If you’ve traveled around Europe, you’ve likely come across the airline Ryanair. Based out of Swords, Ireland, Ryanair is a budget European airline that offers flights across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. In total, their flights connect 37 countries and a total of 225 destinations.
Ryanair is mostly known for being cheaper than most of its competitors, offering flights at costs you sometimes won’t believe. However, these cheaper tickets also come with a vast array of logistics which often lead to the airline receiving mixed or even poor reviews.
In this Ryanair review, we tell you everything you need to know about the airline, from the booking process to its operational performance. Keep reading to find out more.
Booking Process
There are three different ways in which you can book a Ryanair flight. You can use their website their mobile app, or even contact their customer service team directly. We discuss each of these methods below.
Website
The first method you can use to book your Ryanair flight is via its website. While some customers say that the website is usually easy to book tickets from, others say that the process can be tedious because of the constant opening of pop-ups.
The website allows you to book your tickets, manage your bookings, and check in for your flight as well. The website also provides you with information about the seating options, the baggage policies, among the airline’s other services.
However, always remember that when you book a ticket via a website, it must be the default Ryanair website and not a third-party website.
Mobile App
Ryanair also offers a mobile app that’s available for both Android and iOS and offers all the same functionality as the website. You can use it to book tickets, manage bookings, and access your boarding pass on the go.
However, the Ryanair app doesn’t show up on the iOS App Store if you’re not in Europe as it’s not designed to operate in other regions. However, the Google Play Store offers the app across the world, in our experience.
The Android app functions well without any glitches and offers a seamless user experience to make and manage bookings. In our test, we checked for flights from Amsterdam to Dublin, and the app seamlessly showed us all the available flights on our chosen date.
Overall, we found the app to be easy to use, even if you’re not technologically savvy, making booking a breeze. However, you must pay attention to the specifications of the baggage allowance your ticket allows, as any more luggage will be chargeable.
Phone
If you’re someone who prefers booking tickets over a phone call, you can contact the airline’s customer service team. However, this approach may add an extra booking fee when compared to the website and the app.
While booking your ticket over a call can be easier for someone who isn’t tech-savvy, we’d recommend booking your tickets through the app as it allows you to carefully review every step of the booking process. It also clearly specifies the rules and allowances your ticket offers, so you can plan your travel more carefully.
Further, given that Ryanair’s customer service team is notoriously difficult to reach out to over a call, we’d recommend using the airline’s app or website as the best possible option.
Airport Experience
Your experience as a flyer with Ryanair will depend on the airport and the specific services it offers. We discuss some of these in the section below.
Check-in Efficiency
Ryanair encourages all their passengers to check in online to avoid long queues at the airport. You must also have your boarding pass printed before you arrive at the airport, particularly because the cost of printing your boarding pass at the check-in desk is exorbitant. This is another way in which the airline manages to keep its costs low.
The check-in window opens 48 hours before travel, giving you enough time to find a place to print your boarding pass. However, if you’re an EU national, you can use a mobile boarding pass, with a few exceptions where these aren’t accepted.
Bag Drop Convenience
Ryanair has a very strict baggage policy, with the base ticket price only covering one piece of hand baggage. The bag drop is rather efficient, with desks dedicated to making the process smooth.
However, you must note that luggage is allowed in three sizes:
- A small bag that can fit under your seat, with maximum dimensions of 40cm x 20cm x 25cm.
- A cabin-sized bag that can fit in the overhead compartment, with dimensions up to 55cm x 40cm x 20cm, is available if you opt for Priority Boarding.
- Large-size check-in luggage, where you can choose between a 10kg checked bag or a 20kg checked bag. The 10kg option must meet weight limits, while the standard 20kg bag is larger but incurs additional fees.
Passengers have to pay extra for anything beyond the first piece of luggage.
Security Screening
The security screening at airports where Ryanair operates is managed by the airport authorities and not by the airline itself. The efficiency of the process can depend on the airport and the time of the day.
