I’ve been writing airline reviews for many years now, and it’s always baffled me how the most common request I get (over and over) is to give the basic Ryanair 737-800 economy experience a try.
Wouldn’t it be more fun to read a review about some fancy-pants international business class seat that only travel influencers fly? Why does everyone want to see me squirm on an ultra low cost carrier out of tiny overcrowded airports I can barely pronounce?
But hey. I live to serve, and today I’m serving up a Ryanair review from London (Stansted) to Dublin. Squirming included!
FR225
London, England (STN) – Dublin, Ireland (DUB)
Saturday, September 21, 2019
Aircraft: 737-8AS
Registration: EI-FRS
Duration: 52 minutes
Seat: 6A (regular economy)
My full review of Ryanair 737-800 basic economy from London (STN) to Dublin
Do I dare kick off this Ryanair review with the admission that I paid $300 to ride in a car from one end of London to another? Well, I knew it was gonna be expensive to take a taxi from LHR to STN but…my god! It would’ve been cheaper to fly! Oh well.
My delayed arrival into Heathrow from Dubai forced me into it since it was the fastest option and I really didn’t want to miss my flight over to Dublin.
Arrival at the London Stansted Airport
Believe me. I didn’t want to tell you what I paid on cab fare to get to STN, but as you’ll see, it ended up being a crucial part of my very first Ryanair experience. Starting this review any other way would’ve been unthinkable.
How is Stansted Airport even considered to be London? Figuring in the time and cost it took to get here, that’s like calling San Diego International Airport an alternative to LAX. It’s just not.
In addition to the visa issue, one of the things that always confuses me when traveling in internationally is the process for going through customs when making a connecting flights in Europe. No, I wasn’t technically making a connection today, though I was technically traveling between two European countries.
Did I need to go though customs and passport control for this? Long story short: yes. Yes I did.
Inside though Stansted Airport terminal
I had a few minutes to spare after clearing security (and customs), so why not spend even more money on an overpriced lunch? By the way, if it wasn’t obvious by now, the angry music I chose for the intro to my video didn’t happen by accident. I was still feeling quite bitter.
If there was anything pleasantly surprising this morning, it was the realization that Stansted airport is pretty nice actually. Yeah, it’s a little crowded, but it wasn’t hard to find a quiet spot to get away from it all.
On a side note, how much you wanna bet that taxi driver laughed his ass off all the way back to Heathrow?
Boarding Ryanair flight 225 (FR225) to Dublin
The gate for my flight over to Dublin was posted just 10 minutes before boarding was scheduled to begin. I guess they were trying to keep everyone in the main terminal spending money in the shops and restaurants, which totally worked because, well, I’m not even going to admit how much I paid for that noodle bowl.
When it comes to flying Ryanair, there are two choices: Non Priority, and Priority. I splurged for the Priority option, only because I wanted a seat ahead of the wing for decent views of the wing and engine. Which have been totally lacking from my reviews lately, I know.
This being my very first Ryanair flight and all, I found the boarding process to be…interesting. You see, I assumed that we’d actually be boarding the plane once they let us out onto the tarmac. Silly me. There were still people deplaning from the previous flight!
As a hardcore AvGeek who likes being around airplanes, I didn’t mind having to stand out here in the hot sun while the cabin crew did what they needed to do to prep this flight over to Dublin. The guy standing behind me, however, was spewing profanity like an angry marine.
Ok, here we go! It’s not often I’m able to get air stair footage such as this, and I was quickly reminded of how awkward it is to be pointing a camera directly into the rear ends of complete strangers.
My first impressions of the Ryanair 737-800 Basic economy seats
As I mentioned earlier, I paid a little extra to be seated towards the front for this Ryanair review, which ended up being a decent choice. Keep in mind that Rose one through five are considered “premium” seats with a few extra inches of legroom. I was in row 6 (the first row of regular economy).
For what it’s worth, I was definitely prepared for kneecap-crushing leg room (like what you saw in my Air France A321 economy class review) – but woefully unprepared for the yellow headrests.
Departure from the Stansted Airport
For a guy who had been up all night flying a redeye in from Dubai (and then being extorted out of $300 to get from Heathrow to Stansted), I was in an awfully good mood just moments before pushing off the gate.
