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Osahi · Sep 17, 2017

Ryanair is a pretty shitty company, but they are cheap so you take their shit and shrug it off. You pay for what you get is the right mindset. But now they really fucked up.

Because of a new Irish law, companies are now obliged to give their employees all of their legal vacation days before the end of the year (I don't know how it was before, I have the impression a company could decide when 'the year' started before?). Because they have four months to go to meet these requirements, a lot of staff and pilots needs to take up their vacation in the coming months.

This made Ryanair decide to force a lot of employees to take their vacation days in the next few weeks, as to be conform the law. The result: a push of many flights being cancelled.

The shitty thing is, they have only givin their customers a heads-up two days prior, which led to many problems for people departing on holiday or coming back, who don't have a flight back in time or don't have the time to rebook in time.

Ryanair has tried to appease angry customers by publishing lists of all flights to be cancelled until Wednesday, after 82 failed to take off on Sunday, with the airline admitting it had mismanaged the planning of pilot holidays.

However, this will do little to calm nerves as travellers are demanding to know which flights will be cancelled over the next six weeks when Ryanair has said there would be up to 2,000 cancellations. Up to 400,000 passengers could be affected.

Ryanair is cancelling about 55 flights a day on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Ryanair's Kenny Jacobs said: ”We will cancel 40 to 50 flights daily for the next six weeks, less than 2% of our schedule, with a slightly higher number initially, as we begin to implement these cancellations.

”Flights are operating as scheduled unless an email confirming a cancellation has been received. Cancellation notices for flights cancelled up to and including Wednesday 20 September have been sent to affected customers and posted on the Ryanair.com website. We will continue to send regular updates and post flight information on our website, with the next set of cancellations to be issued on Monday. We apologise sincerely to all affected customers for these cancellations."

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...flights-cancelled-three-days-angry-passengers

I'm flying on monday the 25th with them, so I don't know as of yet if my flight will go trough. If they wait untill two days prior, I'll be having to rebook 4 tickets asap, as I fly back with another company, so I'm not getting a refund if I miss that flight. On the one hand, I hope it comes trough to spare me the hassle, on the other hands, in Europe you are very well protected as a customer. If they cancel the flight less than two weeks before departure, they not only have to provide you with an alternative or pay for your other flight at another companty (+ expenses), you also have the right to up to 600 euro's (unless you arrive within 4 hours of your original scheduled time with your alternative flight).

I would be able to get 400 euros times 4, so that's not pocket money anymore.

For those affected: know your rights! http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en.htm

Cancel my flight if old.

NeoGiff · Sep 17, 2017

I'm flying with them from Dublin to Birmingham on the 22nd, and back on the 24th. Still have no idea about whether or not my flights are safe. It's disgraceful.

BlazingDarkness · Sep 17, 2017

I have flew Ryanair on one occasion. It was grim, never again.

Linkura · Sep 17, 2017

Sounds about right for them.

CitizenVectron · Sep 17, 2017

Sounds like the company didn't have a plan for how to handle vacation days.

Bombless · Sep 17, 2017

I like how they tried to disguise it as "cancelling a few flights so we can go back up to 90% on time flights" (which is a dumbass reason altogether) yesterday only to come clean today once someone got the word out.

Ryanair sucks.

CitizenVectron said:
Sounds like the company didn't have a plan for how to handle vacation days.

Nah, more like they did everything they could for staff not to go on vacation until the law was changed to force Ryanair (and others) to give them their vacation days within the same year.

butzopower · Sep 17, 2017

They should just compensate with free scratch tickets they wake you up to try and sell you.

Orbis · Sep 17, 2017

Flew with Ryanair once and despite my flight being the last of the night and the plane sitting there on the tarmac, it was delayed for 2 hrs for no reason. No apology or explanation given.

Easyjet have generally been a far more reliable budget airline in my experience.

Mesousa · Sep 17, 2017

Orbis said:
Flew with Ryanair once and despite my flight being the last of the night and the plane sitting there on the tarmac, it was delayed for 2 hrs for no reason. No apology or explanation given.

Easyjet have generally been a far more reliable budget airline in my experience.

How much was the flight?

disco · Sep 17, 2017

I hope they don't fuck up my cheapo £23 each way flight to Venice next month.