Further, like every other airline, Ryanair stringently disallows certain items to be carried on board their flights. For instance, items such as guns or firearms, blunt instruments capable of causing injury, sharp objects like knives, explosives, and toxic chemical substances, among several others are prohibited on board.
Boarding Procedure
Ryanair’s boarding is based on a priority system. Whether or not you get priority boarding depends on the ticket you choose. The Basic fare, for instance, doesn’t offer priority boarding, but the Regular, Plus, and Flexi Plus fares do.
Flexi Plus also gives you the option to check in for free at the airport, and you also get to fast track your security check.
Flight Experience
The overall flight experience on Ryanair is primarily focused on providing affordable fares with no frills. This section explores the various aspects of Ryanair’s flight experience.
Cabin Comfort
The interiors on Ryanair flights are functional and clean overall. The seats are like any other economy-level seat on other airlines, offering decent legroom and support. They’re ideal for shorter journeys but can become uncomfortable for long-haul flights. The Ryanair seat width is standard like those of other airlines.
The standard seats, for example, offer 30 inches of legroom, whereas an upgrade to seats with more legroom gives you 40 inches, 10 inches up from the standard seats. The standard seats are comfortable for someone with a height of six feet three inches, albeit for shorter durations. If you’re taller, you’d be better off choosing a seat with extra legroom.
Cabin Crew Friendliness
The crew on board Ryanair flights are typically friendly and helpful, ensuring a safe and smooth flight for most passengers. However, there have been instances when passengers have left mixed reviews on this front. Some passengers appreciate that their crew sometimes goes out of their way to offer passengers assistance wherever needed.
Meal and Beverage Options
While Ryanair offers a range of snacks and beverages on board that are available for purchase, it doesn’t offer any free food or drinks. Like a lot of budget airlines, Ryanair has an Inflight magazine that shows passengers their food and drink options. While this magazine is available on board, it’s also available on their website.
Ryanair’s food and drink options are taken care of by Getaway Cafe. For instance, Ryanair offers you a Value Deal which includes one drink, one snack, and one sandwich/panini for €10.99. Passengers can also choose which drink, snack, or sandwich they’d like to order.
Their Hungry Deal, on the other hand, costs €11.99 and comes with one drink, one snack, and one hot meal. Similarly, they have a few sanswich options that cost €6.00 and others that cost €6.25 each. The Inflight magazine shows you the whole menu offered by Getaway Cafe for you take a look.
Operational Performance
Ryanair’s operational performance is generally reliable, but there have been instances of cancellations and delays. Several passengers have claimed Ryanair to be the most on-time airline, whereas others have faced the occasional delay.
However, given that the airline’s orders for the latest Boeing 737 Max 10 jets are expected to be delayed, which could result in the airline trimming schedules.
On-time Departures
Ryanair generally has a good track record of on-time departures. While there can be the occasional delay, these aren’t unique to Ryanair alone and can happen with any airline. One of the key factors that contribute to Ryanair’s largely punctual operations is that it typically doesn’t use major airports like LHR (Heathrow Airport) for its operations, resulting in much less frequent tarmac delays.
Baggage Handling
While Ryanair’s baggage handling procedure is the same as those of every other airline, several reports online do point to instances of damaged, delayed, or lost baggage. This isn’t uncommon among air passengers, who often receive their luggage damaged or broken given the rough handling on and off the airplane.
Flight Cancellations and Delays
Ryanair, as with any other airline, has a good track record of flights being on time. According to Ryanair’s own website, they have a good punctuality record, with 90% of their flights arriving within 15 minutes of their scheduled time.
However, there may be cases when your flight may be delayed or canceled. In this case, airline passengers are protected by the provisions of EU 261 or EC 261, a European regulation that establishes the obligation of the airline to pay EU261 compensation for inconvenience.
Note that Ryanair compensation awarded to you is only applicable in situations or delays caused by circumstances under Ryanair’s control. Factors such as inclement weather are beyond the airline’s control.