Hard to believe we didn’t crash and burn on the takeoff, isn’t it? YES, I’m joking. But seriously, despite all the negativity I’ve heard about Ryanair over the years, this had been a pleasantly normal experience so far. Except for the yellow headrests of course.
Onboard service
Much how it is on Spirit Airlines back in the US, there is indeed full cabin service on Ryanair. However, you’re gonna pay dearly for it, and I couldn’t justify spending the money. Yeah, I was still just a little bitter about that $300 taxi ride this morning.
From what I could tell, food on Ryanair is very much like how it is here in the United States on airlines such as Spirit and Frontier. There’s a menu at every seat, and the flight attendant will come down the aisle with the food cart. Just know that nothing is free and you’re going to pay dearly for anything. Even water.
As far as the food itself, it looked to be exactly the same as what we will get here on either Spirit or Frontier. It’s basically prepackaged cafeteria food (the kind with a long shelf life) and you’re going to pay quite a lot for very little.
The descent and landing
Flying time between London and Dublin is just a short 45 minutes, and there was actually very little cruise time at full altitude. As soon as we were up, we started the descent down, and…man I’ve forgotten how beautiful Ireland is.
As we made the approach into Dublin, I had an interesting thought: I snickered when I first saw the safety information printed so boldly on the headrest, but having evacuation instructions right there in our faces will come in handy if we survive a crash landing. Call me morbid, but it’s actually quite a brilliant design detail.
Arrival in Dublin
It’s been many years since I’ve last been in Ireland, and it was a pretty good feeling to be back. It was also a pretty good feeling knowing that it was a Ryanair review that brought me here. Why? Well, it helped me reach the conclusion that this isn’t that bad of an airline actually. Yeah, the boarding process was a bit sketchy, but I think that I’d fly Ryanair all the time if I lived in Europe.
I’d also highly recommended paying a little extra for perks such as reserved seats and priority boarding like I did. Although, priority boarding might mean standing out on the tarmac for 15 minutes while everyone else gets to wait inside, so beware.
Ryanair 737-800 basic economy pros and cons
As you just read, my first ever Ryanair experience was good. As a matter of fact, I didn’t really consider it to be all that different than a lot of other airline these days (anywhere else in the world). Sure, the seats were very narrow and firm (and the leg room was atrocious). But it still felt like a lot of other Boeing 737-800 experiences I’ve had over the years. Ryanair isn’t that different.
Pros
- It’s hard to complain about anything when they charge so little to fly across Europe.
- There is food available on board (if you’re willing to pay for it), so it’s not like you’re going to starve or anything.
- The aircraft I was on was shockingly clean and well-maintained.
- Full-size tray tables on an ultra low-cost airline? You’ve got to be kidding!
Cons
- Those effin’ seats! Not only are they extremely narrow, but they’re extremely hard as well. RIP to your delicate derriere on flights longer than 2 hours.
- The way they make passengers queue up outside (prior to boarding) can be problematic when the weather ain’t so great.
Brenda Richardson
I flew Ryanair in September, 2019. Short and sweet…I will strap my suitcase to my back and swim the channel before I step foot on Ryanair turf again. Not just the airplane turf but any place where its ground staff is. Penalized for not getting boarding pass on line (when you find out that you have to go to a non-announced site)? TOUGH! Ignoring you when you try to ask questions? TOUGH! If it weren’t for the staff of a rival airline insisting that Ryanair help us, we would have been out a lot of money. Dogsled, kayak, camel; all are better alternatives than Ryanair.
SANspotter
Sorry that you had such a bad experience Brenda! I agree that they are sticklers for the rules – and I suspect they make a lot of money from people having to pay penalties for things they weren’t aware of. For what it’s worth, the dogsled / kayak / camel thing *does* sound like a nice alternative to a lot of airlines. Not just Ryanair. lol
Joe Lodge
Personally, Ryanair is an odd one for me. I first flew with them back in summer of 2019 and it’s certainly different to other UK airlines I’ve flown in the past. The boarding was ok as I was already aware of the fee they charge for not printing a boarding pass before flying, and their mobile Android Pay pass was handy. The flight itself was fine, despite the rather uncomfortable seat (even for a 3hr flight), and the prices for food (£10 for a meal deal!)
