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Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

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Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#51

Post by GJim »

sverhagen wrote: post #18
pjmlp wrote: post #10

Unfortunately some of the airports I care about only have connections mostly with low cost, Ryanair and others. If regular lines would care to offer similar connections, I would gladly pay a bit more.

People often say they'd gladly pay a bit more, but I don't think that's how they act. In the case of Ryanair, I think not using them often means that a casual weekend away could become a much bigger dent in my family's monthly budget.

> People often say they'd gladly pay a bit more, but I don't think that's how they act.

No.

I'd gladly pay more and do. However, Ryanair (piss be upon them) have a virtual monopoly on routes I need.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#52

Post by pjmlp »

sverhagen wrote: post #18
pjmlp wrote: post #10

Unfortunately some of the airports I care about only have connections mostly with low cost, Ryanair and others. If regular lines would care to offer similar connections, I would gladly pay a bit more.

People often say they'd gladly pay a bit more, but I don't think that's how they act. In the case of Ryanair, I think not using them often means that a casual weekend away could become a much bigger dent in my family's monthly budget.

True, however in many cases they, or other similar companies, are the only ones covering for the route.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#53

Post by chrismorgan »

bojangleslover wrote: post #2

About 1/3 of their revenue is ancillary (the dark patterns are there to cause ancillary revenue). I just flew from Bournemouth to Alicante on Ryanair for £50. A similar flight in the US (DC to Miami, for example) would be easily 5x that, possibly 7-8x. The dark patterns took me about 10min to click through. Doing the math, that means my time would have to be worth $1500/hr which is higher than the take-home (not bill…

> The dark patterns took me about 10min to click through.

I find that difficult to believe. Ten minutes is a long time.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#54

Post by whizzter »

thimabi wrote: post #29

That “Don’t Insure Me” option hidden in the middle of a country list is pure evil. I’m used to seeing dark patterns everywhere but that’s a first for me. From where I stand, it’s not fair to charge the hell out of people who fall for these tricks while giving steep discounts to the ones who don’t. Maybe there’s a “fool me once” aspect to Ryanair’s shenanigans, so at least their impact might be limited somehow.

If Ryanair was in the computing world, Oracle's audit department would look like nice guys.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#55

Post by rithdmc »

bojangleslover wrote: post #2

About 1/3 of their revenue is ancillary (the dark patterns are there to cause ancillary revenue). I just flew from Bournemouth to Alicante on Ryanair for £50. A similar flight in the US (DC to Miami, for example) would be easily 5x that, possibly 7-8x. The dark patterns took me about 10min to click through. Doing the math, that means my time would have to be worth $1500/hr which is higher than the take-home (not bill…

I don't find Ryanair much cheaper than Aer Lingus. In my experience there's up to a 20% premium, and I just cross checked the Alicante route for next week with the same results.

Compared to the high likelihood of delays or cancelled flights with Ryanair, I think it's worth it for peace of mind.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#56

Post by sceptic123 »

matt-p wrote: post #50
bojangleslover wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Those incidentals would not increase your fare 5-8 times Oh I see what you're saying. What I'm saying is, what's the alternative? Another more expensive airline whose online check-in takes 5min instead of 10min? I'm contending that even with the dark patterns, my downside is only 1.5x cost, which is still far, far below a non-budget airline. >nor can the price difference to US be the base for your cost savings Yeah…

I think that sometimes we think just in terms of the raw price of the incidentals rather than the effect of reducing demand for incidentals. The main reason Ryanair is so cheap is that they have the fastest turn around time in the industry. This means the utilisation rate is far higher. Part of the reason they're able to turn around so quickly is that they take less hold luggage (so unloading/loading is not holding t…

Or to look at it another way, they're perfectly happy to let you stand in a queue, outside, on the runway, in the cold/heat, waiting for them to unload/load the plane that has just landed and is often already late.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#57

Post by dbspin »

gib444 wrote: post #19

I am shocked that Ryanair stoop to such levels, because the Irish always come across as actually morally superior to many other people, and I thought that would extend to just implementing good and honest business practices at the expense of profit. I am also similarly shocked about past GDP shenanigans, aiding in tax evasion by large multinationals, and the Irish privacy regulator being so weak on GDPR violations. I…

Irish person here... Ireland is a real country, with a wide diversity of human temperaments. Culture doesn't override greed, nor does it impart 'morality'. Moreover, Ireland is perhaps the most Americanised EU nation. Decades of neoliberal government, endemic corporate corruption and poor regulation of anything that threatens the corporate tax avoidance status quo.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#58

Post by rithdmc »

chrismorgan wrote: post #53
bojangleslover wrote: post #2

About 1/3 of their revenue is ancillary (the dark patterns are there to cause ancillary revenue). I just flew from Bournemouth to Alicante on Ryanair for £50. A similar flight in the US (DC to Miami, for example) would be easily 5x that, possibly 7-8x. The dark patterns took me about 10min to click through. Doing the math, that means my time would have to be worth $1500/hr which is higher than the take-home (not bill…

> The dark patterns took me about 10min to click through. I find that difficult to believe. Ten minutes is a long time.

Whenever I have to book Ryanair, there's a lot of clicking back and forth between screens to confirm I've made the right choices.

Ten minutes is a long time. That's the purpose of dark patterns.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#59

Post by jen729w »

I just ordered a pizza from Uber Eats here in Taiwan and was offered the option to "Try Uber One".

Clicking "Try now" in fact just signs you up for Uber One. So I suppose you are, technically, trying it. For money.

Dirty. I'm Australian and I'm sure that wouldn't be legal.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#60

Post by piva00 »

throwawaysleep wrote: post #38
thimabi wrote: post #29

That “Don’t Insure Me” option hidden in the middle of a country list is pure evil. I’m used to seeing dark patterns everywhere but that’s a first for me. From where I stand, it’s not fair to charge the hell out of people who fall for these tricks while giving steep discounts to the ones who don’t. Maybe there’s a “fool me once” aspect to Ryanair’s shenanigans, so at least their impact might be limited somehow.

Eh, we might be all better off if a lack of curiosity was more regularly financially excruciating.

Better off by being exhausted on never trusting any purchasing process? No, thank you, I don't need nor want to be curious when I just want to purchase a flight ticket.
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