WINDOWS FOR NOTHING AND YOUR AISLES FOR FREE! Did I manage to outsmart Ryanair's seat system?
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- Опубліковано 28 тра 2022
- Ryanair offer some great fares, but will always encourage you to spend extra on buying an aisle or window seat, otherwise you may end up with a middle seat. The word which attracted my attention was "may", because 'may' doesn't necessarily mean 'definitely'. This told me there was a way of avoiding the dreaded middle seat. This challenge was filmed to/from Dublin in an attempt to out-smart the Ryanair seat selection system. The fact I ended up with a window seat in both directions makes this experiment a success, although part was down to luck.
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I caught a Ryanair flight to fez a few months ago and yes had a middle seat, but in the window seat was a woman with a baby. It was a bit crammed so when the stewardess came along I asked if it would be possible to move so as to give the mother more room. She agreed and once the plane took off I was moved to a window seat where the middle seat was empty.. during the flight I walked back and saw the mother had lifted the armrest and the baby was sound asleep in the middle seat.. a win win situation for us all but not easily repeatable.
I am sure Mr O'leary has now watched this video and has instructed his IT team to make sure this don't happen again unless you pay for the upgrade seats.
What's the IT team going to do when all 64 middle seats are allocated? Stretch the plane to add a few more? That might be a little expensive!
There are some people who are naturally anxious and need to be in the queue, ready to go! Look at them all at the airport waiting in line for hours just to get on the plane, so his idea is a sound one. I would guess most people will check in before the 4 hour limit and hence only 64 people can get the middle seat and you will have to get one of the seats you normally pay for. Unless you are crew and then you'll get the best seat in the house and be paid for it!
@@rogerblackwood8815 whoosh
@@rogerblackwood8815 knowing RyanAir, I wouldn't preclude stretching a plane to add extra middle seats! 😂
If you are travelling with a companion the random seat allocator ALWAYS splits you. This is to force you to pay to be together!
And this seems to be unique to ryanair, easyJet will sit travel companions together through their seating allocation
RyanAir "kidnapped" me once. Boarded plane but there was a 6 hour delay due to a technical issue. There was no point me going to Dublin anymore (meeting I was going to have happened) but they wouldn't let anyone off the plane. So I had to go to Dublin to come straight back. I complained and got rebuffed so I went to the Scotsman newspaper who covered it in an article. Eventually got the flight refunded after about 18 months.
It's unfortunate but for security reasons unless a passenger is unwell or causing trouble then you will not be let off the aircraft. So you weren't kidnapped just very unlucky 🤣🤣 glad you got your money though
@@stephenconnolly2582 In fairness at the time BA and BMI would have let you off if the plane was delayed beyond the reason for travel (if you didn’t have hold baggage) - but it meant bringing a flight dispatcher - I had this happen a few times with them.
I asked the RyanAir pilot why they wouldn’t do this when BA and BMI would and he said RyanAir wouldn’t incur the expense of getting a flight dispatcher - which I guess is consistent with their low cost philosophy!
@@RogEdwardsTV well yeah that says it all really with ryanair haha
I’ve been doing this for years. I called if Ryanair bingo! On my most recent trip I got the extra legroom window seat one way & and another window seat on the back.
When they realise a pax has bagged a free window seat, Ryanair go out and scratch it :) Awesome video Sir! EDIT: and I just noticed the title, haha genuis!!!
Despite these handy tips, Ryanair remains my 'airline of last resort'. They've perfected the trick of squeezing all joy from the act of flying and replacing it with anxiety.