BUT, I have two main gripes with Ryanair, their seating and baggage situation.
They make you pay extra just to sit next to whoever you’re travelling with, isn’t this blackmail? Furthermore, I was going on a 10 day holiday and had to stuff everything in my backpack, or pay extra to bring more stuff in my larger suitcase.
Overall, I’d prefer to fly on another airline (i’m a rather large fan or Norwegian’s flights within Europe), but who can beat a £9.99 flight?
If you don’t mind me asking, did you pay extra for your bags & seat assignment?
SANspotter
Yes, I did pay a bit extra for my seat assignment (but not for my bag, which was just a carryon item which fit under the seat in front of me). For most people, it seems that by the time they pay the extra fees for luggage and everything else, it costs just about as much as other airlines. It’s usually a heck of a good bargain for anyone traveling light though.
Tony
Ok it’s Corona lockdown so time to add a comment. Stansted is close to London, just depends what you think is London, a city of many millions. So to the City of London, the business heart and the East End it’s close with excellent rail, bus/coach and motorway access. Better than Gatwick.
My first flight with Ryanair was not good, diverted to a strange French airport and abandoned. But I think we expect this sort of experience and offset it to the low fares. Later flights all good. The rules are strict but read carefully on booking and it’s good. Take care though because the rules change frequently.
Stansted passenger handling is poor. Herded like animals to an abattoir, shouted at by security, long delays to get bags. One of the first airports to charge cars just to drop a passenger at the terminal. It’s a relief to fly at the smaller airports that Ryanair use.
Re your taxi, you surely now know the many other ways you could have used, from Uber to UK minicabs, to the airport express trains into and out of London. Most quicker than the M25 in rush hour.
Keep flying, really enjoy your YouTube channel
Peter
Nice review! I recently flew on Ryanair SDR-STN-SDR, 737 MAX outbound, regular 737-800 return. Here’s my thoughts:
1) Ground experience. It was fine at both airports, although I feel like there a few more announcements (more info) during the boarding process would’ve been welcome. Also, I, being the Avgeek that I am, really liked boarding by airstairs and being right next to the aircraft!
I also have to say that Ryanair’s fast turnaround times are kind of impressive.
2) Interior. It was dirty, but that’s to be expected. Also, I have to say that the black leather seats look quite stylish, and honestly, the yellow headrests with the safety card aren’t THAT bad (I didn’t mind them). They’re definitely unique, if nothing else.
The Sky Interior on the MAX looked great, although, unfortunately, the 737 on the way back had the old cabin. Yes, the one with those tacky ads on the obnoxious yellow overhead bins. Being an older aircraft, there was also lots of yellowed plastic, making for a less-than-visually appealing cabin. Actually, it was the ugliest cabin I’ve sat in.
3) Seat comfort. They were decently padded, although the 28″ pitch on the MAX was a bit tight. However, the older cabin, with 30″ of pitch, was actually decently comfortable. The seats were basic, but that’s to be expected, and the lack of a seatback pocket was only slightly bothersome.
4) Crew. They were actually pretty friendly. No complaints here. Oh, and, like you, I didn’t buy anything from the menu.
Although, I did bring a bag of nuts onboard, and accidentally dropped a few on the floor. Yes, I dropped my nuts on the floor of a Ryanair 737. Lol (Sorry for the immature nut joke)
It was an accident, I promise. My sincerest apologies to the cleaning crew.
Overall, my Ryanair experience was fine, and I think they’re decent for sub-3 hour flights.
Scott (SANspotter)
Thanks for sharing thoughts about your recent Ryanair experiences Peter! I actually had no idea that they had any MAX aircraft, and now I kind of want to go back and give it a try. Sounds nice! And no need to apologize for your nuts – this is a nut-friendly blog. lol
Peter
You’re welcome Scott! A Ryanair 737 MAX review would be interesting I think. And I’m glad to hear that this is blog is nut-friendly lol. Haha!
(Sorry for the late reply btw)