12€ to fly to another country. Sounds too good to be true, right? All you have to do is be at the airport super early, bring nothing but one small bag that will fit under your seat, check in online ahead of time and don’t be upset when you have to take a bus from the terminal to the plane and your seat on the flight has no window. Aside from that, you’re golden! Bon voyage!
When I first heard about Ryanair, I was warned to be wary of all the strict rules and regulations. Anything can become an upcharge, and while you purchase your tickets on the website, they will try about 20 times to get you to purchase added amenities, more luggage, an upgraded seat, meals on the flight, etc. But you have to admit, their flight prices are a steal. As with most things in life, you get what you pay for with Ryanair. No frills, but a plane will get you from one place to another, and you can manage to save some serious cash.
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Along with the cheapest flights the world has ever seen, Ryanair stands out from its competitors in another way: its social media presence. Not only does this budget airline have a special place in the hearts of many European residents, it also has a few completely unhinged social media accounts. Below, we’ve gathered a list of some of the most hilarious and self-aware posts Ryanair has ever shared, calling out their customers, other companies and themselves, as well as an interview with travel blogger Mo from Hello Graciemo. We hope you enjoy this list that might even inspire you to book your next holiday through Ryanair, and feel free to let us know your thoughts on the infamous airline in the comments. Then if you’re looking for another Bored Panda piece featuring juicy details from the airline industry, you can check out this article next.
More info: TikTok | Instagram | Twitter
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If you’re not very familiar with Ryanair, it is a budget airline that flies between 40 European countries and recently added routes to Israel, Jordan and Turkey as well. It is famous for its low prices, and sometimes its low quality as well, but I have to admit that I have never had a bad experience with the airline. And as their social media accounts are quick to point out, no matter how much people complain about flights being delayed or lacking windows, we will all continue to use Ryanair whenever we can. Inflation has gotten out of control this year, so if you can spend $15 on a flight that a larger airline would charge $50 for, why wouldn’t you take advantage of it?
But more recently, Ryanair has made it clear that they are not only masters of the cheap flight game. They are also experts in running successful social media accounts. As of January 2022, Ryanair is active on 9 social media sites, which can do wonders for business. On TikTok, for example, Ryanair currently has 1.8 million followers. That’s an astounding number for a company to have, but they’ve tapped into the TikTok market exceptionally well. The page’s bio even states, “catch flights, not feelings”, so it’s clear that the account is intended to be for fun, with a smaller focus on advertising and promotion.
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To hear from a travel expert what she thinks about Ryanair, we reached out to Mo from the travel and lifestyle blog Hello Graciemo. First, we asked Mo what her experiences with Ryanair have been like. “Nothing but positive so far,” she told Bored Panda. “We have had no issues flying with this budget airline company, and we hope to continue to have positive experiences in future travels. So far, the positives would have to be that flights are cheap, and we’ve been very lucky to have been able to travel as a family of four for reasonable rates,” Mo explained. “As far as negative viewpoints, you get what you pay for. It’s not first-class or fancy, but it’s been a decent airline to fly with.”
Many customers have a love-hate relationship with the company. So we asked Mo if she thinks this reputation is justified. “Though our experience has been somewhat decent with Ryanair, I have heard and read several mixed reviews as well. Mostly, it all depends on what airport you fly out of or the staff at your flight time,” Mo told Bored Panda. “I thoroughly believe customer service is important, and so far, customer service for the flights we’ve had have been great!” And when it comes to their social media presence, Mo says, “Their social media account should not be taken seriously; I find their posts hilariously true. But don’t let that deter you from traveling with Ryanair; just enjoy the cheap flights and quick getaway.”
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So would Mo recommend that others use Ryanair? “If you are looking to save money on travel and don’t mind traveling with an airline that has a mixed reputation, then yes, I would recommend utilizing Ryanair,” she says. “Just always be aware of the fine print and expect that you may have either a positive or negative experience. Be prepared for hiccups, but don’t be surprised if your experience is less than stellar. But, in the long run, we have not had any issues with this airline carrier.”
“For the flights we’ve had with Ryanair, be prepared to understand that free snacks are not included,” Mo added. “One thing I found rather odd that I haven’t seen with other airlines in the States is that they will sell perfumes during the flight, which I found hilarious. Drinks are also not free during the flights and are offered for a fee. Other than that, enjoy the cheap flights, and hope you have a wonderful experience with Ryanair. Also, it’s perfect for a quick getaway.”
If you’d like to hear more about Mo and her family’s travels, be sure to check out Hello Graciemo right here.
