Ryanair

[lilly]

Hi all,

Ryanair have today released their flights for 2014 if anyone is thinking of booking with them.
Do they only do flights or holidays too? I only ask because I have read that they quite frequently cancel flights altogether with sometimes giving only 4 hours notice so this really puts me off booking with them and if no alternate flights available then although you do get your money back your holiday would be ruined [We are travelling independently]. I know any airline can cancel flights but the likes of Thomsons/Thomas Cook are also providing package holidays so it would be doubtful that they would cancel  the flight completely.
Any help much apprieciated.

[Jaxbubbles]

Hi Lilly. We have used Ryan Air over a dozen times and I have never had a flight cancelled. They did change their flight times last year to Corfu but it was a few months before we were flying. Most of the flight we have been on are early morning.
It is only costing us £360 return from Edinburgh for the two of us next year whereas Thomsons flight price is £1050!! These prices for both airlines do not include paying extra for luggage.
They don't do holidays, we book our accommodation  independently.
People moan about Ryan Air but the bottom line is they are cheap, and we have almost always had our flights on time.

[lilly]

Hi Lilly. We have used Ryan Air over a dozen times and I have never had a flight cancelled. They did change their flight times last year to Corfu but it was a few months before we were flying. Most of the flight we have been on are early morning.
It is only costing us £360 return from Edinburgh for the two of us next year whereas Thomsons flight price is £1050!! These prices for both airlines do not include paying extra for luggage.
They don't do holidays, we book our accommodation  independently.
People moan about Ryan Air but the bottom line is they are cheap, and we have almost always had our flights on time.

Hi Jaxbubbles and thank you very much for the info, it is reassuring to know. How many hours did they change your flight time by? We are also booking independently again. The flight that we are looking at is early morning also which appeals to us. Even with the luggage it still works out a lot cheaper than Thomsons etc plus you get 10kg carry on luggage too.
Why do people moan about them, is there a common theme in the complaints?

[Jaxbubbles]

Hey Lilly
The flight should have departed Edinburgh at 7.30am but they changed it to 15.45! It wasn't to much of a big deal as we spent more time in the resort on our last day. I don't know why they get such bad press, every time we fly with them the flights are always full so they cant be that bad. Apart from the prices they charge for luggage, and on board drinks and food I think they are fine.

[benson]

Ryanair from East Midlands - only flights are Wednesday to Wednesday!

Not a lot of use, most appartments / hotels will only do Mondays, (some exceptions for Fridays)

The only god thing about Wednesday flights (if you can find any accomodation) is that Corfu airport will be relativly quiet!

Jet2, Monarch, Thomson or TommyCook for me.

Or how much time / petrol would it cost to drive to Brindisi and then get the ferry over to Corfu Town - anybody done this lately?

[Jaxbubbles]

Ryanair from East Midlands - only flights are Wednesday to Wednesday!

Not a lot of use, most appartments / hotels will only do Mondays, (some exceptions for Fridays)

The only god thing about Wednesday flights (if you can find any accomodation) is that Corfu airport will be relativly quiet!

Jet2, Monarch, Thomson or TommyCook for me.

Or how much time / petrol would it cost to drive to Brindisi and then get the ferry over to Corfu Town - anybody done this lately?

Hey Benson
Ryanair flights from Edinburgh is on Tuesdays and we have never had any trouble getting accommodation from Tuesday to Tuesday even in July/August. Have you tried to get a hotel/apartment from a Wednesday, I hope this isn't a new thing as we haven't booked anywhere to stay yet!

[lilly]

Ryanair from East Midlands - only flights are Wednesday to Wednesday!

Not a lot of use, most appartments / hotels will only do Mondays, (some exceptions for Fridays)

The only god thing about Wednesday flights (if you can find any accomodation) is that Corfu airport will be relativly quiet!

Jet2, Monarch, Thomson or TommyCook for me.

Or how much time / petrol would it cost to drive to Brindisi and then get the ferry over to Corfu Town - anybody done this lately?

Hi Benson, Flights from Manchester with Ryanair are on a Sunday 6.15am so we have just booked the outbound flight with them and booked inbound flight with T/Cook on a  Monday, we have booked apartments for 15 nights  but did check first if this was possible before we booked our flights so we get an extra night in SS. Total for both flights including with Ryanair 20kg luggage each/plus free 10kg hand luggage each/seat selection and with T/Cook 20kg luggage/free 5kg hand luggage each/ /seat selection/flight meal came to £600.
Quite happy with this because both flight times suit us plus we get an extra night too!

[rilo57]

 Hi Benson,i was thinking of driving over to Corfu last year and the price was not doable in my opinion.I am English but live in Belgium, so have an advantage already.It is approx 2,200 klm to Corfu from my home so thats about 180 euro in diesel 1 way plus return ferry with cabin or sleep rough in a seat for 12 hours.approx 30 hours drive 1 way, so a room for the night each way.I came up with a cost of around 1,000 euro in total.
I would love to do the drive, through beautifull countryside, but think its for when im retired and can do an easy pace.

[benson]

Nice replies guys - thanks.

I'm surprised accommodation is not a problem, maybe it’s a buyers’ market? When it was busier the owners I spoke to back then definitely wanted to keep to a strict Monday routine, well that was some 25 years ago and there are far more places to stay now of course.

Yeah a nice long drive, weeks in Corfu and then a week to get home, staying in nice Italian and French towns. Perfect Retirement planning!

[sunshinegirl]

We prefer if possible to book independently and have done on many occasions but this year we have booked with Thomsons for two weeks holiday bed and breakfast in San Stefanos at the hotel we wanted at the end of August and the total cost was £884 from Manchester.  This includes 20kgs baggage each and transfers.

We booked this two weeks ago but the price has already gone up by £250 and will probably continue to rise.  I think when booking with Thomsons/TC it is just the luck of the draw if you can book at the right time as they seem to change their prices every week so I think the secret is to just keep checking the website daily and when you see a good price book it.

If I could have got the same deal booking independently I would have definitely chose this route.

[Lesley]

Most independent owners are flexible with dates of arrivals as long as it fits in with their own bookings either side so any day of arrival and mostly any duration of stay most will ask for at least 4-5 days minimum stay. In the expanding market of independent bookings most owners are aware they need to be flexible, even  Thomas Cook whom use Easyjet for their own packages we have had arrivals (at Vicky's ) this summer on Mondays. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sundays...... think the only day we didn't have an arrival was a Thursday.  So indie bookings also can do the same for most accommodations in resort, pop them an email I am sure they will let you know if it suits their already received bookings......

[tonyco1]

Going back earlier in the thread, Ryanair are disliked because of their very poor customer service, which is generated from their boss.
However as already stated, they are cheap and cheerful.

Both Ryanair and Easyjet work out well if you turn up early, weigh your luggage and work within their rules.
Otherwise you can catch a severe cold.... as they say.

We have used both many times, and it work's for us, but we go extra early.
I always try to go independantly rather than Thomsons - but we all have our budget and sometimes we have used Thomsons as well.

The money you save on flights pays for the Taxi transfer, and the Apartments usually are in the reasonable price bracket.

We are going by Easyjet this year and I was able to book 2 weeks and 4 days at a very decent price and everyone is happy