Travellers slam Ryanair’s new Prime subscription service: ‘A waste of £79’

Ryanair has launched a new annual subscription service promising perks for frequent flyers – but not everyone is convinced by the deal. 

For £79 a year, members will get free reserved seats, free travel insurance and access to 12 annual member-exclusive seat sales a month. The Irish budget airline claims customers who fly 12 times a year will save £420.

Announcing the scheme on Monday, Ryanair CMO Dara Brady said: ‘Ryanair “Prime” is a new subscriber discount scheme for frequent flyers that want to fly regularly but don’t want to break the bank to do so.’

Metro readers had plenty to say about the offering – while some couldn’t sign up fast enough, others were sceptical, blasting the service as ‘pointless’ and ‘a con’. 

Some passengers felt the service should have offered more for the £79 price tag. 

‘If you ask me. Not much in it for £79,’ wrote Richie Fine. ‘At least give people priority boarding and two cabin bags to make it worthwhile.’

Kristina Owen added: ‘It should include a bag.’

Alexander Ivanov wrote: ‘Looks like a joke – a waste of £79 for the things one barely needs.’

Others argued that the membership wouldn’t be worthwhile for occasional travellers. Diana Pauzaite-McCurley wrote: ‘For people who fly regularly in a year, it might be good, but for people flying once a year, I don’t think it will work.’

One reader suggested Ryanair should have increased the fee to include additional perks. 

Chris Downing wrote: ‘They should have made it more expensive but added a 10kg bag or something. This seems pointless as the main saving is in insurance and the seat booking and not the flights.’

However, some readers saw real value in the service, Angela Keating said: ‘For frequent flyers, it’s a good deal.’ While Chris Robinson wrote: ‘That’s a game-changer for people who travel a lot. Just think of all the extra holidays you could afford.’