FAT FINGER SYNDROME!

After quite a few mentions on the RYANAIR Fanclub Forum, I thought I would write a little about having “Fat Finger Syndrome”.

I will explain a little.  In England, that’s what we call making a slight typing error, whilst typing away on your keyboard.  As such, there is a web-site called www.fatfingers.com that you can input a search for (as an example RYANAIR) and that web-site will search eBay for any mis-typed auctions relevant to RYANAIR !

Anyway, back on subject.  If you make a “slight” error in either Booking your flight, or inputting your details for on-line check-in, from what has been mentioned on the Forum and also from personal experience, RYANAIR can spot a GENUINE mistake, and generally rectify the mistake without a charge.

My personal experience, happened out in Ireland.  I had booked my flight over to Ireland, and my friend booked the return flight.  It was only whilst we were travelling around Ireland and on the last but one day, I looked at my online check-in boarding card and saw that my friend had spelt my surname incorrectly.  There was an A where there should have been an E.

Well, I was saving up money to pay a change of name fee or something similar.  I walked up to the ticket desk, explained the circumstances, also showing my passport and outbound boarding pass.  The girl tapped away on her computer and said it will be fine.  IT WAS.

Others on the Forum, have also had similar success as I have seen recently.

I would suggest, that, if you have had a mis-typed incident, be it an incorrect spelling of your name or typing an incorrect number in for your passport details, CALL RYANAIR !

They will be able to tell if it is a genuine mistake!  For example, if your surname is Jones and once you have booked, you have realised it has come out as Jines (I and O, being next to each other on the keyboard), OR your passport number is 123456789 and you have typed in 123456798.  Generally, this will be corrected Free of charge.

Now if you have inputted Jones as the passenger flying and then you turn around and say, “I’ve made a slight error, it should be Smith”, then I’m afraid, THAT will be deemed as a name change and will be charged as such.

I’m not going to post the number here, but if you wish to get an international number, rather than a local premium rate number, please visit www.saynoto0870.com and search for RYANAIR’s international number.

I hope that helps a little.
Steve

26th March 2009

Ryanair announces their 200th Boeing 737-8AS aircraft has been delivered!

Believed to be EI-EBO, after counting down the list supplied on http://jethros.eu/fleets/fleet_listings/ryanair_in_service.htm , we see the 200th Boeing 737-800 aircraft delivered to Ryanair.  Confirmed here http://aerspace.blogspot.com/2009/03/ryanair-take-delivery-of-200th-b737.html

Ryanair's 200th Boeing 737-800 arrives at Dublin on delivery, 18 March 2009. 

From http://www.flickr.com/photos/24101413@N03/3365464445/sizes/o/

Are YOU flexible?

Having a little play around on the RYANAIR web-site this afternoon, I have noticed a nice little tool that I personally hadn’t seen since the web-site was updated to the current format. There has been a similar version on the old (original) web-site.

On the home page, where you select what flights and dates you wish to travel on, just above the dates, there is an option to click in a box saying “My Travel Dates are Flexible”.  Then, when you click on “Book Cheap Flights”, you will have the dates you have selected highlighted, along with the 3 days either side of the date you have chosen.

It basically gives you an idea of the cheapest fares either side of the date you have chosen.  That way, if you are indeed flexible, you might be able to bag a bargain flight on a different day.  It’s very simple to look further from your dates, as there are links to go instead to the Next or Previous weeks, saves time rather than keep going through individual days.

19th February 2009

Latest news today, is that the aircraft that have been fitted with the equipment to allow mobile phones to be used in-flight on RYANAIR have been switched on.   On listening to Irish radio station Today FM, Ray D’Arcy was calling for people to call him on his radio show when they took off on the plane.  So after a little nose around through the internet, I have found this article   http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/4691114/Ryanair-to-launch-mobile-phone-service.html  which describes that today’s 10am London Gatwick to Dublin flight had the equipment in use on-board, I guess there was a Daily Telegraph reporter on board that called the office!