Safety Standards
Are Ryanair flights safe? When compared to many other airlines, Ryanair has an excellent safety record. It was even recognized as the world’s safest airline in 2018. Since its inception in 1984, there have been no passenger or crew member fatalities, demonstrating the airline’s commitment to safety. According to the Aviation Safety Network, Ryanair has reported 13 incidents in total, with the latest occurring in 2019. Most of these were minor events, such as minor taxiway collisions with other planes on the runway, which did not result in any serious injuries. While the low-fare flights on this airline might give the impression of lower safety standards, their cuts primarily affect in-flight amenities, baggage allowances, and other such frills.
Therefore, based on this information, we can say that they do not compromise on their flights’ safety.
Fleet Technical Condition
As of the 31st of March, 2024, Ryanair has a fleet of 584 aircraft. Of these 411 flights are Boeing 737s – Next Gen, 140 are Gamechangers, and 27 of these are Airbus A320s. The airline also has 300 Boeing 737 Max 10 on order. Given their high safety standards, it goes to say that the fleet is well maintained with routine checks to ensure the planes’ airworthiness.
Recently, the Federal Aviation Administration in the US grounded all 171 Boeing 727 Max 9 planes. It’s essential to note that Ryanair doesn’t have any Max 9s in its fleet. However, these safety concerns, along with the airline’s CEO’s recent statements about wanting to see improved overall quality on Boeing flights are noteworthy.
Environmental Sustainability
With sustainability being a key issue recently, Ryanair is working to reduce its environmental impact with its investment in the more fuel-efficient Boeing 727 Max 10s. They’ve committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 along with implementing the use of 12.5% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030. Additionally, the airline is also implementing a range of solutions to decarbonize its operations, form a new flight planning system, an Environmental Management System, electrification their ground handling, and much more.
Consumer Protection Policies
As with every other airline, Ryanair’s operations are governed by EU261 which we’ve mentioned above. To recap, this legislation of the European Union establishes rules on compensation and assistance that airlines must offer passengers in the event of long delays, denied boarding, or cancellations, among others.
For more information on the provisions of this regulation, you can check out our detailed guide on air passenger rights.
Route Information and Destinations
Ryanair flies across an extensive network of routes and designations. It flies to 5 destinations domestically (within Ireland) and to 227 international destinations spread across 39 countries. Some of these countries include Belgium, Bulgaria, Austria, Luxembourg, Morocco, Italy, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
These destinations span the continent of Europe and destinations in North Africa and the Middle East.
One key detail to remember is that the airports that Ryanair flies to can be out of the way. In some countries or cities that have more than one airport, one of which is usually the international airport that caters to larger airlines, Ryanair will typically fly you to a smaller airport.
As a result, you must check which airport your flight will arrive at, and whether it’s easily connected by public transportation.
Pricing and Fees
While Ryanair is a low-fare airline, it’s crucial to remember that it achieves these fares by providing you with the bare minimum – no frills or fancier amenities like complimentary meals, check-in baggage, and so on. Their fares vary based on the kind of ticket you choose. These are mentioned below.
- Basic – This is the most basic ticket and only allows you to carry one small bag that must fit under the seat.
- Regular – This ticket allows you to carry two cabin bags, one of which must be a maximum of 10kgs, and the other a small bag that can fit under the seat. You also get Priority. Ryanair typically charges anywhere between €6/£6 to €30/£30 for this ticket.
- Plus – This ticket is more expensive and gives you a reserved seat, along with the provision to carry a 20kg check-in bag and a small bag. You also get free check-in at the airport. The reserved seat will cost you between €2/£2 to €15/£15.
- Flexi Plus – This is the most expensive ticket, and waives the flight change fee in case you need to change your booking. It allows you to reserve any seat type, gives you priority boarding and two cabin bags, and fast-track security checking.
