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QUOTE=Real ale Madrid;1371304]Flew with Ryanair a good few times and never once had a problem with them. I Ignore all the people passing with all the scratch cards and I buy a newspapaer cheaper in the terminal.
I fly Cork to Amsterdam with Aer lingus every week and talking to various people that would not have been affordable in the pre ryanair days when Aer lingus used to charge what they liked. So I get to come home and see my wife / family every weekend so I'm actually grateful to Michael O'Leary for that.
As long as its safe to fly with Ryanair - I dont think you can have too many complaints about them given how cheap the flights are. Make sure you read all the T and C's before you leave.
I'm surprised to hear that the Dub - Leeds flight is rarely on time. I've flown ( off the top of my head ) Cork- Dub, Cork - Stans, Dub -eindhoven, Dub - Newcastle, Dub - Preswick, over the past year or so, and not once have I ever been on a flight that was late.
The Dublin / Leeds / Dublin flights are one in the morning and one in the evening meaning that air craft is prob on a dublin / Birmingham / Dublin or some other place during the day. As it is the last light in that crafts sector any delay has a knock on effect. Not to be pedantic but just to back up my experience.
On the safety issue, Ryan air are the safest airline you could ever hope to fly with. Think about it..... They are seen to have made airline travel affordable (i disagree but that's another battle) by driving costs, employee productivity, screwing airports and suppliers. It could be perceived corners are cut. So if there was an accident their reputation would be destroyed big style, O Learly knows that and safety, maintanance, pilot training, are areas not skimped on. In fact I have heard that Ryanair pay more to their capatins than Aerlingus (737 800 against Shamrocks A321) for flying the same type of air craft, to keep experienced (and therefore skilled pilots) at the company.
I remember flying Ryanair Dublin leeds Dublin, Dublin East Midlands Dublin, and then Dublin Newcast Dublin on Aerlingus in about 8 days. The difference in service on the Shamrock flight was tangibile. Failte as you came on board, nice green uniforms, pleasent smiles in an Irish Accent, more leg room etc. No comparison, I just wish they flew to more places. Personally, I think the difference is worth about 100 euro per ticket to fly with anyone else other than Ryanair. But as someone said it's about accesability and FR go to places others don't.