Short answer:Cost Long answer: Cost cost and cost

Back in 2018, I flew from Madrid to London Stansted roundtrip for about $33 and then took a $16 bus (also roundtrip) to the city… I’d probably pay close to a $100 or more to fly to Heathrow and wait hours to get through passport control. So yes, Standsted is a perfect choice for Ryanair

Teesside is unbelievable. No queues and the most high tech scanner in the UK for a tiny airport. Park at the door and straight through. We laughed when big airports had big delays last summer. RyanAir have also been spot on every time.

For short haul, I think the best airport in the UK is London City. Stansted and Luton are also good. It seems to me short haul focused airports are able to be far more innovative than long haul focused ones. In the online era, the idea of having to arrive 4-6 hours before your flight (so you can queue for 2 hours to check in like you did in the 1980’s) is totally unpalatable. You simply don’t need to be in the airport for more than an hour prior to your flight nowadays. So airports don’t need to accommodate people waiting around anywhere near as much.

I've flown with RyanAir twice now to Malta. Departed from Bristol and Birmingham and honestly the price for the flight was reasonable and being able to use airports closer to where I'm based makes perfect sense! Best of all no missing bags nor delays! I think all my flights I've had with them either arrived exactly as planned or even a few minutes early which is always a bonus!

Daily runway repair

Flown Ryanair out of and into London Stansted Airport several times. The whole package (Ryanair, the trains to and from the airport and the airport itself) works fantastic. Try it you'll love it.

I like this type of video's better, I must say! I also noticed some improvement in overall quality (like overall information and background music). Keep up the good work mate!

For years I flew to Spain and back two or three times a year, before coming here for good. Always with Ryanair, always reliable, cheerful, cheap and efficient. OK, the food is not Michelin, but having a glass of wine as I sped south to the sun was pretty damn fine. Big thanks to Ryanair, you opened up the Mediterranean for me.

Gotta be honest for our Gothenburg journeys (which pre-pandemic we would have gone with Norwegian out of Gatwick) we've migrated from BA thru Heathrow which is infintely more convenient for us (coming in from South Wales) to Ryanair out of Stansted or even Manchester, simply because you don't get any more bang for your buck from BA (except maybe a bottle of water and a bag of crisps). Our next trip has come in at under £250 for 2 adults, a checked bag, a cabin bag, fast track and pick-your-seat; whereas BA wanted over £600 just for the ticket. Granted there will be a couple of extra costs such as getting to/from Manchester/Stansted, and the extra hotel on the outward leg, but even when you add all that up it still wouldn't come close.

Same with Southwest Airlines in Chicago. Although they are thinking of going through O’Haire Kama they use midway airport

As I live closest to Inverness (mainly serviced by BA and EasyJet), Ryanair isn't an option. Got to say that INV-LHR-Anywhere connection with one booking and checked baggage can be suprising affordable compared to 2 x checked baggage fees in addition to Ryanair's basic ticket price. Totally agree about Bergamo. Excellent place. Very convenient for northern Italy and a nice city in its own right. (Just a short bus ride from the centre to the airport too.)

Hi i worked in Shannon for 10 years and we had a lot of Ryanair flights they are the best Airline ever, 25 min turnaround and no hassle A to B thats what they promise, joe

Whenever I have used Ryanair, had no problem at all, the issue is getting from the Sussex Coast to Stansted, which is usually longer than the actual flight from Stansted. I try and aim for flights from Gatwick, but this isn't always possible.

I am not a fan of Ryanair, but regarding LHR, they are spot on! But airports like LHR and CDG make only sense if you are on a connecting flight, as they offer a network of destinations smaller airport do not, as well as facilities during transfer. Ryanair does not offer transfer flights! This makes the astronomical price they charge or services they may offer irrelevant.

Coming from the other side of the globe, I don't fancy flying to Heathrow either. The airport is huge, there's a lot of walking and rail connections are rather limited. Transport is better now with the Elizabeth Line but still very London-centric. There were flights from my city to Gatwick before the pandemic but these are now gone. Stansted would be perfect for people going to Northeast England and the eastern side of London, and I hope there will be more long-haul flights.

