I've been over to the West of Ireland every summer for a while now but this year Ryanair want to charge me £30 extra for the fiddle. On top of various other extra charges, the price is getting prohibitive (they must have heard my fiddle playing!) Can anyone suggest a cheap way across (from London)? I would be most grateful.
Ryan Air rip off. I find that hard to believe..................................................................................................................................not
I traveled a lot with Ryanair in the past and never had any problems with my fiddle, although I had to console a friend who had to pay a lot to take his guitar with him and another who got his guitar case crashed by Ryanair.
After reading your post, I got a little anyious, because I am due to fly with them in April and July. I called the hotline, which let my wait for a quarter of an hour and then the operator didn't exactly know about bringing fiddles on board. First she told me I had to book a seat, a minute later she told me that I am not allowed to take a fiddle in the cabin at all. She then suggested to call the support hotline for futher info. Great!
I wanted to send an e-mail in order to complain, but I couldn''t find a single e-mail address on the Ryanair homepage.
For an airline which has a harp in its logo, Ryanair treats musicians really badly!
I thought the charge was if your instrument was *in addition* to a carry-on bag. As it stands my fiddle is my only carry-on, it fits easily in the overhead bin so I chose not to inform them of it when buying my ticket online. I will nonchalantly carry it and expect not to have a problem. If they notice it and say I must pay, then I will at that time, otherwise I'm not going to worry about it. I'll let everyone here know what happens.
The MU advises that the DfTransport regulations Sept 2006 state
passengers are allowed to carry one musical instrument in its case, providing the instrument will not fit in the prescribed dimension hand luggage. Usual rules about creams, liquids, non-musical items in case etc apply.
They go on to say
airlines and airports may have additional measures or plans for large instruments e.g. double bass, cello which may require purchase of an extra seat.
I have travelled with Ryanair quite a bit recently and have had no problems bringing my fiddle on board as hand luggage as well as another bag on my back. Despite the stories you hear, I don't think its so bad. The airport with the most problems is Beauvais in Paris.
The trick is to give your fiddle to a friend at the airport while you're checking in so that they don't see it. After that you'll have no problem with security. Stanstead are particularly accomodating with instruments.
I've done Derry to Stansted alot and never had a problem from Derry, but had to put the Fiddle in the hold at Stansted once, that was pre we are going to charge you £10 for a suitcase though.
Also the check in guy said that it was security that wouldn't let me take it on because of the strings!!
But it has to be said if you use a cheap airline you cant be expecting glorious service, as they say " you get what you pay for!!"
they wouldn't let me take my bodhran on from belfast, I guess a cow's skin somehow now encourages 'terror' I almost went into hysterics when the clumsy baggage guy dropped it in front of me (I'd only bought my new one two days before at the fleadh) . luckily it was alright, or there'd be one less baggage handler in the world.
Andee. I think you have the answer, and I'll try it, so thanks for that. I used to do a comedy act and we were performing with a guy called Jim Tavare at Queen's Uni Belfast. He had explosives with him to start his act and we had two giant testacles we used for a ballet sketch. We were held at gunpoint at the airport for three hours. I'll take the fiddle to Ireland but thank Heaven I don't need the explosives or the giant balls anymore.
Just get on the plane, announce that you ARE bringing the fiddle on as hand-luggage, and don't give them the chance to tell you otherwise. Always works for me... *touch wood*
Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
I've been over to the West of Ireland every summer for a while now but this year Ryanair want to charge me £30 extra for the fiddle. On top of various other extra charges, the price is getting prohibitive (they must have heard my fiddle playing!) Can anyone suggest a cheap way across (from London)? I would be most grateful.
# Posted on March 30th 2007 by Rob Millner
Re: Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/13178
# Posted on March 30th 2007 by silver bow
Re: Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
hehehe, good idea
# Posted on March 30th 2007 by rob_handel
Re: Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
Ryan Air rip off. I find that hard to believe..................................................................................................................................not
# Posted on March 30th 2007 by bazouki dave
Re: Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
I traveled a lot with Ryanair in the past and never had any problems with my fiddle, although I had to console a friend who had to pay a lot to take his guitar with him and another who got his guitar case crashed by Ryanair.
After reading your post, I got a little anyious, because I am due to fly with them in April and July. I called the hotline, which let my wait for a quarter of an hour and then the operator didn't exactly know about bringing fiddles on board. First she told me I had to book a seat, a minute later she told me that I am not allowed to take a fiddle in the cabin at all. She then suggested to call the support hotline for futher info. Great!
I wanted to send an e-mail in order to complain, but I couldn''t find a single e-mail address on the Ryanair homepage.
For an airline which has a harp in its logo, Ryanair treats musicians really badly!
Maybe we should start a protest.
# Posted on March 30th 2007 by fiddlinsue
Re: Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
I'm flying Ryanair to Shannon on Monday.
I thought the charge was if your instrument was *in addition* to a carry-on bag. As it stands my fiddle is my only carry-on, it fits easily in the overhead bin so I chose not to inform them of it when buying my ticket online. I will nonchalantly carry it and expect not to have a problem. If they notice it and say I must pay, then I will at that time, otherwise I'm not going to worry about it. I'll let everyone here know what happens.
# Posted on March 30th 2007 by Andee
Re: Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
The MU advises that the DfTransport regulations Sept 2006 state
passengers are allowed to carry one musical instrument in its case, providing the instrument will not fit in the prescribed dimension hand luggage. Usual rules about creams, liquids, non-musical items in case etc apply.
They go on to say
airlines and airports may have additional measures or plans for large instruments e.g. double bass, cello which may require purchase of an extra seat.
# Posted on March 30th 2007 by geoffwright
Re: Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
I have travelled with Ryanair quite a bit recently and have had no problems bringing my fiddle on board as hand luggage as well as another bag on my back. Despite the stories you hear, I don't think its so bad. The airport with the most problems is Beauvais in Paris.
The trick is to give your fiddle to a friend at the airport while you're checking in so that they don't see it. After that you'll have no problem with security. Stanstead are particularly accomodating with instruments.
Hope this helps.
# Posted on March 30th 2007 by Roger O' Miller
Re: Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
I've done Derry to Stansted alot and never had a problem from Derry, but had to put the Fiddle in the hold at Stansted once, that was pre we are going to charge you £10 for a suitcase though.
Also the check in guy said that it was security that wouldn't let me take it on because of the strings!!
But it has to be said if you use a cheap airline you cant be expecting glorious service, as they say " you get what you pay for!!"
# Posted on March 30th 2007 by Chrisfiddle
Re: Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
they wouldn't let me take my bodhran on from belfast, I guess a cow's skin somehow now encourages 'terror' I almost went into hysterics when the clumsy baggage guy dropped it in front of me (I'd only bought my new one two days before at the fleadh) . luckily it was alright, or there'd be one less baggage handler in the world.
# Posted on March 30th 2007 by dubhghaill
Re: Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
Andee. I think you have the answer, and I'll try it, so thanks for that. I used to do a comedy act and we were performing with a guy called Jim Tavare at Queen's Uni Belfast. He had explosives with him to start his act and we had two giant testacles we used for a ballet sketch. We were held at gunpoint at the airport for three hours. I'll take the fiddle to Ireland but thank Heaven I don't need the explosives or the giant balls anymore.
# Posted on March 30th 2007 by Rob Millner
Re: Cost of a fiddle seat on Ryanair
Just get on the plane, announce that you ARE bringing the fiddle on as hand-luggage, and don't give them the chance to tell you otherwise. Always works for me... *touch wood*
# Posted on March 31st 2007 by Lizzy