Ryanair Q&A | Is it worth it? Free Training? Passport Delay? Per Diem? Can I take photos in flights?

Hey everyone, I hope you are all well. I think because Ryanair was recruiting and now probably there are some training courses going on, I’m not exactly sure. I had quite a few people message me saying they are about to go to the training course, and yeah, I just kind of got quite a few questions. I thought, okay, let me just try and put a few questions together in a video to answer some of them. So yeah, I guess you could call these FAQs.

FAQ 1: Do You Have to Pay for Everything?

Alright, so hi there! I love your YouTube channel, I’m a fan. Can I ask, I’m going for Ryanair training soon to be a cabin crew. I have been watching your videos. Do you pay for everything?

Yeah, that’s pretty much it. It’s a bit longer than that, but they were asking if I paid for everything or if, in general, as a cabin crew, you have to pay for everything. The answer to that is yes and no. Some things you pay for, some things you do not pay for. One of the first things you need to pay for is your accommodation at the training center, or near the training center. So up front, you need to be able to pay for transport to the assessment day and then, of course, accommodation and basic clothes that you’re going to be wearing at the training center. You need kind of smart casual clothes.

Somebody was asking me what clothes do you wear during the training course. That information should be provided for you in your welcome pack. They should provide a grooming manual in there, so please do try to read the information because it is there. They are a bit strict. When you get to the training course, you are going to be getting grooming checks every single day, checking your nails, checking your hair, checking your shoes, checking your tights. You can’t wear tights that are too thick; they need to be like, I think it’s, don’t quote me on this, but I think it’s about 15 denier.

So you will be getting those grooming checks every day, and you need to make sure you buy the clothes beforehand so that you’re not scrambling for clothes on your days off trying to find something to wear because you only have really chill clothes. Just go to Primark or any shop of your choice that you prefer, where you get some nice clothes that fit you well, comfortably but smart. Stock up on a few pairs of pants, some skirts for the ladies, and everything that you need.

One thing that happened to us on my training course was that loads of girls were running to Frankfurt and other cities. I think we even managed to find a charity shop to get a couple of things from there. I would not recommend it; if I could go back in time, I would have avoided it. Even though it was not expensive, it’s not exactly nice wearing clothes that have been worn by somebody else. I remember I had my own watch, but I grabbed a black-strapped watch and it just fell apart. Sometimes the things that they’re selling in these charity shops are not very good quality, so go to a shop that you know sells decent stuff and stock up on these things because you will be checked every single day.

You do not have to pay for the training course; that is free. I think I mentioned it in one of the videos, probably the first video. The training course is free as far as I know. Maybe something has changed, but I really don’t think so. You do have to do your own grocery shopping, but they do give you what they call a per diem. That’s a weekly payment of around 130 euros to cover a few basic items such as groceries, toiletries, and small things here and there. That’s what they pay you for being on the training course. Otherwise, you just need to be able to pay for your accommodation and, of course, have some money for the accommodation at your base. At least, at a minimum, have enough for the first month of rent and the deposit. Depending on what country you’re going to, the rules will be different. Some people in my training course actually made sure they secured some accommodation before the training course, and some did while they were on the training course.

So that’s something to think about for yourself. Just to make this very clear, they do not pay for your accommodation. You need to pay for that yourself.

FAQ 2: Do They Pay You Something During the Training Course?

Yes, they pay you something, a little bit, about 100 to 130 euros. That was the case in Germany at least.

FAQ 3: Can I Work and Study at the Same Time?

Hello, sweetie, thank you for this info. I want to ask you something. Do you think I could work and study a career at the same time? I’m asking because of the hours, etc.

This question reminded me of my colleague and good friend who was studying for a master’s while working as a flight attendant and, of course, during the training course. It is definitely possible to study and do this job at the same time. You just have to strike up the right balance, and you can make it happen. You can do your studies. But one thing you need to know is they do not permit you to have a second job while doing this job.

You can’t do that. Maybe if you have your own kind of remote job where you work freelance or you work on your own time, that could be possible, but you have to be able to respond to the call for home standby and show up to your scheduled flights. You are not really allowed to have a second job while doing this flight attendant job with Ryanair.

FAQ 4: Can I Take Photos & Film Videos on Board?

Excellent video. I’m thinking about using Ryanair. I have been looking at the company and other consumer websites, and there seems to be a disagreement as to what the company policy is on using your cell phone to shoot videos on board. Could you settle this disagreement as to what the policy is? Thank you.

I believe this comment is from the video where I’m reading out Ryanair reviews. This person wants to know if it’s possible to use your cell phone to shoot videos. Now, I don’t know if they mean shoot videos of themselves, the aircraft, or the crew, but I can tell you about a couple of experiences that I’ve had.

The first experience was when I was a passenger and flight attending was not on my mind. I remember I walked into the aircraft with my camera, something similar to what I’m filming on now, a big DSLR camera, and one of the crew told me to turn the camera off and not film. I remember that was my first time using Ryanair, and I was on the old aircraft model with the big chunky seats, which I found so tight and squashy.

One of the crew at the back told me to put my camera away, so there you go. The crew has the right to tell you to put away your camera and stop filming if they feel uncomfortable with it.

As a flight attendant, I never tried to vlog while at work because I wanted my privacy and to respect my colleagues’ privacy. However, passengers often tried to take pictures and videos, sometimes sneakily. I usually asked them to stop filming or taking photos, and most complied, though some were rude.

I don’t know the general policy, but I know the staff have the right to request that you do not film them or in the aircraft. Some staff do film their days, but I didn’t. You could ask the crew if it’s okay to film yourself to avoid issues. Each staff member is different, so some might mind while others might not. I hope this answers your question and gives you an idea of the general feeling about it.

FAQ 5: Do I Need to Do a Professional Cabin Crew Training Course?

Somebody was asking if after a certain date they need to do a professional cabin crew training provided by an institute. The answer to that is no, you don’t need to do it, but you can if you want to. It’s not going to increase or reduce your chances of becoming a flight attendant.

To be accepted in any airline, it’s mostly about your appearance, a bit about your customer service experience, and that’s it. You need training specific to the airline and the aircraft you will be using when you work. The training course is something you need to pass, otherwise, you will not be able to become a cabin crew. Ryanair gives you two chances to pass each of the six exams. If you fail the second chance, you get kicked off the course but can enroll in the next one.

FAQ 6: What Should I Do About a Delayed Passport?

Hey, I saw your video and really enjoyed it. I’m going to have an online interview with Ryanair and was wondering, let’s suppose I get accepted, but I have a little issue because I have applied for the passport here in Portugal but due to COVID-19, it’s delayed. I don’t think I’m going to have it in time for the assessment day, and I really don’t know what I should do.

You do need a passport to do this job, of course. It’s flying, you need your passport every single day, or your ID. Some countries do have IDs instead of passports or you can use both your ID and passport to fly with. For Portugal, you can use your citizen ID card as a valid travel document. Check if your European country permits you to use your citizen ID card as a travel document.

If it’s just a case of your passport expiring soon, you can go to the training course and try to order an express delivery passport so that it comes to you in time. Many people had missing documents while at the training course and gathered their documents while there. I had a reference posted to me, had to order my DBS check, and waited for that during the course. As long as you don’t need to fly for a month or so, you should be okay, and they should give you time to collect your documents.

Conclusion

Those were the main questions that I saw, so hopefully, those answer some of your questions. If there are more questions, please let me know and I will try my best to answer them. Thank you so much for watching. I hope you have a good day, and see you next time. Bye!