Can I actually ask why? Flown with them a fair few times. Been delayed on a couple of them. But otherwise they've always gotten me from A to B in good time. Obviously I guess your experiences will differ, as with any airline etc
@@CallumAtwal Because Ryanair is used by "cheap" and often selfish tourists with no manners. Pushing and shoving, cutting in lines, loud and obnoxious. Plus seats are extremely small and they often land at airports that aren't even in or near the city that you are going to. But yes flights are cheap and people fly this airline to save money
@@CallumAtwal Hi Callum - The 'planes themselves are fine and the flying experience too, but it is the build up. Booking is a minefield of 'pre-ticked' upsell options, check-in is like being a POW under scrutiny for any infractions of their rules and boarding a bit of a bunfight. This might be old news though - I have avoided them for several years now because of the reasons above and maybe they've changed?
@@Robutube1 I completely understand all of that. For a first time user of ryanair, it can be daunting. I think I've become quite robotic in saying No to all the upsells etc. I know what I can get away with when it comes to baggage. Maybe give them another go (not sponsored by them or anything). But I love when I'm able to fly to somewhere in Europe for a tenner haha.
I once went with my mum to check-in her big bag. Was a 20kg limit and it was like 20.1kg. they tried charging £11 for it but managed to put some stuff in her small bag. But that's how they keep their fares low.
Once you master the ryanair way, it oddly becomes enjoyable. Maybe I'm just a bit odd 😂😂
Fact especially with the racket of PCRs
Thanks again Scotty for a very interesting video. No wonder I'm browned off with television programs. So boring and stereotyped
but your videos are so fresh and natural. I'm looking forward to more of your genius, and simplistic production. Real life stuff!
I totally agree with you, if window and aisle seats are available giving you a middle seat is done out of spite!
its hardly spite, why give away seats that people are prepared to pay more for? give them away when you have no other choice.
@@louisfinegan5530 well the point is there aren't any paying customers to fill the window and aisle seats are there, otherwise the aisle and window seats would not be free! Scott was sat in a middle seat with nobody occupying the window or the aisle seat!
@@terranceparsons5185 indeed. but if anyone came along after Scott was allocated his middle seat, they might well pay for the aisle or window. You are requiring the (what I imagine is simple) algorithm to have some point where it decides that nobody is going to pay for an aisle or window anymore so it might as well start giving them away. I don't imagine there is such a point and it would be simpler to never assign an aisle or window randomly until all the middles are gone. It's not spite just simple greed, give away all the less valuable before giving away any more valuable.
It’s the game ! They also need to make money. It’s not a charity… So I understand that they’ll do whatever they can to get more money, and you’ll have fun figuring out how to pay the least and outsmart them 😉. I’m glad they exist, as when I was young, it was always expensive to take a plane. Now we get more choices, according to the price we’re ready to pay for what. And the smarter you are, the more you read and learn about it, the least you pay. So thanks to all the youtubers who give up their tips !
It's because they hope someone will come in very last minute and pay... But yeah I know what you mean. Saying that, I paid £40 return from Edinburgh to London , they have to make money somehow and frankly, Edinburgh to London, all I need is a basic seat. 😊
Tried your strategy earlier today flying JetStar (Australia's equivalent to RyanAir) on a cheap fare with no seat selection or anything. In the morning I did online check-in to see what the seat map was showing and lo and behold there were two middle seats left with every other seat available being an emergency exit or first row seat. Hence, I decided to hold off checking in till I got to the airport about an hour before departure and low and behold I was spat out a ticket that was emergency exit row!
Really enjoy this channel. This is a great choice of video and very useful. 👍
😁👍🏽 great video as usual Scott. Love the camera skills and music.
Thank you Scott. Some minutes with you are always convenient.
Fascinating! I have to admit to never having flown Ryan air. But tell me, if you have 6 hours in Dublin, why don't you actually go to Dublin? Surely you'd have a better chance of getting your beer and chocs there!
Because it can take about an hour to get into Dublin and another hour to get out. And even that's not a guarantee.
I made the journey by normal Dublin Bus from the city centre to the airport around 5pm and it took over one hour to get there even though Dublin has an excellent bus lane system which is let down by lousy traffic light timing.
