The Real Slim Shady,
I made my posting because I really get fed up with Ryanair knockers. I had no idea that you might be associated with the company in some way. I worked in airlines for many years latterly at Director level. I am now retired and it is a few years since I worked in an airline. I have a number of fine pioneering schemes to my name, attempting to get low fares approved in a time of intense anti-competitive regulation was one of them.
I would like the knockers to read this posting because it may help them to recognise waht is going on in the real world.
Fact, Ryanair has been in a sustained growth programme for at least the last fifteen years. In that time it has grown from nearly nothing to be the largest airline passenger carrier in Europe. There is no way that that can have been achieved without massive customer support. The knockers acgieve nothing, the passengers make the company.
Fact, RYR has a strong balance sheet with more than 2 bilion Euros of cash. How many other airlines in the world can claim that?
Fact, the company's growth has enabled it to break out from its homeland to operate a network that encompasses almost every European country. In doing so it has become the largest airline in Ireland, the second largest in UK, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Malta etc. No other airline has achieved anything like that.
Fact, RYR has achieved double digit growth through the teeth of a two year recession. No other significant airline in the world has achieved that.
Fact, No other airline in the world has as many bases at which saircrfat and crew are based.
Fact, RYR has brought airline service to numerous cities that previously had none. This has grown the overall European market and provided previously impossible travel opportunitiews. Ask any one in provincial Poland, Italy, Spain just how much they have benefitted from this.
Fact, with the lowest retail prices, RYR achieves the highest profits. This is done by sheer efficiency at all levels.
Fact RYR achieves the best punctuality performance of any substantial airline in Europe. Punctuality is a vital customer service standard.
Fact, RYR loses fewer bags than any other European airline.
Fact RYR uses some terminals that are vastly more efficient than those used by BA, LH etc. I was very impressed by the simplicty and operating efficiences possible at Ciampino and Budapest terminal 1.
In doing all this and more RYR has set a completely new standard.
My own experience is that over 20 sectors in the lase 18 months all flights have arrived early or on time. My baggage has always been on the belt before I have been able to get there. I have never experienced that with any other airline.
The lowest fare I paid was 1 euro cent including tax. I expect soon to be able to find a flight to somewher I want to go for nothing.
I look forward to a flight sometime probably in 2013 when RYR carry their 100 millionth passenger in a single year. It would be great to be that passenger.