The same reason why Easyjet, Wizzair, Jet2 and many more don't.

Many of Ryanair's flights can be around 300-400 euros during peak times of the year if you're heading to the typical sunny holiday destinations. Big savings can be made by utilising Ryanair's flights with a transit stop; Malaga - Eindhoven - Manchester could cost 60 euros in total, as opposed to Malaga - Manchester direct - which could cost up to 400 euros one-way in July. It's the bag charges for every sector that will bump up the cost if you can't travel light.

When I was at stanstead we were delayed by 6hr and £600

Make sense from their business model. However, Southwest Airlines in the US is also a point-to-point airline. Now, their issues were mainly caused by ancient software, the point to point model seems to be easier to break as hub airline may find it easier to substitute aircraft.

I would consider using Stansted if I lived in Cambridge, or even in Norwich or maybe even Leeds, but I live on the wrong side of Great Britain to even consider Stansted if there is any alternative.

Liverpool John Lennon is the alternative to Manchester Airport, the Northwest Friendly Airport, car park to gate in 20 minutes. 👍😁

I've only used Ryanair once- Stansted to Tenerife (and back). To be fair, they weren't too bad, even the pre-ordered snack on board. As regards Heathrow, I would not, as a passenger, use it by choice, unfortunately the trans Atlantic carriers don't care about my choice, so I am stuck with it. I don't blame Ryanair for ignoring it. Stansted is nearer and easier to reach. I would rather use my local airport (Norwich) but it is the availability of flights that is the problem. The London-centric government, regrettably seems keen on demolishing a couple of towns so that the Spanish company that owns Heathrow can have a third runway to increase its profits (plus pollution and traffic). I love flying, but most airports now seem to think that I need a shopping experience instead so that getting to a plane involves a tortuous path around the terminal's expensive shops. (Edit due to keyboard being unable to spell)

Stansted is great, punctual and speedy processing...Gatwick has been on my travels a mess. Delays, overcrowding etc

I like London Heathrow airport. It is one of my favourite ones.

Also the routes that Ryanair cover are more than catered for at Heathrow. They don't really need to go there either as they serve every other London airport.

When I was at Heathrow in December I saw multiple planes takeoff and land

It's so that National Express can earn money, driving people in buses😂

Ryanair might be low cost but for many of their core roles they pay at or above market rate. In an economy where labour is at a premium, it means they keep their vital roles filled and so their operation works. Other airlines despite being established for many, many decades have CEOs that don’t seem to grasp that operational resilience is the core foundation of profitability.

Last week I flew from Gatwick to Verona with the with ( the world’s favourite airline). They didn’t have a cabin crew booked for the flight. We were delayed for two hours until the crew could make their way in from home. When they arrived they were as good as could be expected. It wasn’t their fault. My flight home was with easyJet. The flight was on time with a cabin crew that knew what they were doing. My conclusion is that BA have destroyed their reputation in the hunt for cheap labour

Airlines that use LHR and airlines that use, for example, Stanstead have different business models so it makes sense.

Heathrow surrounding area is way to congested to get in and out of - I definitely wouldn't use Heathrow for short flights unless i lived on their doorstep.

Would have been nice to hear some numbers.

I'm not surprised Heathrow are too expensive. But I wish they'd fly more out of Birmingham/Bristol as Stansted is just the wrong side of London for many people

I flew from t5 Heathrow to Los angeles last year, heathrow was an absolute shambles! Won't ever fly from there again.

Heathrow isn't the centre of the universe! Many operators don't go there, I don't see the issue. I use Ryanair regularly, Stansted to Perugia in Italy to visit family, regularly. It works for me, I think the reason people whinge about them is because they want 5 star service for 2 star prices! Need to take a reality check!!

Smart strategy!

Perfect strategy. Especially these airports have good rail connections to the major cities not like American airports that you need a rental to get to a regional airport to get Breeze, Spirit or Allegent

I just want it to come back to FRA airport. the Frankfurt Hahn airport is so far away and what's worse there's NO infrastructure. no trains, buses only go to Frankfurt and mainz. Since the Rhein Neckar Metro Area doesn't have its own airport we rely heavily on FRA and STR, but airfares can be steep compared to Ryanair and easyJet.