That is a nice hack. I remember running for seats. I was wearing comfortable shoes for my sprint for the best seat. Those were good times, since then I have not taken them.
Thank you for making these interesting video! A big effort to test out a theory. Sharing your finding with all of us.
Morning Scott
Discovered your channel a couple of weeks ago.
Love the channel,you have inspired me to get out and start travelling again.
Much support Rich from Chester.
Sail rail to Dublin lad.
Good one Scott. Love your videos! Cheers from Australia.
Love watching your videos! Also I just checked in for a Ryanair flight from Stansted to Rodez, I did what you said and waited for all the middle seats (and in this case, aisle seats too) to disappear, checked in and got myself a free window seat near the front of the plane. That seat would normally cost about £13 to reserve. Doesn’t seem right paying that much for a seat when the flight itself only cost £10. Great Ryanair travel hack
that late check works even better abroad .as a lot of foreign airlines do airport check in and not online .so if you are the last person to check in you are given seat A1 2 3 4 5 or 6 .. the principal being late comers do not delay departure ..
Great video mate, enjoyed
Many years ago I did Ryanair Liverpool to Dublin and then Dublin to Cork, this was after pier c was split (when arrivals and departures use to mix in the same area). On landing in Dublin I followed the transfer signs and it brought me back through to a side entrance at security where it cut out queuing up but still needed to go back through screening.
Really entertaining video, thank you for this!!
What a brilliant video.
Well worth the long day.
Love a bit of Scotty on a Sunday 🏅
I love your videos, I am glad I am "flying" with you
I flew Ryanair for the first time in many years back in April. Checked in online the day before, didn't pay any mind to the seat number. Boarded the plane and discovered it was an exit row seat so extra legroom. Best bit was, there were only 4 of us sitting in the exit rows so we each had a set of 3 seats to ourselves!
If you are traveling alone without baggage check in as late as possible. Look at what seats are still available to reserve. This gives an approximate idea of how full the flight is. Select random seat and accept the inevitable middle seat. Do your best to be the last to board. Enter the plane from the front (even if your allocated seat is in row 28). Look for a row near the front with only one person in the inevitable middle seat. Confidently sit in the aisle seat. The chance of a latecomer boarding and having a reservation for that very seat is small. With a bit of luck occupier of middle seat will move to the window.. Chance of being challenged is small. Don't ask for permission to move - Ryanair tend to deny as a matter of principle.
Nice one Scott 👍👍👍
I just pay for extra leg room because it also qualifies you to choose a window seat and priority boarding and all that for a tenner each way is alot better than waiting tillthe last minute to check in
a better option is to board the plane last, and choose any free seat on the plane you like !
I use Ryanair a lot, mostly travelling solo, I never pay for a seat, I start checking once we get to the 24 hour departure time, you can go into the app and look at seat availability so it gives you an idea what you might get on random selection, as people check in the available seats will be fewer and fewer ...usually like on this video I wait until roughly 1 hour or less until the deadline , although be careful you do not miss that,then check in for random seat...often I avoid the middle seat although it happens the odd time you get one but more often than not as the chances of a middle seat are less as they are taken up...incidentally another tip here , keep an eye on what seats are empty until you check in ...its likely by the time boarding comes they will still be empty and sit in one of them if its not a middle seat...you can always move to your allocated seat if someone has that seat at the last minute....
I think I'd be miffed if I'd bought a window or aisle only to find Ryanair plonked someone in the middle seat even though the other outer seat was empty. Many years ago when it was free seating on Ryanair, I was flying early morning from Stansted to Dublin. The flight was scarcely a quarter full. I bagged a window and some guy landed himself in the middle seat beside me even though almost all seats around us were empty.
I would have said "seeing as the planes very empty I'm going to find an empty row to stretch out" and gave him the look as I left!