Fare Transparency
Ryanair is generally tranaparwent with its fares, giving you a breakdown of how much your ticket will cost you during the process of booking one. However, given that their airline charges for every additional amenity, and that it has very specific rules about baggage allowances and meals, for example, the process starts becoming tricky to navigate.
This often leads to passengers having to pay additional costs while checking in, adding to the cost of their fare.
Additional Fees
As mentioned earlier, the base price of the ticket you pay only covers your seat on the flight along with the provision for a small bag that can slide under your seat. Note, that if you want to sit on a seat of your choice, you’ll have to pay an extra charge for it. If you’re not so particular, you might end up getting the middle seat.
Further, group reservations are often split up, so if you want to sit with your friends or family, you’ll have to pay an additional charge.
In terms of luggage, if you want to carry a cabin-sized suitcase that fits in the overhead compartment or a piece of check-in luggage, you’ll have to pay an extra charge. For instance, to carry two cabin bags and get priority boarding, you’ll have to pay an additional charge of anywhere between €/£6 – €/£36 at the time of the booking. If you ask for these services at the airport, prices can vary between €/£20 – €/£38.
Similarly, the price for carrying a 10kg check-in bag during booking varies between €/£11.99- €/£29.99, and a 20kg check-in bag will cost you between €/£18.99 – €/£59.99 per flight.
You’ll similarly also have to pay an additional charge to carry items like ski equipment, musical instruments, sports equipment, golf clubs, and a bike, for example.
As you can see, Ryanair’s pricing policy can be extremely detailed, making it seem less transparent. These technicalities also result in increased travel costs at the last minute.
Loyalty Programs
Unlike other airlines, Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Laery has made it clear that it doesn’t intend to offer frequent flyers the additional benefits of a loyalty program. This is in stark contrast to its two key rivals Wizz Air and easyJet and Wizz Air, both of which offer paid loyalty programs that give their frequent flyers benefits against a subscription. His reasoning behind not implementing a loyalty program is two-pronged. The first is the complexity of implementing such a program, and the second is that airline passengers often extract more benefits from the airline than the cost of the subscription, making it financially not-so-sound.
Refunds and Ticket Cancellation
Ryanair’s refund and ticket cancellation policies are strict, with a fee that the airline charges for either of these requests. If you cancel your flight within 24 hours of booking it, you will get a full refund. However, the official website states that the airline doesn’t offer refunds if you have a booking and choose not to travel, since the seat book operates empty in your absence.
Customer Service
While Ryanair has a customer service facility to assist you with queries, they can be rather difficult to contact. Response times can also vary for some queries, which can make the process challenging. In fact, back in 2019, a survey conducted by Which, they analysed the customer service of 100 popular UK brands, saw Ryanair fall last in terms of customer satisfaction, with a satisfaction score of 45%. This was the sixth consecutive year in which Ryanair fell to the bottom of the rankings.
Furthermore, with a choice of 50 words that customers could choose from to describe the airline, most respondents to the survey picked “arrogant,” “sneaky,” and “greedy.”
As a result, we’d advise to double-check your bookings every time to avoid having to rely on the airline’s customer support department.
Support Channels
You can contact Ryanair’s customer service team via four different channels. These include –
- Phone: The main contact number for Ryanair’s customer service is +44 113 868 4151. Additionally, the airline provides a list of contact numbers for every country.
- Live Chat
- Queries/Feedback form
The Ryanair Help Centre also answers Frequently Asked Questions that can be helpful in understanding their policies or finding solutions to common queries.
Response Time
Some customers have reported not receiving responses from their customer service department, while others have had their queries left unresolved midway.
Some reviews also state that it’s nearly impossible to contact them by phone and that email responses seem generic at best, likely generated by AI. The quickest way of getting solutions to simple problems will inevitably be their live chat, but response times via phone and email, for example, can be extremely slow or inconsistent.
Handling of Issues and Complaints
As mentioned earlier, vast numbers of passengers have reported difficulties in receiving satisfactory resolutions to their problems. One of the many steps of the review process requires the passenger to upload a selfie to prove they’re not a robot. However, several passengers have claimed to be unable to have their faces recognized, even in well-lit rooms.
