Ryanair Reacts To Decline

[Chillwinston]

Passengers flying on Ryanair will have to make do without reclining seats, seat pockets and even window blinds in future as the Irish budget airline again strives to cut costs and lower fares.

Ryanair, which has made its name by offering "no-frills" flights at knockdown prices, has asked Boeing to ditch such luxuries when supplying its latest fleet of planes.

Ryanair is facing falling yields in the cut-throat budget airline industry and is seeking to shore up its position as one of Europe's largest airlines by market value.

It issued the first profit warning of its 19 year history last month and is also locked in a legal battle with the European Commission over its receipt of regional state aid.

"Ryanair sees these things [reclining seats, window blinds and seat pockets] as non-essential items. It aims to save costs and then in turn pass these savings on to the consumer," a spokeswoman for the airline said.

"All of this will help us achieve our ultimate goal, where we envisage 50 percent of our seats will be for free within five years," she added.

Ryanair hopes to save around two million euros (USD$2.55 million) on a one off basis by using non-reclining seats. It estimates that it has to replace around 40 reclining seats on each of its planes each year due to breakage.

"Getting rid of window blinds will deliver a saving of about USD$250,000 on each plane," the spokeswoman said. "Ditching seat pockets will reduce cleaning costs and shorten the time in which planes are turned around."

The airline is also looking at ways to encourage passengers to bring their luggage on board with them, reducing the need for check-ins and baggage handling at airports.

It may consider offering incentives to passengers who travel with hand luggage only.

(Reuters)

[Mode7]

Did I miss something? The weekend papers said that Mr Grumpy was going to change the layout of his jets to 'revolutionise' low cost. He said he was going to remove reclining seat, head rests, seat pockets, blinds and discourage hold baggage. Isn’t that what Aeroflot did 30 years ago – have a padded bench with no back rest in a cattle truck with no food, no entertainment and no luggage? What is the point of going on an aircraft when you are discouraged form taking luggage? Has he totally lost the plot? I can see a businessman popping somewhere for the day for a meeting when all he has is a laptop using this kind of trashy service but what about holiday makers? The mind totally boggles. I say again, have I missed something. BA might be a tad more expensive but you fly to the City not nearby in relative comfort with free food and limited entertainment and oh, you are allowed a suitcase – how novel! Give me BA any day.

[eng123]

Mode 7,
Whilst I agree that the baggage thing may be taking it a bit too far,I think the other issues are good idea's.
I don't know about you,but if it makes my ticket cheaper then I could easily do without a seat recline,seat pocket and a window blind for the couple of hours I am in the aircraft.
As I see it,it's all about choice.I am quite happy to suffer a 30 min-1 hour bus or train ride to get me into the city from one of the smaller airports used by Ryanair if it is going to make a significant saving in the cost of tickets.After all,the transfer time is no different from the centre of London to LHR,for instance [unless you are willing to pay for the direct train link which at about £15 each makes for a huge expense if paying for a family].
If people feel the extra cost of flying a major carrier to the main airport is worth it then fine,pay it,but don't knock a service that people like myself think is quite adequate.
I liked your quote about 'free' food! The food is not free at all.You obviously pay for it in your flight ticket.An expensive sandwich at £100+ if you ask me!

[VIKING9]

Surely Boeing will charge MORE to construct aircraft in this "non standard" format.

As for discouraging passengers taking hold baggage. Mmmmm low fares to holiday destinations but you can't take a suitcase !! Think maybe RYR are losing the plot here somehow !

[Musket90]

Boeing charging Ryanair more for non-standard fit Boeings - I don't think so - Ryanair will want Boeing to pay them.

Who needs a seat pocket anyway. Having seats that don't recline means the selfish person in front won't be able to recline and reducing the already small space in front of you.

Whether liked or not, Ryanair have led the way in keeping costs down. They are effectively a bus service and many buses don't have seat pockets, reclining seats or much space for luggage so what's all the fuss about. The difference between a real bus service and the Ryanair bus service is that Ryanair are cheaper.

[Jamesair]

I understood that one of the main planks of Ryanair's business plan was the quick turnaround of a/c, quite how this equates with encouraging people to take their baggage into the cabin and not checking it into the hold is beyond me.

Anyone who has ever flown from Miami or New York to Puerto Rico would know the problems this can cause.

I would think half an hour to get everyone out of the aircraft and another half an hour to get the next lot on board again and settled would about cover it.

Stick to the hold baggage plan Ryanair for quick turnarounds.

[BALIX]

Well I don't know about abyone else but non-reclining seats get my vote on any short-haul flight. Nothing worse than having some passenger in front laying in your lap. In fact I would go so far as to say that long haul airlines should fit devices to their reclining seats that prevent them being reclined for all the flight bar the few hours when people are legitimately trying to get some rest.

As for seat pockets, they are grubby items anyway, full of sweetie wrappers from several days ago so get rid of them as well. I believe they can stick the emergency card on the back of the seat in front.

Ryanair will always get slagged off. Yes, they are a bit crap but they are a lot cheap. Other airlines maybe a bit less crap but they are a lot more expensive. You pays your money and you takes your choice...

[lowfaresbuster]

yes, there are more and more holes coming in the Ryanair Business plan.
2 new holes that I have though of today are:
MOL is constantly on about Airport Fees, and reducing them, he made €24 million from keeping No Show airport taxes, if everyone was changing Charleroi landing fees, it would have been €2 million.
Secondly his profits are down, as he can get only get a very little number of people to pay premiums on his secondary aiport to secondary airport routes- I don't think you will have too many people in Kerry that will pay €300 to get to Hahn by Friday, or too many in Valedolid that have to go to Charleroi for the weekend.

[XSBaggage]

The new -800s already have no seat pockets and seats that don't recline, so the big fuss is about what exactly?