I recently made an online booking for an all inclusive holiday to Tenerife.
I did this last year and spent a lovely week in the hotel in Callao Salvaje, a really nice seaside place where it is not as touristy and manic as many resorts on Tenerife, and as my brother and his young family live close by – it gave my daughter and I quality time with them.
The downside last year was that the holiday included ‘budget flights’ and Ryanair were at their worst. My daughter and I couldn’t sit together and flight personnel were quite rude. I vowed then not to use them again. But booking this latest holiday changed that because my holiday provider chose Ryanair as the carrier.
SO – after discussions with my son during my stay with him this weekend, I decided to upgrade my flights to have ‘priority boarding’ – not expensive, and it gives us a chance of sitting together.
Whilst doing this my son checked the rest of the booking and discovered that we had no baggage allowance booked. We were supposed to go for one week with just hand baggage!
I rang the holiday provider, they said that was correct and to check my tickets as it was down to the airline to work that out – they only booked the flights and hotel!
I have now revised my booking to include priority boarding both ways, 15k baggage allowance for two, both ways and now because we have baggage we have to check in ….. guess what? Yes its another payment, both ways. A total of £65 on top of what I have already paid!
But, worse than all of this would be the embarrassment of arriving at East Midlands Airport and being told that I couldn’t take my case!
So, warning to you – check out your check in allowance very carefully – it may not be what you thought it would be…..
Much the same happened to me recently when I traveled to see Moon for a weekend of golf and good fun. I booked through a travel site, on Air Canada, and the tickets included an allowance for two checked bags. I went with two checked bags. Then discovered that the flight was a co-share with United Airlines (part of the Star Alliance), and they charged for the checked baggage. Had to pay of course. What do you think my chances are of getting this back from Air Canada. Ha!
At least Air Canada, I “lovingly” refer to them as the ‘Peoples Airline’, has no plans to charge for use of the toilets. Ryan Air I think will soon be ‘charging a pound to spend a penny’. Best take some change with you!
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Hi Kate, hope my first comment on your site isn’t as annoying as a budget flight ‘experience’. Don’t suppose it helps ‘cos they probably fly from different airports, but try Stelios’ outfit, they were great taking me to Geneva.
ps thanks for the HTML stuff under the comments window, i’ve just started learning.
This has been the case more and more as we just suffered through this business once with my Daughter coming from then returning to London and again with older Daughter and family going to San Diego and back. Airlines all over have just gone over the edge and I think, it is in question whether or not they will find their way back to solid footing without more kicking around of the consumers with elevator boots. Sad times to be sure, however good luck with it all, hope it works out.
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Hmmmmm and here is me about to book a flight with RyanAir to Dublin in the summer. Thanks for the warning. Still, at least my bladder is in good working order, so I shouldn’t have to pay to pee.
Don’t Bug Me!´s last blog post.."There is a grandeur in this view of life."
Cortes: Trouble is i can see what will happen at the airport … families with small children, elderly people – they will all suffer the humiliation of this if they haven’t sorted it out early. And if my past experience with Ryanair is anything to go by – God help them!
Sistertex – maybe they all want us not to use them in the future – I am sure people will get very choosy who they fly with if this continues.
DBM – Normally I don’t leave my seat anyway – never been a good flier – but I am sure it will be amusing to watch people club together and hold the door open for the next passenger when the stewardess is looking the other way.
Welcome Gitwizard – you were lurking in moderation there – thanks for the advice I’ll be shopping around in future thats for sure.
So…. when will be seeing your blog site alive and kicking? All HTML’d and looking pretty?
I hope you get on OK.
Last time we went to the UK with Ryanair we booked priority boarding…only to find out that almost everyone else had 🙁
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Oh Val – now I have become all disillusioned again …. I might have to become one of these people who wait at the departure gate door to ensure an early place – is this any way to start a holiday?
I cam back to read the comments and responses to them and see you have exchanged the photo of beautiful ‘Hippi’ with your kitty. How is your kitty doing Kate, hoping much better right along.
Sistertex´s last blog post..It?s The Little Things.
Sistertex – The photo’s change all the while, my wonderful son set up the theme on my blog and asked what photos i would like on there.
I said he could choose some of the animals (no embarrassing one’s eh Keiron?) and he did – they are lovely aren’t they?
Maxie is improving daily thank you…. he is desperate to go out and reclaim his realm but until the scars are healed and covered with thick fur for protection he has to be satisfied with threatening looks from the safety of the window ledge (inside) !!!
I bet you have a lovely time. We’ve only been to the Canaries once and it was great. I had a cousin who lived in Lanzorate but the silly woman has now moved back to NZ – very inconvenient!!!!
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I took the photo’s ages ago – there are hundreds on my machine so it was a difficult choice!
I’m just glad we spotted this problem early, what a horrible way to think about starting the holiday – and I’d imagine the cost when you actually try to upgrade at the airport is a lot more than you have paid out for!!
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Thanks DP I’m sure we will enjoy it – its good to catch up with the family – and good for my Spanish practice as well!!!
Keiron – I’m glad you spotted it too…. I can do without problems at airports xx
Hi Kate, it’s alive but not sure it will ever ‘kick’, and AM sure it will never be pretty.
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I too have a weeks holiday booked in Tenerife at the end of April (off to see my cousin who lives out there and is expecting her baby any day now)
I could have pre-booked guaranteed seats for an additional £10 per person per direction or £25 if I wanted seats with additional leg room. I declined and will take a chance that I will be able to sit with my mum for the 4 hour journey most of which I usually sleep so she won’t be expecting any conversation out of me!
PS Kate Thanks for the hugs to William via EM’s blog although will remove the lampshade collar first!!
Taffy’s mum – I remember Hippie having one of those collars on – she ripped it up and ate it on the first night – don’t think she’s a normal greyhound really do you?
Where are you flying from and what date – we could be fighting for seats on the same plane?
I leave on 22 April from Gatwick but have not booked with Ryan Air as they were not the cheapest when I did the availability search!
(PS 35 days and counting!)
ooh that makes mine 38 days ! Gatwick is a bit far for us although flights are often cheaper we spend the difference in car park bills!!!
Enjoy your holiday – I hope you have a good sitter for William!
I am leaving OH behind to dog-sit for me as he owes me for the week he left me home-alone whilst he went fishing in France last month (and in the USA last September) 😀
And that’s why Ryanair is so cheap! Son No. 1 flew with them to Italy recently. He said they were very good, but that everything – but everything – had to be paid for as an extra! As long as you’re aware of that, you’re OK!
I hope you have a good holiday! 🙂
That was the reason I wouldn’t choose to fly with them but when you book a holiday with a travel company the trouble is you don’t get any say in the choice of airline.
I intend to have a good time though, loads of Spanish practice amongst other things!!!
Kate, have you gone on your holiday yet? If so, how did it go?
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Not yet my friend but not long to go … don’t worry there will be photos!!!!