RyanAir vs other airlines

I happen to live not far from Milan Bergamo airport, a major Ryanair hub in Italy, and yes, there have been many cancellations and it was up in the news. And on some itineraries, it's only Ryanair to do the services, especially on internal flights, which in a 'long' country like Italy have an extremely wide market: flying from Turin to Bari for example.

I have flown with Ryanair many times with no problem at all, you only have to know their rules and to act accordingly. As Luca writes, I don't understand what is happening and why.

My brother got stranded for an extra day in Malaga recently, because his flight was canceled due to 'crew problems'. Only it wasn't Ryanair, but easyjet. Ah, and very recently a friend lost a transatlantic connection in Frankfurt after a cancellation in Milan Linate. Only it wasn't Ryanair, but Lufthansa. So, you are never safe these days it seems.

Just checked Ryanair flights Madrid-Cph, and it looks like it isn't a cheap route. There's probably little competition.
The prices varied from €31 to €260. That is not the price range that I'm used to with cheap airlines. Iv'e flown with Rayanair 50 times or more, paying €10-15 at average, and occasionally buying two flights instead of one direct (if the connecting city was interesting enough for a short visit).

Like others said, the conventional airlines in Europe aren't much better. Inflight service, as it used to be, belongs to the past. Customer service is often below the standard. In my experience, the worst among the major airlines is Lufthansa. I've had several mishaps with them - from delays to lost luggage, and missed connections. At some point, I said I'd never fly with them again.
Iberia is relatively very cheap, specially on routes to South America, but the service on board is very poor.
These days, outside Europe, it's very difficult to beat Middle East and SEAsian airlines, when it comes to price and quality.

Iberia has always been poor to SA.Bad food,uncomfortable,lots of delays....

The only reason people use them is because they are cheap....

Apart from the troubles with Ryanair there are many strikes in the air lately.
There have been strikes of the French air controllers recently which has resulted in cancellations, and in Spain all airport ground staff had announced 25 days of general strikes between September and the end of the year. These strikes are on hold at the moment because there are negotiations, but if they don't turn out well for the unions the announced strikes might go on.

Raki Man, I don't know when you will be flying out of Madrid but I suggest you to do a Google search on 'Spanish airport strikes' and you will find press links with the announced dates. Needless to say that you better don't book a flight on one of those dates. Check them out.

Myself I will be flying to Malaga tomorrow (with TUI) and back on the 6th of October and both of these dates would be striking dates, which I didn't know when booking. Normally I should be safe since the unions there have announced that if there isn't an agreement before the end of September they will go on with their announced strikes as from the end of October. We will have to wait and see what happens.

Ryanair I have used many times, and what I personally found most interesting were many of their smaller destinations, such as Perpignan, Volos, .. If you have a hub nearby.
Their main problem at the moment seems to be the fact that they can't keep their pilots. The problem is more than just the holidays of the pilots to be taken before the end of the year, which is the official explanation. There is a general shortage of pilots, and with the bad conditions RA is offering many of them go to other airlines. They only have to choose which one.
I also think more problems are to come with RA.. They can't keep on forcing their staff to work under 'Irish law' when most of their staff is contractually based in one of the many hubs throughout Europe.

They have lost hundreds of pilots this year.

Not just over pay (though that is a large part of it) but also over working conditions.

The market for pilots is really growing at the moment..many ex Ryanair pilots went to Norwegian (which is investing a lot in budget flights) but many others have also gone to China for example...

Yeah as i said interesting times for Ryanair - lot of competition and if they cant get pilots they cant fly. Watch this space hey - personally never had much time gor them as an airline

Iberia has always been poor to SA.Bad food,uncomfortable,lots of delays....

The only reason people use them is because they are cheap....

Not only. I used them twice to go to South America to avoid having to transit through the States.

Yes,that's a good point.

The US airlines are no better either...

They have already offered pay rises to pilots.They will probably have to offer more....if they do,they will get enough pilots.Capitalism in action;-)

Well, what did I say in #13

Can you imagine that all Ryanair staff, including the pilots have to pay for their drinking water? Just like the customers have to do.
And that is only a small detail..