappointed and compared with UK rail travel the service is almost luxurious.

[C Cahill]

Another Ryanair scam? I've just purchased two tickets from Dublin to the UK. I tried my damnedest NOT to pay for travel insurance, but couldn't find the drop-down referred to to opt out. I've been booking flights on-line for years, but I couldn't manage this. I also asked my husband to if he could find how not to pay but he was stumped too. And they won't accept my maestro card so I have to pay for using my VISA. And guess what - it's going to cost me £1 a minute to have it out with them. I've had it with Ryanair...you can push a customer so far.

[J Templeman]

Ryanair charged me £152 to change my flight date and a further £70 to change one of the passengers!!!!! All because I was unwell and not able to fly. It is daylight robbery!! And contrary to their adverts about cheap flights - load of nonsense - they even charge you to put luggage in the hold, who goes on a plane without luggage??!!! Do they fly these huge planes with empty holds because everyone crams everything they need for their trip into hand luggage? My original flight cost was £130 from Glasgow to London, which is not cheap by any stretch of the imgination! I could have flown with BA for £10 more - more fool me for trying to save myself £10!!!!
And as for customer service, it is non existant! When I called reservations (they don’t have customer services!) I was told “it is not my problem”. Well it should be someone’s problem, as someone is lining their pockets with other people's hard earned cash! And we make this legal practice as long as they state it in the tiny print!! Absolutely furious…..never flying with them again, and will be advising everyone I know not to either!

[Ryanair - never again!]

My experience was just as negative! at the counter, i was informed my surname was incomplete in their system. there were 3 letters missing in my surname!!! although i had the correct confirmation number, it did not matter. they made me pay 100 euros in order to "correct" my name. Take it or leave it! plain robbery, I agree!! add to this ridiculous situation, very rude employees who are on a constant state of bad mood. customer service? hahahaha. spent almost 10 pounds waiting on the line to be told "it's not my problem". then i was advised to send them a letter. today (more than 2 months later) i got the response. guess what it said? "there is not action I can take in the circumstance". I used to fly ryanair once a month. never again! Definitely not worth it

[R Paisley]

I have just come back from Palma (from Stansted). My wife & went out with one bag (about 28kg) came back with one bag (30kg) and was told to pay excess of 120 Euros (£84)!! This is due to the fact ONE BAG rule with Max of 15kg. Spooky no one knew about it at Stansted. The plane was delayed 1 1/2 hours there & 1 hour back. Ryanair .. NEVER AGAIN

[Brendan Legood]

Re Ryanair new charges for debit cards I booked 2 return flights on 4th July (when I now know new charges were brought in) when i clicked on box for charges for cards it came up £1.20 per sector total of £4.80 however on my printed itinary I was charged 2x £8 = £16. I went straight back into site and followed throught with identical booking and the info came up again with £4.80 obviously I did not follow through with that booking to prove it would have charged £16. I am awaiting an explanation from Ryanair (they did send me an email today with a completely blank page ?????.) Did anyone else come across this on the 4th July. I also note there is no big announcement on there web page just a section in their news which is how I found out.