given the right amunition those masses could quite rapidly turn tail.
Maybe. OTOH one of M.O.L's smartest moves was starting up routes out of thinly served regional airports - many people won't drive more than an hour to an airport and for them Ryanair is now the only means of travel between their home and family /weekend home/future retirement pad/weekday place of work. Those folk are either happy to accept the FR package or if not grumble like mad but eventually 'fess up that they have no choice but to continue flying with them.