I quite liked going to Gatwick Airport to catch a Ryanair flight.

Love Ryanair Wouldn’t have visited most of Europe only for Ryanair as couldn’t afford BA and Co

I'm commenting before I listened but isn't is just as simple as airport fees? Am intrigued to watch and find out what else.

Heathrow needs shutting down.

It’s more about the destination airport for me. I can get to most uk airports in a couple of hours in car or by train. I want to go somewhere for the cheapest cost. Why would I want the hassle of the M25 to get to Heathrow

This just sounds like an ad for Ryan Air. Personally, apart from Covid, Heathrow has been way easier to get to, way more organised and much more comfortable considering we have to be at airports hours before flights.

Heathrow made sense when people needed to transit to fly to the Americas from Asia. Full service airlines would set up hubs in Heathrow, Charles De Gaulle, and Frankfurt. Now, with efficient planes, it's just not needed anymore. Not just for Ryanair, even the big airlines. But they're stuck because of legacy.

i prefer flying out of gatwick. excellent rail connections to the city, save heaps on the flight ticket.

Same model as Southwest Airlines, also phenomenally successful.

Ryanair saying the transfer hub model failed passengers and luggage....Have they heard of Southwest?? It could easily happen to Ryanair too. One break in the chain and all the flights collapse and the big difference is that there is no customer service and you can't be rerouted cause it's point to point.

Great airline, great airports !

I fly with Ryanair 2 or 3 times a year from Bristol and find the routes on offer are adequate for my family's needs Ryanair don't need Heathrow

despite high charges why isvit cheaper to fly from Heathrow in comparison to Birmingham etc

Ryanair know what they are doing. I recently had to deal with EasyJet and I had to inform them about strike action in a European country they had no idea about and weren't going to cancel the flight for until last minute. Then they wouldn't tell me my booking reference for my rebooked flight so I wasn't able to check in!!

They are super profitable but a pain in the backside for people working at the airport. Ryanair cheekily likes to put their problems on the shoulders of the airport. Still, I always fly them and they do right by me.

For me average time travel by car is smaller then average time traveled by plain. And i am talking of over 1500 km distances. Just once it took me over 3 days to get to Sardinia - thanks to Ryanair. I prefer to drive

Can't fault them on business logic. Clearly with the growth in their business, despite being a scruffy uncomfortable airline to fly, they have the basics spot on and can only improve from there. Yes I have flown Ryanair and their budget poundshop label is well-earned. And before you get sniffy and self-righteous yes I go to poundshops as well as ordinary shops.

Their strategy has made them the most profitable airline in the world. They use aircraft with built in stairs so they pay probably the lowest airport fees in the world. Their business strategy works well in Europe, but would work so well in other markets. Perhaps in the USA too because there are so many small regional airports that have a high demand but little service.

These guys are okay. Wako sawa. I support that

A great airline

I wished Ryanair operated from Heathrow as in many occassions when flying transatlantic and connecting through London, reaching my European destinations would have been much cheaper via a connection to Ryanair or other budget airlines. Then I solved this conondrum by moving to London :)

People who are flying with ryanair, just want the cheapest flight. So if they would fly from heathrow, everyone would just go to stansted still. Because its way cheaper

Heathrow is typically your long haul flights. I know they do short haul to but it's not worth it. And is used by the bigger aircraft. Because try as they might one day. I don't see Ryan air going from uk to usa any time soon

Would love to see them fly over to the east coast of Canada like West jet and AirCanada do I know the 737 has the range and the pilots would probably be able to make the round trip

Ryan is only used to working from Alicante Airport, They do what they like in Alicante, Just like EasyJet

plus, heathrow's massive. takes donkey's years to get to the gate. gatwick, stansted, etc. are far quicker.

Personally, I avoid Heathrow for any European destinations. Hate the place with a passion. We should all be grateful for having the likes of Ryanair, they've transformed flying and all for the better.

