Avoiding costs at all cost....
Mark Tran
Friday April 22, 2005
The budget airline Ryanair today took its no-frills approach to new heights by banning its staff from charging their mobile phones at work.
In justifying a move likely to underline its Scrooge-like image, Europe's largest discount airline said it did not believe using a mobile phone charger at work was acceptable.
"The cost may not be expensive but every penny saved counts and all savings go back towards lowering fares for European consumers," Ryanair said.
The ban on charging mobiles is the latest cost-saving measure at the Dublin-based airline, which is constantly on the lookout to shave costs. The carrier does not have assigned seats, does not provide free food and drink and does not provide refunds for missed connections. Ryanair staff also have to buy their own uniforms.
Last year, Ryanair and Stansted airport lost an appeal against a decision that they must provide free wheelchairs for disabled passengers. The case arose after Ryanair charged a disabled man £18 for the use of a wheelchair. Ryanair argued that Stansted should provide a free wheelchair service as it levied the charge.
Still, the no-frills approach has gone down well with the travelling public. After rapid expansion, Ryanair is now Europe's biggest low-cost carrier and Michael Mr O'Leary, its flamboyant chief executive, has ambitions for Ryanair to become Europe's largest airline in five years.
To achieve this goal, Ryanair - although it is watching the pennies - ordered 70 new Boeing jets with a list price of $4.6bn (£2.4bn) in February. The company is buying the Boeing 737-800s at a knockdown price and has an option of doubling its order to 140 aircraft.
The new aircraft will allow Ryanair to increase its passenger numbers from an expected 34 million this year to 70 million in 2011, creating 2,500 jobs and taking it ahead of British Airways and Air France. Ryanair reported profits of £20m in the last quarter of 2004.
Ryanair said staff at the company's head office had not been upset by the ban on mobile phone charging, which it said did not come from Mr O'Leary.
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