Chinner · Sep 17, 2017

Jet2 are way better cheapo flight company

Orbis · Sep 17, 2017

Mesousa said:
How much was the flight?

Not sure as it was paid for by my employer, can't have been much though as it was a late Murcia to Luton flight.

Also I remember now that Ryanair were once named in a safety report as an airline who were dangerously under fuelling their planes to save money.

Santiako · Sep 17, 2017

I'm flying to Spain today and back on the 28th with them, hope I make it through -_-

danowat · Sep 17, 2017

I am flying to Copenhagen with them on the 9th,only because they were a 1/3 less than the next cheapest.

Pay peanuts get monkeys.

CitizenVectron · Sep 17, 2017

Bombless said:
I like how they tried to disguise it as "cancelling a few flights so we can go back up to 90% on time flights" (which is a dumbass reason altogether) yesterday only to come clean today once someone got the word out.

Ryanair sucks.

Nah, more like they did everything they could for staff not to go on vacation until the law was changed to force Ryanair (and others) to give them their vacation days within the same year.

Right, that's what I meant.

I'm curious, are Irish workers allowed to be paid out for the vacation days instead of taking them? Because I often would do that at my job (live in Canada, my province gives 3 weeks paid vacation). After 10 years I was getting 4 weeks vacation, plus I could carry over 1 week. So if I had 5 weeks and only used 3, I would take a payout for 2 weeks for a nice bonus at the end of the year if I didn't have a use for the days.

Viewt · Sep 17, 2017

One of the worst flights I've ever taken was a Ryanair flight from Fez to Madrid. Everything seemed to be held together with tape.

Osahi · Sep 17, 2017

Orbis said:
Flew with Ryanair once and despite my flight being the last of the night and the plane sitting there on the tarmac, it was delayed for 2 hrs for no reason. No apology or explanation given.

Easyjet have generally been a far more reliable budget airline in my experience.

Had the same once. At least the pilot called in to say it was due to high traffic, which ment there weren't enough push back vehicles available. He said he was trying to get their position in the waiting line improved, but failed. Thing is, Ryanair always gets booted to the back of the line in cases like this. I was longer in a plane on the tarmac than I was in the air at that time.

(Had the same issue with another company once, and the pilot managed to get pushed back earlier then originally anounced. Basically went this: "I'll try to get the waiting time reduced by asking if they can take us first. 5 minutes later he anounced his request was granted. Ryanair pilot anounced three or four times his request was denied. Was the same airport by the way.)

I don't think they are populair with flight control, as many of their flights can't be put on hold on arrival because they basicly fly on fumes the last miles. So when it's busy on the airport other planes can stay in the air, but Ryanair ones need to land.

danthefan · Sep 17, 2017

Bombless said:
Nah, more like they did everything they could for staff not to go on vacation until the law was changed to force Ryanair (and others) to give them their vacation days within the same year.

I live in Ireland, in the previous company I worked for the leave year ran from Sept - Aug instead of Jan - Dec. This had absolutely no material impact on me or anyone else I ever spoke to or worked with, it's not uncommon as as someone with experience of it I don't see any issue with it at all. In Ireland at least every employee is entitled to, by law, 20 days paid leave per leave year, there is nothing Ryanair can do about that.

Where Ryanair have fucked up here is they just don't have enough staff to cover annual leave for these pilots. I completely agree for the passengers being left not knowing if their flight will go or not on basically no notice that this is unacceptable.

Viewt said:
One of the worst flights I've ever taken was a Ryanair flight from Fez to Madrid. Everything seemed to be held together with tape.

Ryanair have a modern fleet and in their current incarnation as a low cost carrier they always have.

Osahi said:
I don't think they are populair with flight control, as many of their flights can't be put on hold on arrival because they basicly fly on fumes the last miles.

For fuck sake, there are very strict laws on how much fuel a plane has to carry, this is nonsense.

SomedayTheFire · Sep 17, 2017

CitizenVectron said:
Right, that's what I meant.

I'm curious, are Irish workers allowed to be paid out for the vacation days instead of taking them? Because I often would do that at my job (live in Canada, my province gives 3 weeks paid vacation). After 10 years I was getting 4 weeks vacation, plus I could carry over 1 week. So if I had 5 weeks and only used 3, I would take a payout for 2 weeks for a nice bonus at the end of the year if I didn't have a use for the days.

