Ryanair query

[tigwig]

I have just booked some flights to Malaga from Liverpool with Ryanair for myself, hubby, 5yr old daughter and 5mth old baby. As we have never flown with them before I was completely unaware that you can't reserve a seat until my sister told me after booking!
I am now going to phone them and book the priority boarding but apparently then it still won't be guaranteed we will all sit in a row of 3 together. I was wondering if any exceptions would be made by the airline staff on board as it would be helpful to sit together what with the baby and our daughter. Has anyone been split up when travelling with young children with this airline before?

[bednobs]

personally i wouldn't worry too much if you find that you cant all sit together, just ask whoever is siiting next to your daughter to move - i doubt they would relish lookign after a 5 year old for the duration of the flight! One of you may have to sit with your daughter and one of you may sit with your son *(i PREsume on your lAP?)
hwever, it's a short flight so it's not too much of a disaster

[Buenchico]

On most of the Ryanair flights I've been on, only a small handful of people use the priority booking system. (There are often none at all). So you'll probably have the whole plane to choose your seats from. Just make sure that you don't occupy the seats adjacent to the exits, as airline safety rules prohibit their use by children. (If you did sit there, the cabin crew might not spot your error until everyone else had boarded, leaving you to find the few remaining seats elsewhere).

Anyway, as Bednobs indicates, people are usually happy to change seats to allow family groups to sit together.

Ryanair keeps its prices low by maximising the time that its aircraft are in the sky, and minimizing their time on the ground. They work to a 25 minute 'turn around'. That means that, once an aircraft arrives at a gate, they've got just 25 minutes to get all of the passengers and their luggage off, carry out any essential cleaning, restock all of the food and gift trolleys, get the new passengers and their luggage on, refuel the aircraft and complete the pre-flight safety checks. Such a tight schedule simply doesn't allow sufficient time for passengers to look for reserved seats.

Chris

[coccinelle]

I travel a lot with Ryanair from various airports and agree with bednobs and Chris that it won't be an issue. Go to the front once you get to the gate (before the flight is annouced) most people would move aside to let children passed anyway. I've many a time given up a seat to let couples or families sit together and seen many people do the same. Don't bother with priority boarding.

[nabob]

I was pleasantly surprised when I flew to Marseilles with Ryanair. ( It cost me £44 return including a hold bag and husband!) Their system works well if you don't expect the usual "frills" of other airlines. As the others have said its not a long flight so you'll be fine.