This matched my experience and it was possible to predict which seat you would get by checking the seat plan before check-in to see which seats were still available to be purchased.
I now believe it to have changed so that seats B or E are allocated to solo passengers not paying for seat allocation.
You can almost always buy a seat from €2.
If it is so important that you get a particular seat that you keep coming back constantly, waiting to check-in until you think you are next in line for that seat - why not just pay the €2 and save yourself the hassle????
Because I've been waiting for the €13 or €15 seats!
Maybe I'm spoiled on my FR routes then!!! €13 is "Front Row Seat" level pricing for me! (Which I incidentally consider the worst seats in the house. I hate rows with no under-seat storage....particularly on FR where the lack of seat pockets really means you do need a bag to hold your sundries.
I have noticed this too...only in the last week.
As a solo traveller, I always check in as late as possible (mere hours/minutes before departure) and always get a window or aisle seat in either the first few rows (most likely) or the last few rows, allowing quick and easy boarding.
It makes sense for Ryanair to keep the best seats to give away as late as possible. For example, why keep seat 15B until the end as no-one ever would pay last minute for this, while some might still do for 3C?
My experience is that they are screwing you over when you check in as solo traveller on the earliest of occasions, giving bad seats in the hope next time you will pay extra.
it also appears the algorithm is now out of date.
It seems Ryanair is now operating a policy of deliberately separating families and travel companions in order to generate revenue from paid seating options.
Good to see Simon Calder is onto this.
We just need Lucian to update his site to show the new algorithm! Lucian, if you're reading, flyertalkers will give you lots of clicks on your site if you do this!
I think I can guess the answer to this, but once online check in has been done and seats have been allocated, will Ryanair allow seating changes at the airport?
Absolutely, but you will have to pay the €15/£15 boarding pass reissue fee, together with the fee for whichever seat you end up in. A motivated check-in agent may also try to charge the €50/£50 airport check-in fee.
So it's cheaper to just pay for the seat you want in advance.