Ryanair review by Madeira 2013-06-13

I've flown with FR on a few return trips to Belgium and Ireland over the last 12 months. Usually I only fly with a carry-on after hearing all sorts of stories on the internet about FR and how bad they can be. I can honestly say that for what I use FR for its great. My first trip to Belgium with FR (MAN-CRL) back in May 2012 was my first experience with them. I decided to purchase priority boarding since my last low-cost trip on the competitors with the 'orange bus' was a nightmare (back in 2009) and I got an awful seat. This first flight with FR though was ok as I was able to get a seat I wanted without any stress, the return flight was also ok, crew were just doing their job trying to sell, sell, sell on both sectors, although the two crew operating from the front of the aircraft were fairly chirpy on the return trip. The travel experience was nothing to write home about. The LPL-DUB trips were reasonable, again nothing to write home about, just fairly normal and no drama. However, the ground staff at LPL were very keen with checking carry-on dimensions and weight, thus checking every bag that wasn't a shoulder/handbag. I was glad that I again decided to purchase priority boarding. My best experience with FR to date though was my outbound flight (MAN-CRL) in May 2013. I was first to board the aircraft was greeted by a very pleasant Cabin Crew Lead, went to choose a seat in my usual area (usually between rows 10 and 14) and the CC who was by the Exit Rows asked if I would like to sit at one of the Exit seats. I was surprised that FR were allowing someone to sit an an Exit row without paying extra and I appreciated the gesture (knowing full well that all exit rows must have at least one person sat by each exit anyway). The flight was great, not just because I had an Exit seat, but because the crew on this sector were very good, cheerful without having to try, really polite and chatty, and generally offering excellent customer service from what I could see, the selling was the normal FR garbage, but this crew seemed to have struck a balance between the normal hard sell and a more suggestive sell - especially with the snacks and beverages. When I deplaned upon arriving at CRL I genuinely felt like I was treated like a guest, not just another member of the herd - which to say that about FR is pretty much unheard of! The best of it was I had, on this occasion, taken hold baggage with me as well! Yes, I did worry that I would be told it was overweight by the Bag Drop Desks at both MAN and CRL but the staff were great and even had a little laugh about how I had used my bathroom scales to check weights, and checked my carry-on case too on the airport desk scales (just to be sure). At least I know how accurate my bathroom scales are (which by the way were about 200g under read). Overall the MAN-CRL leg of my journey was nothing short of excellent. I did not at all expect the return flight to MAN to even come close the great experience I had on the outbound flight, and I was right to do so. It wasn't the service provided, and the crew were just doing their job, but it was the passengers who were pestering the crew member by the Exit seats for them to be allowed to sit in those seats. One in particular in my opinion should not of been allowed to sit in exit row seat because he would not of heard any commands by Cabin Crew had there been an emergency and he was required to operate the overwing exit - why, because he had great big "trendy" Beats headphones listening to loud music, he had the music on loud during take-off and landing (I could hear it from 2 rows fore). The crew had asked him to take them off before departure and before approach for landing - he did, until they were in their jump seats. I should of complained to the crew for the poor choice in 'competent person' but in the end I didn't - mostly because I didn't catch the crews' attention when I wanted to. That poor choice of letting an unsuitable passenger to pester crew for a particular seat like that is probably my biggest criticism of FR to date (it would be for any carrier for that matter), along with passengers in general not paying the slightest bit of notice to the safety demonstration. Overall my opinion of FR is, you get what you pay for - cheap convenient air travel with only the basic of amenities. If you know what to expect and play by the rules and ensure that you research the FR website and understand the airline policies regarding terms of travel and various restrictions and don't expect it to be like a Full Service Airline but cheaper, then, like me, you'll be fine (same could be said for any airline thought, especially low cost carriers). It is your responsibility as the traveller to abide by the airlines rules and to ensure that you research those rules - the main problem I read about FR is essentially down to passengers not taking the time to check how the airline operates. It is not up to the airline to tell you everything you need to know, it is up to you to find out. And to be honest, FR aren't not deceitful in my eyes, they do tell you throughout the booking process and via various email reminders that you must check-in online and that you must check your baggage allowances etc. I have based my ratings on the fact that this is a low cost carrier, and therefore base it on my experiences with the airline itself objectively and fairly. And on that note all I will say is, I will continue to fly with FR for many trips to come........unless its over 2 hours or so away, or is a typical "uk holidaymaker" destination (if you know what I mean) - not too sure I can cope with the clientele that long!