The Ryanair Experience

My holidays in Europe would have never happened without Ryanair and Skyscanner. In fact, whenever i'm bored or when i have time, I make it a point to check out these two websites.

Thanks to them, practically all my air tickets, I just paid for the airport taxes or a 5 euro flat fee for my air ticket due to the promotions. In a way, thank you financial crisis ! -l-


But as many websites have shared. Traveling with Ryanair is not exactly a dream, normally, you get sent to faraway airports when the cost of traveling from the airport to the city is more than your airfare. You get delayed flights (yup!). You get flashbacks of your life when the plane tries to land (yup ! yup ! yup !). On their 737-800 planes, somehow I meet all the air turbulence that i have never met before on Asian airlines. (more flashbacks of my life!)

In order to save cost on Ryanair, I don't check in my luggage at all ( 5 euro saved !), I don't get travel insurance in case they lose my stuff or cancel my flight ( 10 euro saved !), no priority boarding ( who cares if you can get a seat?), disregard the fact that the flight flies at 6am in the morning ( sleeping in airports is something that i have extensive experience with now).

Other little things for the Ryanair experience, you can't get any sleep on the plane. Literally, the plane is loud, they play loud music. The airline crew earns a commission for every drink / food item they sell on the flight, so they tend to want waking, hungry/thirsty passengers around.

In spite of all the budget airlines that we have in Asia, nothing comes close to the price that Ryanair is offering. (S$40 including airport tax? beat that tiger air ! ) Maybe our budget airlines are not getting the economies of scale to lower the prices, the airport taxes in the region might be too pricey. But promoting more travel within Asia will be a good macroeconomic way to promote growth for Singapore, especially with our reputation for a hub. No ?