Jaunted

In order to score the cheap one-way flight, we booked the two tickets during one of their "tickets from 2 Euro!" promotions, and actually got them for 2 Euro each. At the time, their mandatory web check-in fee of 5 Euro was waived as another promotion, and we only had another stupid 10 Euro levied as "handling fees" for processing our credit card payment. We managed to keep all of luggage under the Ryanair carry-on size restrictions so as not to check anything, and we printed our boarding pass at home.

With our flight costing under 20 Euro, we were all but prepared to pilot the damn thing ourselves. Fred Flintstone airplane, anyone? But once at the gate, it was quickly apparent that not only were the airport employees friendly and plentiful—we had the most helpful people at the security checkpoint, no wonder Charleroi calls itself "The Friendly Airport"—but the Ryanair staff we came into contact with were smiling, helpful, and not at all like the rule-enforcing school marms we had expected.

Onboard, the two male and one female flight attendants dutifully handed out menus (all items had prices, of course) and inquired as to duty-free purchases. And surprise of all surprises: we actually caved in and bought a little something. More on that later this week and believe us—it's worth the wait.

Unlike in the United States, where passengers might get huffy about not having free beverages (or even water) on board, and could be less than appreciative of the little legroom, the Europeans we flew with (as we were the only passengers to enter to non-EU passport line) obviously just accept this as fact. It makes us hopeful for the future of LCCs, that an airline so hated and so condescending towards passengers with ridiculous requests like a pee fee, can still fly on schedule and keep a planeful happy.

This leads us to believe that the one thing working against Ryanair, the one thing that really ruins their image and peels away the shiny livery to reveal their disconcern for passengers, is their CEO Michael O'Leary. If he'd just keep his mouth shut, Ryanair would be seen in a more positive light, and word of a pee fee wouldn't hit until it was actually installed, thereby concentrating the ugly response instead of stretching it out over months and months.

So what's the bottom line? Ryanair is a great airline for the money, with excellent routes all over Europe and pretty usual in-flight service and expectations. But they've got a big mouth and they seem to take sick pleasure in freaking out prospective passengers with the threat of extra fees. If you do your homework though, and get through the obstacle of booking your flight without choosing extra options for extra $$$, you are literally flying in the clear, as we were last week.

And yes, according to Ryanair's in-flight magazine, they are definitely working with Boeing on developing a coin-operated lavatory latch.

Related Stories;
· You Won't Believe What We Did Yesterday [Jaunted]
· It Can Be Done! We Booked a Ryanair Flight for Under $25 [Jaunted]
· All Ryanair news [Jaunted]
· All Jaunted flight reviews [Jaunted]