Thanks for this video. It was really interesting to see how Ryanair operate. Debbie & Patrick in New Zealand
These £5 day trip flights don’t work for me when it costs 3x that much just to get to the damn airport….
then pay 500 to a ''regular airline'' for minimum extra comfort. see how you like it then :)
@@rapidprimus but the cost to get to the airport remains the same....🤔
I do day trips between Liverpool and Dublin on a regular basis and I try the roulette seat selection most times. Last time I did it, I got a premium window seat in the first row. Most times I do get the isle seat but as it's a very short flight, it doesn't bother me.
I’m off to Dublin in little over a week from London, using your tactic. Hopefully it will work!
I do this all the time on flights between Dublin and Malaga. Doesn't always work but it improves your chances of getting an aisle or window seat. Once or twice I got an emergency exit seat. Obviously, Ryanair were holding on to it in the hope of selling it.
On my last trip from Malaga to Dublin (in April) I was assigned seat number 29B, thinking that I was out of luck. But to my surprise, I was on the new 737 Max, which has an additional emergency exit in Row 28, and 29A was unoccupied. 29A (and 29F) on the Max have extended legroom (like 2 metres) because of the emergency exit configuration. I reckoned I got the best seat on the aircraft without paying Ryanair a penny extra.
The moral of the storey, if you are happy to trust your luck, is to wait until the last minute for online check-in, and you will improve your chances of getting a better seat for free. No guarantee but worth the risk.
Problem with 4 hrs is you are always in transit and tend to forget. It happens me twice. On a train walking to platform. Hard to do even for a ninja. €50 can get vip class then
That was great. Good idea. 👍 thank you
Queues at Dublin Airport stretching outside today. Many flights missed. Its scandalous.
Love your shows, Greg in OZ
Legend!!
People catching the wrong flight is nothing new with Ryanair. Many years ago when their flights cost 1p (with £11.98 tax) each way, I flew to Nice from Stanstead. Being single, and it being the days of the rugby scrum (seats weren't allocated then) I used to wait until last before boarding as usually the person in the aisle seat was asked to move over to the middle seat to allow me to sit down. However on this occassion there were still 30 of us left in the departure lounge. It turned out that a party of 30 elderly women had got on the Nice flight instead of the Marseilles flight and were refusing to get off and get on their own plane at the next gate, holding both planes up for over half an hour. Eventually they were persuaded and we all got on the correct flights eventually. Noone was left behind.
Previously when I was only flying SAS, I wasn't reserving a seat at all up until 24 hours before.
Only then you could check in and reserve a seat for free (that wasn't premium)
These days I don't find the extra 4 pounds to get the seat I want (again, that's not premium) ahead of time.
I recently flew easyJet from Amsterdam to Edinburgh and back. I was given an aisle seat going and a window seat coming back at no extra charge. Excellent service better than Holland's blue pride and joy and for a fraction of the price they charge.
KLM is a sixth-freedom (or transfer) airline. Its point-to-point prices tend to be more expensive. I would rather its passengers fly beyond (rather than simply to) Amsterdam.
Great video, would love to see something from the south of Scotland (Duns actually). Duns - Tubbercurry -Trieste is my life journey.
I think the south of Scotland would make for an interesting video too, and I think Duns would be a good starting point for maybe a challenge.
I played Ryanair Random Seat Roulette in March 2020, Prague to Bournemouth. I was literally their only passenger. #covid
I'm enjoying your videos pal. I haven't travelled with Ryanair for yonks, what 'small' carry on bag did you use please?
I got the exit a good few times now on the Edinburgh - Dublin and vice versa. Seem to have some luck with the roulette
love the butter hack
Great video
Wow Scott you flew over my hometown Saltcoats ❤️
Oh no! You've let the secret out! I travel a lot between London / Dublin and also figured this out over the course of my frequent flights
I’ve been enjoying your content and going back through your videos! Can I ask about the cityjet RJ85 model on the shelf behind you? I’ve been looking for one for ever! Nothing ever comes up on eBay. Can I ask if you remember where you purchased it from and what make it is. Thanks!
