How to fly Ryanair in Europe with less hassle, saving money and a little style !

Ryanair is one of the the best known low cost European charter airlines. However it is often  considered as just too much hassle, as in order to actually have a hassle free experience, it is necessary to study all their rules and regulations ! As a North American living and travelling in Europe over the last twelve years I have often flown Ryanair and I can honestly say I have not had a bad experience.

Another  "however " here.... it is also necessary to have the best attitude as to what you are getting for your money. You are not going to be flying first class when you have paid the grand total of 65 euros one way for a flight from Frankfurt, Germany to Pisa, Italy ( a one hour and twenty minute flight time ) for example. Ryanair pioneered some innovative ideas to keep their fares low such as no seat assignment, paying for your snacks on board, and paying an extra fee for your checked in luggage. These ideas were successful to a point and the point was a good one except for one very unpredictable element which was good old human nature with a cultural overlay ! People cramming as much as they could into their free 10 kilo onboard bag and then being surprised when it was actually 14 kilos and they were informed it would cost extra or lining up and jostling for position, rushing to the plane to nab a " good seat "  etc. etc.

Ryanair has changed many of their policies and it is a much more hassle free experience these days (2017 )  You can pay 15 or 20 euros beforehand and select your front row or exit seat otherwise Ryanair will assign everyone a seat for free a few days before ( except the exit rows ) Don't stress if there is no more room in the overhead compartments for your carry on bag as they will then put it in the hold for free. You can now have one free on board bag up to 10 kilos ( no more ) and a smaller shopper size bag.


Here are my top tips for flying Ryanair " Slow, Solo, Sparkling Style "

• My guideline for flying Ryanair is if I can save at least 100 euros or more on my flight cost. I have flown to Morocco and also the Canary Islands with Ryanair and have saved this much money and sometimes more.
• I pay the extra 15 or 20 euros to choose an assigned seat in the front row or the exit rows. Much more legroom and this extra payment also includes priority boarding which means you get on the plane first. You can purchase priority boarding as an extra with a free seat and this will cost you 6 euros.

                                                    My exit row seat on a 3 hour flight

                            

• I pay the extra when needed for the checked bag which can weigh 15 kilos max. I have a portable suitcase scale so I know how much it weighs before I get to the check in desk. This is very important otherwise Ryanair can ( and most likely will ) charge you 10 euros for each kilo that you are over the 15 kilo limit !

                                       

                                                   

                                                     My luggage scale is small and very light.
                                                     Now you can buy digital versions !

• You can take your own food on board so buy a good sandwich beforehand. After all, most flights within Europe are under 2 hours. If not you can buy snacks and drinks on board ( 3 euros for a tea or coffee )
• Make sure you print out your boarding pass beforehand as they still have the unreasonable 40 euro fee for issuing it at the desk.
• If you do not have a European passport you will have to get your boarding pass stamped. There will be signs to go to another counter first or sometimes they will do the stamp at the check in counter.
• Research where your destination airport is actually located as many Ryanair flights land a fair distance from the main city centers.
• Ryanair is great with their one way fares so you can plan a more open ended trip easily. For example I flew into Bologna, Italy from Frankfurt Hahn airport, then travelled around by train in Tuscany and flew back to Frankfurt Hahn from Rome.
• If you need to change your flight you can for a fee - even to another destination. However you cannot cancel your flight and get a refund.
• My most important tip ...... think of it as a flying bus !

Right now I am in a destination ( Canary Islands ) which flying Ryanair versus other airlines at this time of year saved me 300 euros which I then used towards  my accommodation costs. Well worth it !

Two  positive Ryanair statistics of note are they frequently arrive on time and rarely
lose luggage. It is always good to have travel choices and saving money............bonus !

www.ryanair.com


Carpe Diem  **  Sabrina

"Put a ding in the universe !" - Steve Jobs