Further, the airline also makes it clear that they’re not in a position to deal with travel agencies. As a result, if you happen to have a problem with your flight and booked your ticket via a travel agent, you’ll have a tough time finding a resolution to your problem.
In fact, Ryanair clearly states on its website that they advise passengers to book tickets directly through the airline’s app or website, rather than through third-party travel agents, so as not to complicate the already complex problem-solving process.
Customer Reviews
Ryanair has received mixed reviews from customers. Here are the pros and cons of the airline based on a study of multiple customer reviews –
Pros
- Low base fares across multiple routes
- High safety standards
- Vast route network
- Rare delays due to the reliance on smaller airports
Cons
- Customer service is hard to reach
- Strict baggage policies
- Lack of transparency in their pricing policies
About Ryanair
Ryanair is a low-cost European airline that’s headquartered in Swords, Ireland. Founded in 1984, the company currently operates a fleet of 584 planes, with orders placed for several more aircraft. It operates as one of the largest carriers within Europe and connects over 225 global destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.
Ryanair benefited from the European Union’s deregulation of the airline industry. To keep costs low, it employs specific measures such as operating out of smaller airports to benefit from lower landing fees, buying fuel in bulk when prices are low, and pushing for aircraft designs that lead to the inclusion of more seats inside and reduced external drag for improved fuel efficiency.
While the airline often gets flak for its low-budget and no-frills operations, it also revolutionized low budget travel, making it more accessible to all.
Conclusion
Ryanair offers affordable flights across a host of different destinations, making it the ideal carrier for budget-conscious travelers. While the low-cost fares come at the cost of amenities, comfortable baggage allowances, and the lack of choice in terms of seating, it continues to enjoy immense popularity among those on a budget.
The airline also has various rules that must be followed to ensure a smooth flying experience, but if you can manage to take note of these, you will find yourself on board among some of the safest airlines globally.
FAQ
Ryanair is among the safest airlines in the world and offers an extensive network of routes across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East for those looking to travel on a budget. Their services are reliable, and their flights are largely on schedule, resulting in a convenient flying experience.
One of the biggest disadvantages of Ryanair is that its baggage fees can add up quite a bit, particularly if you’re flying with more than one piece of cabin baggage. What’s more, if you want to travel with a second piece of cabin luggage, and/or check-in luggage, you’ll have to pay for each piece of luggage you carry.
You can check in online with Ryanair starting 48 hours before your flight if you haven’t purchased a seat. However, if you opt to select a seat in advance, you can check in up to 60 days before your flight. It’s essential to check in within this window to avoid additional fees at the airport.
You can contact Ryanair’s customer service by calling +44 113 868 4151. This is their main helpline, but they also provide country-specific numbers on their website. Note that contacting them by phone may sometimes involve waiting times due to high call volumes.
Ryanair is very strict with its hand luggage policy. The base ticket only allows one small bag measuring 40cm x 20cm x 25cm that fits under your seat. If you need to carry an additional cabin bag (up to 55cm x 40cm x 20cm), you must purchase Priority Boarding. Exceeding these dimensions or weights will incur additional charges.
Ryanair has had zero crashes resulting in fatalities since its inception in 1984. While there have been 13 reported incidents, these were mainly minor events such as taxiway collisions, and did not result in any severe injuries.
Ryanair’s verification process typically takes around 24 hours if you’re required to confirm your identity online. For cases where additional verification is necessary, such as booking with third-party agents, it might take longer, sometimes up to 48 hours.
Ryanair is able to offer low-cost flights by adopting a no-frills business model. The airline achieves cost savings by using smaller airports with lower landing fees, offering no complimentary in-flight services, operating with high aircraft utilization rates, and charging for additional services such as baggage, seat selection, and priority boarding. This allows Ryanair to keep base fares low while generating revenue through ancillary fees.