Madam, - As one of my daughters and her family live near a small Continental airport served by Ryanair, I fly with this airline very frequently, often with an overweight suitcase. I have always been delivered safely and very much on time. This small airport built a new terminal, mainly for Ryanair, and laid on a rapid and comfortable bus service to the country's capital as well as to the local train station. The airport is clean and spacious and checking in or arriving there is a pleasure.
However, checking in for Ryanair in Dublin, or arriving there, is hell. The check-in queues have insufficient space, there is often only one desk open and proceedings are slowed down by people unwilling to pay for overweight baggage. Paying for excess weight involves another long queue, so that - even though I always arrive more than two hours in advance - by the time security has been passed I have to race along endless Kafkaesque corridors to the gates.
Arriving in Dublin is equally unpleasant. After long walks along the same corridors pushing through crowds in dirty surroundings, one often has to queue for a taxi, not because of a shortage of cars but because of the airport's lack of organisation. All the problems I encountered so far, all the unpleasantness I have to deal with, are caused by Dublin Airport Authority, not by Ryanair. - Yours, etc,
IMME MALLIN, Herbert Park Lane, Dublin 4.
Madam, - My wife and I flew to Italy with Ryanair just after Christmas. Unlike the over-sensitive souls who complain about its customer service, I found Ryanair's treatment of passengers to be excellent.
All our questions were answered, and there was no evidence of contempt for the customer. The service itself was robust, efficient, on-time and excellent value for money.
Best of all, we did not have to endure the rampant sense of entitlement, narcissism and vulgarity of the frumps, grumps, and lumps of Ireland's Celtic Tiger business and premium economy class.
As the Americans say, the moaners should "suck it up" and "get over it" - Yours, etc,
ULTAN Ó BROIN, South Circular Road, Dublin 8.