No that's illegal. We are guaranteed at the very least 4 weeks.

hydrophilic attack · Sep 17, 2017

ryanair is the worst

TheOnlyOneHeEverFeared · Sep 17, 2017

hydrophilic attack said:
ryanair is the worst

They really are.

hitme · Sep 17, 2017

Flew Ryanair once from Dublin to Zurich.

Never again.

DavidDesu · Sep 17, 2017

Well my girlfriend and I were hit by this.

In Berlin atm, supposed to be from Wednesday and flying back yesterday but we found out on Thursday night that our flight was cancelled, got the email at 11pm.

We could get a refund or pick a new flight for free, however they only do one flight a day and the Sunday flight was fully booked. Monday it was... So we had to scramble around at midnight booking a new hotel for the additional two nights.

It pretty unbelievable what they're doing and how much it's going to cost them because they WILL be paying every single passenger compensation which is 250 for short haul flights (under 1500km) and significantly more if it's over that. To leave your customers stranded for additional days abroad at the drop of a hat like that when they obviously knew this was coming is fucking atrocious. My back of a napkin calculations figure this could cost them 100 million or thereabouts just for the basic compensation. If they are forced to pay for people's hotels, which I really feel they should, then way more...

Their prices are great and so far we've not had problems but I doubt we'll be flying again after this.

danthefan · Sep 17, 2017

DavidDesu said:
Well my girlfriend and I were hit by this.

In Berlin atm, supposed to be from Wednesday and flying back yesterday but we found out on Thursday night that our flight was cancelled, got the email at 11pm.

We could get a refund or pick a new flight for free, however they only do one flight a day and the Sunday flight was fully booked. Monday it was... So we had to scramble around at midnight booking a new hotel for the additional two nights.

It pretty unbelievable what they're doing and how much it's going to cost them because they WILL be paying every single passenger compensation which is 250 for short haul flights (under 1500km) and significantly more if it's over that. To leave your customers stranded for additional days abroad at the drop of a hat like that when they obviously knew this was coming is fucking atrocious. My back of a napkin calculations figure this could cost them 100 million or thereabouts just for the basic compensation. If they are forced to pay for people's hotels, which I really feel they should, then way more...

Their prices are great and so far we've not had problems but I doubt we'll be flying again after this.

I had a Ryanair flight today, you've basically described my nightmare scenario once I heard they'd started cancelling flights. They should be paying for hotels, it's completely unfair to cancel your flight and then expect you to cover the associated costs.

Rktk · Sep 17, 2017

All that yellow in the cabin is nauseating, I try and avoid them.

TheOnlyOneHeEverFeared · Sep 17, 2017

danthefan said:
I had a Ryanair flight today, you've basically described my nightmare scenario once I heard they'd started cancelling flights. They should be paying for hotels, it's completely unfair to cancel your flight and then expect you to cover the associated costs.

Aren't they definitely supposed to cover accommodation?

TechnicPuppet · Sep 17, 2017

I can't believe they choose to do this. They should be hammered with a fine running into 100s of millions.

Osahi · Sep 17, 2017

danthefan said:
For fuck sake, there are very strict laws on how much fuel a plane has to carry, this is nonsense.

There are, and Ryanair is known to only take the bare requiered minimum as to use less fuel. This mains they will run out sooner when asked to circle the airport, and have to be pushed to the front of the queu sooner.

They might take more fuel today (I honestly don't know), but there have been incidents in the past where Ryanair planes had to arrive at an airport in mayday. Just a quick google finds lots of articles about the practice.

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel...nair-cut-fuel-levels-for-flights-8749046.html

For the rest, I don't have a lot of quelms with Ryanair. Their planes are fine and for the low price I don't care the nuissance of less leg room, less bagage, shitty terminals, ... Me and my wife have a tolerance of 25 euros on the route we often take. If another company is less then 25 more expensive, we fly with them. For any savings more, we take the nuissances.

michaelius · Sep 17, 2017

Hmm I read different story - that other scandinavian cheap flight company which was in talks with them for partnership when talks failed hired a bunch of Ryan pilots which wasn't difficult due to Ryan cutting wages several times.

Thankfully I only had to use their crappy service once and it was company bussiness so I had priority boarding ticket (aka the only way to make sure your carry on baggage is actually in cabin with you).

