Here's the press release:
RYANAIR CELEBRATES LAUNCH OF CUSTOMER CHARTER WITH 1 MILLION FREE SEATS
Ryanair, Europe's only low fares airline, today unveiled its unique customer service charter and celebrated the launch with a spectacular promise to give away up to 1 million free seats across its 76 route European network over the next 3 months (all that passengers have to pay is the taxes).
Ryanair's customer charter sets new standards for the industry in relation to punctuality, customer service, and above all, a commitment to low prices, the three standards which air passengers really care about.
Ryanair’s charter includes commitment to selling the lowest fare at all times, reducing fares below the competitors special offers, selling all tickets on a one way basis to avoid restrictive return conditions, allowing passengers to change flight times and make name changes, to operate the quickest check-in service, to provide a No.1 on-time performance and to ban over bookings. These are commitments which are conspicuously absent from the so called “Customer Service Charter” published by the high fare airlines last year. As usual the high fare airlines just talk about service, at Ryanair we deliver it.
Ryanair is the only airline to support the EU’s proposal to publish statistics on a monthly basis for all airlines in relation to punctuality, bags lost and number of passenger complaints. This is published on a monthly basis by U.S. airlines and facilitates the direct comparison of customer service by each airline against its peers. Once again British Airways, British Midland and Virgin Atlantic have all flatly refused to publish their statistics because they are worse than Ryanair or other low fares carriers. Once again we call on all of these airlines to publish these statistics so that passengers can verify for themselves exactly who gives the best customer service and lowest fares in this business.
Customer service in Ryanair is acombination of:
1. Safety
2. Very low prices
3. No.1 punctuality
4. New modern aircraft
5. Efficient, uncrowded airports
6. Friendly, hospitable on-board service
Launching the charter today in London, Ryanair's Chief Executive, Michael O'Leary, said:
"This is a very significant milestone for Ryanair and the aviation industry in Europe. It clearly establishes the standards which other airlines can’t match but which, on a day to day basis, Ryanair is reaching and surpassing.
“Unlike so many of Europe’s high fare airlines, Ryanair delivers what passengers really want, low fares, high frequency, No.1 on-time flights. This is why Ryanair receives less than one complaint per 1000 passengers carried and that’s why our traffic is growing every year by over 30% whereas the high fare airlines are carrying less and less passengers. Passengers want punctuality, friendly service, rapid response to complaints, ticket flexibility and above all, low fares. The industry standards have now been established, let the other airlines see if they can match them. We intend to and we are celebrating our commitment by announcing the biggest ever give away of free seats in Europe.
“To celebrate the launch of this charter, we are offering 1 million free seats from London on flights from 1st October through to 17th December, all the passenger has to do is pay the taxes. There are free flights available every day during that period, with a million in total - hardly enough to satisfy everyone - so book early as there is undoubtedly going to be phenomenal demand.