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Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

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Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#171

Post by flexagoon »

marysol5 wrote: post #118
flexagoon wrote: post #46

Is seat selection really a dark pattern? Exit row seats are the most worthwhile add-on to buy when flying IMO, sometimes having even more leg room than business class seats for a fraction of the cost.

Frustratingly my GF's first ever flight was in COVID, and she wanted to ensure we sat together, so I paid for seat selection, and for an exit row. We were one of the 10 people on the flight...including some of our friends who didn't select seats, but sat on the same row.....

Yep, that sucks. But on the other hand, overbooking is a thing, so if you buy a ticket without seat selection for a popular flight there's a chance you literally won't be let into the plane you paid for because all the seats are already taken. Happened to me once, I had to agree to a free replacement ticket to a different city in an entirely different European country (Brussels instead of Cologne) and spend about 200€ on a late night taxi to my destination.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#173

Post by NicuCalcea »

marysol5 wrote: post #120
NicuCalcea wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some people are also old, or not very technically literate, or have poor vision, or aren't experienced flyers. I can navigate around the dark patterns despite being very lazy, but my dad who only uses a computer occasionally would really struggle with them. That is not a fairer world to me.

If you can't navigate around "Would you like to choose this extra option", with a massive "no" button. You shouldn't be allowed outside.

If you can't have a conversation without hyperbole and belittling others, you shouldn't be allowed inside.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#174

Post by tim333 »

mschuster91 wrote: post #106

> Don’t rent a car, don’t buy parking, don’t buy a train(?) In Europe, it is pretty common to continue onwards to your actual destination by train!

But it's usually better to buy the train ticket at the station rather than from Ryanair.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#175

Post by tim333 »

forgingahead wrote: post #93

I understand the frustrations, but...we're all grown adults here right? Who DOESN'T pay for seat selection if you want or need a good one? The insurance item is ridiculous, but...again, for grown adults with families/kids, do you really fly Ryanair?

As a many times Ryanair user I don't. I get allocated some crappy random seat, enter the plane last and sit somewhere else, often a row to myself.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#177

Post by tim333 »

Ryanair isn't that bad hence their ascent from a small airline to Europe's largest. The flights are usually cheap, on time and clicking through the junk only takes five minutes. They do occasionally get you with stupid charges. I think the worst I had was being charged £200 or so because I tried checking in online 1hr55m before takeoff and you were supposed to do it 2 hrs ahead. (2 passengers x £100). Swings and roundabouts.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#178

Post by fragmede »

wongarsu wrote: post #47
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.

To be fair, that is described as an 8 year old example. Their current UX is much more clear. Their current pattern is more about playing into the fear of what happens without insurance, without selecting your seat, when you don't pay for early check in and forget to do it online on the day before the flight, or what happens if you show up with more or larger luggage than what you booked. Fears they themselves create…

we'll see if regulators get away with saying you must be able to buy a ryan air airfare with an LM was a stupid as opus 4.6 (the last good one). Saying you must be able to buy Ryanair airfare with an immigrant as stupid as, and then give a version number and then say "the last good one" would get the EU regulator excommunicated.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#179

Post by mschuster91 »

tim333 wrote: post #174
mschuster91 wrote: post #106

> Don’t rent a car, don’t buy parking, don’t buy a train(?) In Europe, it is pretty common to continue onwards to your actual destination by train!

But it's usually better to buy the train ticket at the station rather than from Ryanair.

Better, yes. More convenient, no. That's why Bookingcom offers to load you with a rental car, train ticket and god knows what else, why Ryanair offers train tickets and why hotels do the same - massively reduced friction.

Re: Ryanair dark UX patterns summer 2026 refresher

#180

Post by Sohcahtoa82 »

kyusan0 wrote: post #154
netsharc wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My story wasn't with Ryanair, but I used to use Skyscanner to find the cheapest ticket, which is usually from a reseller agent instead of the airline (and whatever savings one made was wasted with time reading the 1-star reviews of how shit they are and then convincing oneself "Oh it'll be fine."). One of these sites offered the ticket for dozens of Euros cheaper, and allowed me to go through the booking process unti…

I spent most of my professional life working in various roles in aviation, which included several years in a customer facing position at an airport. I'd recommend never ever using reseller agents. They frequently mess up tickets, they sell tickets that don't exist at all, and most of them won't forward your contact info to the airline's system, so if there's a problem or delay you'll never receive the notification fr…

In my experience, the reseller agents don't even offer better prices these days.

So I'll typically use a service like Google Flights to find a flight, pick an itinerary, but then go to the airline's web page to book the flight directly.

Same for hotels. Find a hotel on Expedia, then book with the hotel directly.

I've seen too many horror stories of people booking through a reseller, and if something goes wrong, the reseller tells you to talk to the hotel/airline while the hotel/airline tells you to talk to the reseller.

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