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While it may sound surprising for an airline to have such a popular presence on social media, it makes perfect sense with Ryanair’s brand. It’s a budget airline, so it’s very popular among young travelers who can’t afford to fly with more expensive carriers. And these young audiences aren’t watching ads on TV or checking their emails for promotions. They’re spending hours a day on social media. And after laughing along with a few TikToks or tweets they’ve seen from Ryanair, they’re going to be likely to check there first when booking a holiday to Spain or Greece next summer. Even Ryanair’s Instagram account has amassed over 865k followers for sharing memes and funny reels.
But all of this popularity did not happen overnight. Unlike individual users on TikTok or Twitter, it’s not often that a brand goes viral by accident. So when it comes to the success of Ryanair’s social media accounts, the brand’s Head of Social, Michael Corcoran sat down with ContentCal to explain how it happened. The main two factors Michael credits are “showing up early and experimenting with a new audience” and “losing the corporate tone of voice they may have previously been known for”.
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Michael also shared some of his top TikTok tips that helped Ryanair secure their place as one of the most successful brands on social media. First, he recommends that companies approach the account as a creator rather than a brand. Viewers don’t want to see ads, and they don’t want to feel like there’s a robot on the other end creating posts. Michael also says that companies have to consider all engagement factors, not just views. Read and listen to the comments, and be sure to reply to some. The more actively you engage with viewers, the more they’ll want to engage with you.
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Next, Michael says that each account should be unique. There’s no reason to follow Ryanair on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok if it’s the same content everywhere. Each platform is different and should be treated as such. He also notes that numbers are not the most important factor. This can be great PR or a stepping stone to other long-term goals, even if you don’t go insanely viral. Finally, he says that TikTok is a “creator-first platform”, so audiences are more inclined to follow creators that “influencers” trying to sell them something.
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One thing Ryanair has certainly succeeded with is their tone of voice on social media. They have decided to be sassy, snarky and straight to the point, which many followers find hilarious. But it also matches perfectly with their business model. If you want to fly with a fancier airline where you’re given free food in-flight, a free checked bag and amenities like a TV screen on the back of each seat and in-flight movies, you might expect a more gentle and accommodating tone online. But Ryanair is cheap and simple. No window? Don’t complain. You paid $13 to fly halfway across Europe. I think you can manage staring at the inside of an airplane for two and a half hours. Plus, Ryanair knows their customers will always keep coming back. So it’s perfectly appropriate, and very entertaining, for them to use that tone on social media.
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Despite how popular Ryanair is on social media, there are many people out there who are not fans of the airline. In fact, it has been ranked the worst short-haul airline by Which? for 6 years in a row, and more recently, it has been deemed the worst short-haul airline for pandemic flights and refunds. Over the last two years, Ryanair has received an embarrassing 55% for its overall customer score, and only 47% of customers were satisfied with the options Ryanair presented them in response to flights they were unable to take due to the pandemic. In reference to their experience trying to resolve a customer service issue with Ryanair, one customer stated, “Ryanair is the most awkward airline to deal with that I have ever come across. It seems to be proud of being difficult.” Ouch.
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Not every business is for everyone. That’s why it’s great to have options out there. After all, some people love Ryanair and swear by their services. In defense of the infamous budget airline, Tom Boon wrote a piece for Simple Flying titled “10 Reasons Why Flying Ryanair Isn’t As Bad As You Think”, and he makes some great points. As we’ve already covered, you get what you pay for most places in life. But rather than that being an inherently bad thing with Ryanair, it can also be a positive. If you do want to put down a little extra cash, you can have a meal during your flight, board first, check a bag, and guarantee yourself a window seat. The flight’s base price is so cheap that you’re not likely to break the bank by just paying a little bit more to be more comfortable.
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Ryanair also has an impressive number of flights running at all times all around Europe, and even extending to Turkey, Jordan and Israel. They service more than 230 airports, so Ryanair is pretty reliable. The plane probably won’t be huge, so you will be better off booking far in advance, but if your concern is whether or not Ryanair reaches the airport you want to get to, rest assured. They probably do. I can also say, as someone who has flown Ryanair plenty of times, the legroom and level of comfort in flight is definitely comparable to most other airlines. Let’s be honest, being on a plane is never actually comfortable, so as long as it’s not painful, I’m satisfied. And I think most other passengers are as well.
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We hope you’re enjoying this snarky list of social media posts from the infamous Ryanair. Be sure to upvote the posts you find most hilarious, and then let us know in the comments if you have any personal experiences with the famous budget airline. Do you fly Ryanair multiple times a year, or did you make the mistake once and swear to never do it again? Regardless, if you’ve used Ryanair, you have to admit that it probably saved you some serious cash (as long as you didn’t try to check in at the airport or bring an overweight bag).
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Source: boredpanda.com