However, looking through the article it does appear to be currently only available to customers of the o2 mobile phone network.

Calls will cost between £1.50 and £3 per minute, text messages will cost 40 pence each and emails will cost between £1 and £2. I doubt that I will call anyone, but at 40p text from 37,000 feet en-route somewhere to someone who knows I will be in the air at the time would be hilarious.

Regards, Steve

Hello everyone.

I’m Steve, member in the Forum, stevestrac.  I would firstly like to thank Grad and Juan, for allowing me to create and edit the News section for the Ryanair Fanclub.  I look forward to the challenges it will no doubt bring me over time.

If there is anything news-worthy you might like me to add to the News section, please feel free to e-mail me.  The link is at the top of the page.

A quick introduction of myself, as I’m sure you don’t really want to read about me and would rather read about the BEST Low Fares Airline…………. RYANAIR!

I live close to Stansted Airport and have gradually built up flying a lot, as the prices have fallen with Ryanair.  If you have flown into Stansted and travelled into London using the Stansted Express, I might well have been your driver of the train.  Just to put you “in the picture” my current picture at the top of the page is of EI-DAV.  This has been the only plane I’ve had a problem with.  I was on a flight out to Cork and there was an electrical burning smell coming from both the galley’s.  We were met back at Stansted by the Fire Brigade and had an escort back on to stand.  I have yet to fly on the plane since, but I have been VERY close many times as that picture shows, EI-DAV parked next to my flight to Dublin in June 2008.

For my first item here, I thought I would answer a question that is asked of me everywhere I go at work.  My “fame” for finding and flying at a good price “just for fun” is everywhere at work.  Unless someone flies with me, they really do not believe I pay 1 Pence, 1 Pound or any other CHEAP fare.  Next time someone asks me, I will have a web-page to direct them to.

So, for those visiting this website for the first time, I will just let you know I’m going to be boring all the members that have been here for ages for the next few paragraphs!

For those of you looking for a CHEAP RYANAIR! Flight read on.

This is to answer the question I get asked most often.  “How do you get the cheap flights?” My answer you have to KEEP LOOKING.  Next is, “Yeah, but how much is the taxes and charges?”  My answer is nothing! THAT IS IT!

So, how do you get that 1 Pence/Cent flight. Well, I am sad to inform you that it doesn’t happen everyday.  If they did, Ryanair would not be in business now.

My answers to friends and work colleagues questions are simple for a cheap fare.

1. Fly where Ryanair WANT you to fly to, that’s why the offer is on the site.
2. Fly when Ryanair WANT you to fly. You’ll never get a 1 Pence/Cent flight on a Friday or Sunday

If you want to fly out on a Friday and return on a Sunday, expect to pay “the going rate”, especially if you want to go to that “fashionable place”.

Top tips.

1. Click on the FLASHING banner at the top centre of the homepage at www.ryanair.com
2. Look at and NOTE the dates that the special offer applies to.
3. There are BLACKOUT days, which are generally school holidays and often the offers will exclude after 1200 on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and before 1200 on Mondays.  Although these are NOT definite and CHANGE regularly, SO CHECK!
4. There will only be selected destinations for the cheap fare.
5. Always book more than 14 days in advance

There are only a specific amount of seats PER PLANE, that will be on offer.  Ryanair would be silly to offer all 189 seats at 1 Pence/Cent.  So if there is nothing on the day, you wish to travel, try days either side.  Play with the booking system.

NEVER book more than 9 people per booking, you will generally go into the next pricing level, where there will be 10 seats available.  If possible, knock the amount of people travelling down by one at a time until you get a cheaper fare.  You may have to book one or two extra people at a dearer fare, but you can always average the fare out between everyone.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my first news item.  I welcome feedback, the email link is at the top of the page again.  If you have some news or ANY ideas you would like me to look at, the email link is up the top there!

Best Wishes to everyone

Steve