Osahi said:
There are, and Ryanair is known to only take the bare requiered minimum as to use less fuel. This mains they will run out sooner when asked to circle the airport, and have to be pushed to the front of the queu sooner.

That exactly happened to my flight - they landed us 300km away and after 2 hours gave us a bus to destination airport - so I ended at 2am in the airport when there is no public transport at that time and had to take taxi home.

Osahi · Sep 17, 2017

DavidDesu said:
Well my girlfriend and I were hit by this.

In Berlin atm, supposed to be from Wednesday and flying back yesterday but we found out on Thursday night that our flight was cancelled, got the email at 11pm.

We could get a refund or pick a new flight for free, however they only do one flight a day and the Sunday flight was fully booked. Monday it was... So we had to scramble around at midnight booking a new hotel for the additional two nights.

It pretty unbelievable what they're doing and how much it's going to cost them because they WILL be paying every single passenger compensation which is 250 for short haul flights (under 1500km) and significantly more if it's over that. To leave your customers stranded for additional days abroad at the drop of a hat like that when they obviously knew this was coming is fucking atrocious. My back of a napkin calculations figure this could cost them 100 million or thereabouts just for the basic compensation. If they are forced to pay for people's hotels, which I really feel they should, then way more...

Their prices are great and so far we've not had problems but I doubt we'll be flying again after this.

They have to pay for the expenses you made. So you can send them your hotel bills, and they can only refuse to pay all of them if you 'excess' e.g.: booking the presidential suite in the Hilton while there were regular rooms in the 3 star hotel next door available.

Good luck, dude. It must be a shitty way to end your holiday. I hope your refunds and compensations arrive swiftly and without hassle.

Shiggy · Sep 17, 2017

Good luck fighting for your compensation if they cancel your flights. You may want to hand over that work to some agency which takes a 25% cut or so, otherwise they may just ignore you unless you go to court.

danthefan · Sep 17, 2017

Osahi said:
There are, and Ryanair is known to only take the bare requiered minimum as to use less fuel. This mains they will run out sooner when asked to circle the airport, and have to be pushed to the front of the queu sooner.

They might take more fuel today (I honestly don't know), but there have been incidents in the past where Ryanair planes had to arrive at an airport in mayday. Just a quick google finds lots of articles about the practice.

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel...nair-cut-fuel-levels-for-flights-8749046.html

For the rest, I don't have a lot of quelms with Ryanair. Their planes are fine and for the low price I don't care the nuissance of less leg room, less bagage, shitty terminals, ... Me and my wife have a tolerance of 25 euros on the route we often take. If another company is less then 25 more expensive, we fly with them. For any savings more, we take the nuissances.

That flight was diverted from Madrid and the plane had to circle for an hour before they called the emergency. There's literally a correction in that article you posted stating their planes can carry above the mandatory minimum, the link is in the first paragraph.

In fact, their pilots are permitted to carry 300kg over the minimum requirement and more in some circumstances. Our report referred to a legal minimum fuel-reserve which aircraft must have on board: we should have made clear this is on departure and Ryanair complied with this take-off requirement.

It's a nice dramatic article but the fact of the matter is they now carry 100m+ passengers per year and they have never had an accident, ever.

Osahi · Sep 17, 2017

Shiggy said:
Good luck fighting for your compensation if they cancel your flights. You may want to hand over that work to some agency which takes a 25% cut or so, otherwise they may just ignore you unless you go to court.

I don't think they will ignore you, as they suffered massive PR damage allready and this would only open them up for government interference or a class action type of thing (with all the exposure this is getting in newspapers). I think they count on lots of people not realizing they can get 250, 400 or 600 euro's compensation, and just paying the ones who do.

danthefan said:
That flight was diverted from Madrid and the plane had to circle for an hour before they called the emergency. There's even a correction in that article you posted stating their planes can carry above the mandatory minimum, the link is in the first paragraph. It's a nice dramatic article but the fact of the matter is they now carry 100m+ passengers per year and they have never had an accident, ever.

I found articles of forbidden sites like DM, with more examples. I never argued they are unsafe to fly with, as indeed there never was an accident and their fleet is very modern. I argued they might not be populair with flight control as they tend to take the bare minimum emergency fuel, which, in some cases means they have to call emergency sooner. I might have stated it to harshly with 'arriving on fumes', which was a figure of speech.