Shocking why the airline never at Heathrow plus its at both at Glasgow and Edinburgh plus should be at Gatwick too or be at Luton rather than standsted

I would have thought he would have mentioned that CDG is also expensive for flying out of. Flights exiting the airport are a lot more expensive than they are for landing there, and it is the same at Heathrow. As an Australian when I'm planning a trip, especially post-pandemic, using London or CDG as gateway cities is often the only option but I try and limit how many times I aim to fly out of them (preferably to just the flight back to Australia) and use the other airports or the Eurostar to get to my next destination.

Actually this might be wrong as Malta Air owned by Ryanair serves Heathrow

Ryanair wouldn't be Ryanair if it did operate from LHR mighty sure the short turnaround times would not be achieved, it's a shame that they have pulled all services from London Southend Airport, if ever there was a case to return now is the time with its cheaper operating costs.

Ryanair’s business model is a success because it’s completely genius. Don’t change if it isn’t broken.

Ryanair are generally efficient for the price, however the airports they fly to in some places like Paris BVA, put me off. The transfer to the city is a nightmare and far easier to use CDG or Orly

Heathrow fees are too much as Ryanair is Stansted Airport and taxiing and take off can take up to 30mins longer than Stansted. Also boarding is quicker as there's no bridge so you can board from the front and back. If a ryanair flight takes 1hr30mins to example Berlin then makes no sense going from Heathrow as it will take an extra hour for everything considering they want that plane in the sky 5or6 times in the day. Heathrow is only okay if you get some freebie with airmiles or you are going Longhaul.

I'll never understand Ryanair haters, they're cheap, safe, and reliable. Yes, you need to ensure you don't fall foul of their baggage and other fees but I've been all over Europe with them and never had an issue. They won't use Heathrow because they don't have to and won't pay the ridiculous fees.

1 slot at Heathrow is around 20-30 million. 1 slot. No low cost carrier will ever enter Heathrow.

Flying within the continenent is great for low cost airlines.

Heathrow is just an awful experience and one assumes any flight using Heathrow will be delayed or worse. Ryanair has shown us how air travel can be so much easier without connecting through dystopian mega hubs.

Sorry, had to switch off. I’m a frequent flyer and please don’t state that the security lines at Stanstead are manageable!! It’s hell on earth, total carnage at all times. Heathrow never lets me down for business..

Ryanair doesnt need london heathrow airport it needs is the smaller airports like manchester, east midlands and some other the other

Ryanair is very good at talking the talk I find. I've used Heathrow a number of times and prefer it, when it works it's a very efficient operation.

I wonder if they will ever fly to orly in paris. Because Beauvais is super far away from the city

I'm Irish and my family live in Camberwell in London. It is quicker to fly to Gatwick and travel on the train than fly to Heathrow and cross London to get there.

95% of the time Ryanair ditch you at these random airports way out of the actual city like “London” stansted anyway 😂

Maybe it’s better for Heathrow’s runways as well…

Their strategy makes perfect sense for the airline & the passenger

Doubt Thiefrow are bothered,they have enough rogues on site

All depends on the alternative. In Paris for Ryanair it is Beauvais... Which is over an hour away from Paris & badly deserved by public transport.

Don’t want to pay for landing slots. I don’t blame them

I prefer direct flights only. less time wasted and less chance of delays and missing bags. But I will never fly on a low cost carrier like Ryan air as I value on board comfort and airport lounges over airfare price.

Why RyanIr dont take over Manston or Southend simply stuns me

Heathrow is too near London for Ryanair to consider 😀

They are wise to avoid Heathrow, I have to travel through their as Manchester flights have become too expensive. It is an awful lumbering giant which adopts technology because it can rather than because it makes any sense to the traveller. For non European travellers the issue is finding a bridge into their network without incurring a massive wait.

Does Heathrow have a "No slamming your jets on our runways" policy?

I’m here

Maybe they are just "worried - about --the - baggage retrieval, system they've got at Heathrow"? 😂

Heathrow has always been a terrible airport. Been using it since early 80s - always overcrowded and slow. Biggest problem is only two runways.

only way a ryanair plane will land at heathrow is if they need to make an emergency landing

I don't mind Ryanair not using Heathrow, I live in Scotland.

Busiest and most popular Isn’t that redundant?

Not true- look at their summer schedules!