Nice one thanks. 👍by the way I love Legia t-shirt.
Great Watch 👌
I have never had the bottle to do this and so always paid for a window seat. Maybe I'll try next time. But I have risked this with Easyjet and have never been given a middle seat. Incidentally, these flights from GLA to DUB are what Ryanair call duty-free flights, so it's possible to purchase duty free items on board, such as perfumes, tobacco/cigarettes etc, and never have to leave the airport if you're returning same day. The duty-free goods on board tend to be cheaper than purchasing the same items at the duty free shop at Dublin airport.
They do a preview of the Random seat chosen, with the option to change the seat (not for free though).
Recent trip to Malta with Ryanair, did pay for seating since i have 2 kids, so went for row 6 out and back. I noticed that on both flights the extra legroom seats (premium) went to row 7-8, so we had extra legroom (Premium) which i did not pay for . Our plane seating plan shows only up to 6. Has anyone else had this.
I presume on the return journey you just scooted over to the unoccupied window seat. The flight attendants wouldn't have a clue what seat you were allocated
Did you hear about Ryanair building new first class lounges? They will be located on the tarmac, open air, with corrugated tin roofs. Complimentary rye crisps and water will be served, but there will be a 20 Pound admission charge.
A 4 Euro voucher! Might as well have given them 4 marbles! The contempt they have for their own passengers. The same in the States with a company called Spirit. If their plan crashed, they'd institute a $5 fee once on the ground as an "early exit" fee.
I very regularly book three return flights Dublin to Alicante for wife son and myself. Each time they are allocated outer seats and everytime I'm allocated a middle seat even though I'm the one paying ha ha :). Last week I did an experiment I decided to check in each of us separate individual rather than all one family group and low and behold for first time in years I got an edge seat on outgoing and ingoing. So from now on I'll check in at last minute and individually :)
How has the allocation been since your last post here 2 months ago? Is it working?
@@fidgetspinner343 working excellent, I did it with three flights last week. I've learned I need to check in late lol 😂
Over the last weekend myself and my wife took three Ryanair flights, were separated on each of them, had free seats beside at least one of us and got to sit together. Just under €80 saved by being cheeky.
Check in VERY late, especially if travelling alone. I nearly always get an extra legroom seat because they are the ones left!
I won Ryanair Roulette a few weeks back, got allocated seat 5C... A £15 seat to pre-book
Surely it's the M80 at Cumbernauld. The M90 runs from Edinburgh to Perth
Your system works! Or at least it did that day.
I always wait for the last minute to check in on Ryanair. I always get a window or an aisle seat. Flights do be 90% full though.
Like others I wonder if you could have just shuffled over to the window seat once boarding was completed? But I have heard tales of people being told to remain in their allocated seats by cabin crew (something to do with weight distribution)...maybe on a tiny plane but surely not in a 737-800?
I often check in just as I leave the house for the airport, 75% of the time I get what you class as premium seats, front or legroom seats. But middle seats don't bother me, middle seat passenger has the right to both arm rests, not many people know that!
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Been using this "trick" for years... you can slo just board as the very last person and just pick a seat (if flights not full)
I have went day trips with Ryanair and never paid for a seat. You fly with Ryanair to go cheap. I’ve had a mix of middle, window and aisle.
Interesting video. However I doubt if this would have worked for flying ex-DUB at the present time. Why ? If you have seen the media reports today there have been massive queues at DUB with the airport telling people that if they are still queuing outside the terminal it is unlikely they will make their flight.
The M80 runs in Cumbernauld 😊 the m90 is in Fife
Are you usually allocated seats at the back of the plane if they are not paid for .?
At Barcelona - el Prat airport - Ruinair offer and accept payment for a security fast-track which doesn’t exist and never has.
