Flight FR1313: Birmingham – Shannon

Booked a flight during one of Ryanair’s famous sales, a one way flight for two people was £30, including all taxes and charges, which is fantastic value. We opted for web check in and carry on luggage to keep the cost down.

Boarding was a bit of a mess, with an organized queue at the boarding gate, where the gate agents were enforcing the one piece of baggage rule like hawks. They boarded the passengers into two queues on to the air bridge and then let the two queues down the steps to the plane at the same time, so there was a bottleneck getting on to the plane. Just as well I did not pay for priority boarding as it did not make much of a difference.

Once on board the plane, most people where taking seats at the back, which meant the exit rows were free. So we took those seats, which offers lots of extra leg room.

The crew members came around and advised us about the exit and to read the instructions on how to operate it. As the flight was full they spend most of the time sorting out passengers and their baggage.

The flight managed to depart on time, soon after takeoff the crew started the in-flight buy on board bar, we ordered two cups of team which set us back over €6, but for a €30 flight, it is still exceptional value. The crew then did the scratch card and gift trolley run. The flight itself was very smooth and the captain gave us an update mid way through the flight as to our route and location.

We landed on time in Shannon, which with Ryanair, means you have to listen to loud celebration announcement of their on-time arrival.

Overall a very good typical Ryanair flight, cheap, on time, comfortable and ideal for the short hop across the Irish Sea.