j636 - I agree that paper slips on most trains are no longer neessary. However, the average B737 doesn't have an electronic display above the seat, so to mark a seat as allocated, cabin crew would have to lay out pieces of paper on each seat indicating if it's reserved or not.
Of course, in a mixed allocated/free-seating set up, not every seat will be reserved, so cabin crew would have to lay out those "Reserved" pieces of paper more carefully for specific seats every turnaround which all takes time...
Yes, trains do carry more people, but a train usually has far fewer seats per non-emergency available door, so a given number of people can enter/exit the train much faster. As with LCC cabin crew, a team of cleaners can start work on a train approx 30 mins before arrival at a terminus, so minimising turnaround time. Train crew can check tickets after the train starts moving, making boarding faster. No need for a passenger count, get all passengers seated, safety demo or to check everyone is wearing a seatbelt and seats upright on a train before departure. This means that the number of minutes when a long distance train is (almost) empty of passengers at a terminus is rather longer than a 25-min turnaround plane.
My point overall, is that a mixed allocated/free-seating set up on a train is much easier to execute, than it is on a Ryanair B737 based on current turnaround times and aircraft. I agree that Ryanair is on a drive to improve customer service, but the aim to be to not annoy people, rather than reach the standards of a traditional network carrier - if they can meet Easyjet current levels of service, then consumers will likely be happy.
Yes, Ryanair could implement a combination of allocated and free seating, but would the increased consumer satisfaction outweigh the loss of ancillary revenue and the operational time cost, and would passengers pay higher fares for that extra satisfaction ?
Last edited by davidjohnson6; 17th Feb 2014 at 02:29.