SilentSoldier · Sep 17, 2017

BlazingDarkness said:
I have flew Ryanair on one occasion. It was grim, never again.

Same, never ever again. Worst airline imaginable. Not even the cheap prices are worth it.

BlazingDarkness · Sep 17, 2017

It's so odd because I also flew EasyJet once and it's also budget but I had no problem with the flight.
The description that it feels like the plane is duct taped together is very apt.

My usual go to is Etihad these days, super cheap (can get a return from UK to Tokyo for just like 400 quid) but doesn't feel at all budget, either the plane itself or the service.

Fox1304 · Sep 17, 2017

Crap, I'm flying two times with them before the end of the year, one this week end and another in November.
Hope it'll get through.

fierrotlepou · Sep 17, 2017

hitme said:
Flew Ryanair once from Dublin to Zurich.

Never again.

SilentSoldier said:
Same, never ever again. Worst airline imaginable. Not even the cheap prices are worth it.

Could you elaborate on what went wrong please?

danthefan · Sep 17, 2017

BlazingDarkness said:
The description that it feels like the plane is duct taped together is very apt.

It's actually complete nonsense, their fleet is as modern and well maintained as any short-haul carrier around.

Etihad are a different type of airline, and they use much larger planes for routes like UK to Tokyo. I'd be surprised if Etihad and Ryanair fly a single route in common.

Neo C. · Sep 17, 2017

23rd is my flight. This is horrible.

Sloane · Sep 17, 2017

fierrotlepou said:
Could you elaborate on what went wrong please?

Curious about that, too. Flown them quite a number of times, no issues.

TheOnlyOneHeEverFeared · Sep 17, 2017

I only tend to fly short distance (Liverpool to Dublin and back) is only about half an hour, but its still a travesty. I was getting a flight back from Liverpool 2 weeks ago and the gate was supposed to close at 7.45, take off by 8.25, we were left standing round in the terminal till half 9, then about an hour to get everyone and their shit onto the plane, didn't take off till close to 11. Can't imagine a longer flight, must be awful.

liftedly · Sep 17, 2017

My first time flying was with Ryanair earlier this year (Eindhoven > London Stansted), everything went well. Two months ago I booked another flight on the same route for next Thursday. It was cancelled on Friday. Looks like I got lucky there, would have had a problem if I got the news 1 day before my flight like many others have...

I have another flight to London booked for next month (in the morning), really hope that one doesn't get cancelled!

sphinx · Sep 17, 2017

the 22nd, my collegues are flying Madrid - Hamburg with ryanair and we need to hold a presentation during the weekend.

if it gets cancelled we are soooo fucked..

snap0212 · Sep 17, 2017

Man, I just booked a flight to Poland and back... Only paid 26 Euros, though. Let's hope they don't cancel it.

Salvadora · Sep 17, 2017

BlazingDarkness said:
It's so odd because I also flew EasyJet once and it's also budget but I had no problem with the flight.
The description that it feels like the plane is duct taped together is very apt.

My usual go to is Etihad these days, super cheap (can get a return from UK to Tokyo for just like 400 quid) but doesn't feel at all budget, either the plane itself or the service.

Any links for those sorts of deals?

El Daniel · Sep 17, 2017

Fuck Im flying the 26th with Ryanair. First time flying also.

Syder · Sep 17, 2017

Good ol' Ryanair, can always count on them to be consistently garbage; if you have family in Ireland though you kinda depend on this company.

NYCmetsfan · Sep 17, 2017

easy jet and jet2 seem far and away the better cheap airlines in europe

when I lived in europe ryan air never made sense

Neo C. · Sep 17, 2017

Osahi said:
On the one hand, I hope it comes trough to spare me the hassle, on the other hands, in Europe you are very well protected as a customer. If they cancel the flight less than two weeks before departure, they not only have to provide you with an alternative or pay for your other flight at another companty (+ expenses), you also have the right to up to 600 euro's (unless you arrive within 4 hours of your original scheduled time with your alternative flight).

I would be able to get 400 euros times 4, so that's not pocket money anymore.

For those affected: know your rights! http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en.htm

Cancel my flight if old.

Just in case, how can I make them to pay for my alternative flight at another company with minimal hassle? What's the smartest way to approach them when a flight is cancelled?

Stinkles · Sep 17, 2017

My favorite part was their weak apology that said "very small number of passengers affected.

400,000

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