Very smart, you told everyone! Next time you will get middle seat again, because everybody will wait to the last minute😂
At least Ryanair didn't leave you in Dire Straits. Oh wait... .
There are some horror stories about Ryanair, as you mentioned in the video, Scott. The sheer number of passengers means there will be things that go wrong. I have had issues flying business class on British Airways. The complexity of the modern airport processes and the number of people involved in a flight means there is ample scope for problems, especially at the moment when staff shortages are commonplace.
I am glad that your gamble paid off for your two flights though, as you acknowledge, it will not always work.
I will be trying that trick.. quality!! 😂. I've flown Ryan air for two return journeys .. meh, a plane is a plane. But appreciate that's just my experience.
Do you need to go to the RyanAir desk if you have the carry on bag(40x25x20) only or it is just straight through to security with your mobile phone electronic boarding card that you get after check in??
bypass the desk, go straight to the gate
7:35 Ardrossan and Saltcoats...home for me, well, Ardrossan is anyway.
Have just flown ryanair .always choose a rear boarding.have never paid for seat ..i ad £49 including a 20kg case in hold ...cant complain.on a 2 hour flight i dont need food ..although i know at times things go wrong.
If I was allocated an middle seat, I would wait until I was the very last person to board and try to see if there are any good seats left. Obviously the flight must not be full for this method to work.
I flew London Stansted to Dublin 2 weeks ago, a guy in the row in front of me in the middle seat asked the flight attendant if he, his wife & child could sit together once the flight was underway. The flight attendant said Ok they joined him from the rear of the plane. Obviously didnt pay extra to sit together, just asked when onboard. I also heard someone else ask if they could sit with their family it was allowed. Flight wasn't quite full. I guess that's not sanctioned by O'Leary but the flight staff were happy to oblige.
People don't understand that airlines are NOT responsible for the boarding, the airport staff is. So if someone is left behind is because of the ground staff (airport worker) reported to the captain that the boarding is complete. Check your facts before judging.
One could wait to be the very last passenger to board the aircraft, then one can choose to sit in any empty seat knowing noone else is boarding. ~This way one can possibly manage to grab a whole row of seats... especially good to do on any long haul flight so one can lay down and go to sleep
This is my trick. I just sit in 16A 15. I’m last on. Or am I.
I paid extra. Stansted to Berlin for extra legroom n window seat to get views of the city
I fly all the time with ryanair and had to laugh at the people who ended up on the madrid flight and not Stansted. They make many announcements with the destination and the flight time on board so I think it's their own fault for not paying attention 🤣🤣
i woundered how far you could of got from dublin airport still iving enough time for your retern leg. B.
I like your Legia Warszawa t-shirt. Be careful wearing it in Warsaw though!
I don't get how did u get free of charge for seat? As you pay your flights before check-in?
Scott, On April 25 I was denied access to a Ryanair flight because they said my passport was out of date. It was issued in May 2012 and so was less than 10 years old when I tried to fly. When I took it out they added some extra time because my old passport hadn't expired and so the expiry date was Feb2023. It was valid so I was wrongly denied access to the flight. Can you do a bit of research on this and maybe do a video on it.
From what I’ve read, the rule is your passport must be less than 10 years old when you leave the EU (although it sounds like they plan to be a little more flexible going forward for people who have passports with more than 10 years validity). Not sure if this is what caused the issue here? Then again, RyanAir don’t do returns. So they wouldn’t know when you were planning to return.
Nice i will try that ! little John from Chichester
Last time I flew Ryanair the pilot bounced the aircraft down the runway at Liverpool airport. 🤣
Do you mind me asking *precisely* what the email said?
By George, I think he's got it.
If you have free seats beside you you can't move into them?
Its easy. They check your ticket at the gate but no longer on the aircraft so the cabin crew have absolutely no idea what seat you are meant to be in. Board last. That way you know your seat will be free but you can scope out what other seats are available and the pick is yours!!! !
Dublin airport is a pain in the baws