Originally Posted by
vikingivesterled
I am well aware that Ryanair states they have the lowest costs in the industry. But that has nothing to do with my post. Everybody can fly profitably at 66% load. They just need a higher average fare.
O'leary is running his can't keep midle seat free line because according to him Ryanair can't make a profit with it. If he is unwilling og unable to recalculate what he needs to take to make a profit at 66% load and therefore keeps his planes grounded until he can sell the whole plane, others will be recovering faster by offering a more atractive proposition in a time where many potential passengers are looking more towards availability of social distancing than price sensitivity.
Ryanair could still find a price point under these airlines new higher level and attract pasengers if they are willing to accept the social distancing ground lules, or make alternative arrangements of physical separation instead of distancing.
The notion of a middle side being empty, is madness. He’s right for not entertaining the idea before someone starts thinking they’re onto a winner.
It’s like trying to argue to install cages on the London Underground to separate people.
The onus needs to be on the airports to screen passengers, temperature checks and possible testing when that improves to quicker result time. It’s impossible to separate people in a tube, how do you go to the toilet without being less than 2m, how do you board and disembark. The list is pretty endless. There also needs to be a social responsibility wearing a mask, frequently cleaning hands etc. Also hopefully you’d hope a home test could give an effective result before going to the airport or flying.
You can certainly mark up a 66% load price, but those passengers don’t tend to fly with Ryanair anyway. You’re putting the prices up considerably which is the exact opposite of what Ryanair will do when borders open. MoL has already suggested he’s planning a price war to undercut the rest of Europe.
EasyJet as an example are traditionally more expensive before taking out the middle seat, before even discussing legacy carriers.
Once bars and hotels are allowed to open in Europe, people will return in numbers. There is many many people who, if they could would fly on holidays tomorrow. Look at the British rags, they’re more concerned when they can get to Benidorm or Faro again than deaths.