Ryanair - 6
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Experts are no better at forecasting the future than the layman - if they were, then the banks would not now be reporting losses in the billions of euros. Let's just wait and see.
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: London
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Silly Pricing Muse
Someone else mentioned it further up, but Ryanair's continuous special offer pricing is now just getting silly. I'm keeping an eye on quite a few flights up to the end of the year and many prices are changing two or even three times a day! For me, with Ryanair, there are three basic types of flight:
1) The Mon after 12, Tue, Wed, Thu before 12, Sat after 12 group.
2) The Mon before 12, Thu after 12, Sat before 12 group.
3) Fridays and Sundays.
The special offer box seems to usually state group one only, but then when you look the fares are often there in group two as well (but these come and go). Very rarely, you'll find a "higher" special offer for group 3 (i.e. group 1 and 2 flights £5, group 3 £10).
One flight I wanted (Stansted - Prestwick on a Sat morning) has gone, in the last 7 days (inc tax): £23.94, £9.99, £10.00, £5.00, £10.00, £15.00). Thankfully, I booked when it was £5 as I didn't trust another 1p offer turning up before travel. After I booked it though, the Friday night flight, which would have been even more convenient, went from £23.94 down to £9.99 special offer, but only for one day!
Now, there seems to be the crazy situation where there are two types of deal. Taking Stansted - Prestwick on Thu 25/9, you have the AM flights at "NO TAXES", and the PM flights at "SPECIAL OFFER". The fare for the former is £15, and for the latter £0. But select a flight and the taxes become £0 for the former, and £15 for the latter! So all flights are the same price!
I guess those of us who spend a lot of time searching for bargains have got used to this erratic system of pricing, but whenever I try to explain it to anyone else in the office, they just get confused, and often give up and book with another carrier. "But why does a SPECIAL OFFER fare of £0 end up more than a NO TAXES fare of £10?" etc, they'll ask.
I'd love to spend a day in FR's yield management department to see how they come up with these prices!
1) The Mon after 12, Tue, Wed, Thu before 12, Sat after 12 group.
2) The Mon before 12, Thu after 12, Sat before 12 group.
3) Fridays and Sundays.
The special offer box seems to usually state group one only, but then when you look the fares are often there in group two as well (but these come and go). Very rarely, you'll find a "higher" special offer for group 3 (i.e. group 1 and 2 flights £5, group 3 £10).
One flight I wanted (Stansted - Prestwick on a Sat morning) has gone, in the last 7 days (inc tax): £23.94, £9.99, £10.00, £5.00, £10.00, £15.00). Thankfully, I booked when it was £5 as I didn't trust another 1p offer turning up before travel. After I booked it though, the Friday night flight, which would have been even more convenient, went from £23.94 down to £9.99 special offer, but only for one day!
Now, there seems to be the crazy situation where there are two types of deal. Taking Stansted - Prestwick on Thu 25/9, you have the AM flights at "NO TAXES", and the PM flights at "SPECIAL OFFER". The fare for the former is £15, and for the latter £0. But select a flight and the taxes become £0 for the former, and £15 for the latter! So all flights are the same price!
I guess those of us who spend a lot of time searching for bargains have got used to this erratic system of pricing, but whenever I try to explain it to anyone else in the office, they just get confused, and often give up and book with another carrier. "But why does a SPECIAL OFFER fare of £0 end up more than a NO TAXES fare of £10?" etc, they'll ask.
I'd love to spend a day in FR's yield management department to see how they come up with these prices!
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Ireland
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Free Seat Sale
Maybe they should launch a 1 cent sale with no charges and no credit card booking fee. Even a limited number of genuine free seats would get people talking and flying.
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: UK
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Have a watch.... BBC iPlayer - HARDtalk: Michael O'Leary
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: USA
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Usually when someone appears on the program they are made to look like fools, BBC had a very weak case in this instance and Mr. O'Leary had some very logical explanations for all issues, such as the mistreated wheelchair passenger, increased taxes at Stansted, charging extra for a number of services and more. They also seemed to attack him for global warming when in fact his fleet is one of the most modern and fuel efficient fleets in the industry.
Don't know what it's like to be an employee for him but he seems like a real sharp operator IMO.
Don't know what it's like to be an employee for him but he seems like a real sharp operator IMO.
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Up In The Sky...
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It's not just the BBC who has a weak case against him.. I was a real fan of the business model and still am in some ways, but it is true that staff treatment is pretty awful, and I think if that one issue was addressed correctly then it would be a great and exciting company to work for.
Unfortunately it won't change and that is why Ryanair lose too many good staff.
Unfortunately it won't change and that is why Ryanair lose too many good staff.
Join Date: Aug 2004
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Believe it or not - the booking system is running slow again. How long can they go on blaming screenscrapers? I dont see any other airlines havng problems with their website. Ryanair trying to cut corners?
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Slightly ff topic, but I find "hardtalk", and Steven Sacker (sp?) to be crap to be honest. Quite often poorly researched with leading questions the guests just know are coming.
Mitchell & Webb do a better parody version of it.
Mitchell & Webb do a better parody version of it.
Join Date: Nov 2000
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but it is true that staff treatment is pretty awful,
The bulk of the whining about bad treatment, lousy T and C's etc comes from outside the company.
Join Date: Nov 2005
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I think, me old, that you will find that the vast majority of pilots and cabin crew are very happy with their lot!
You should try talking to the cabin crew sometimes, most don't find €800 per month take home to be a very happy lot.
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Eight hundred euros a month take-home pay? That low? Are you sure? For how many hours work? (I know that hours have been cut.)
I must say, the reputation Ryanair has for poor terms and conditions is a concern I have - i.e., the uncomfortable feeling that the low fares I'm enjoying are being paid for by Ryanair's employees. On the other hand, how much different is this compared with, say, mobile 'phones from China or clothing from Bangladesh (except for the lack of face-to-face contact)?
I must say, the reputation Ryanair has for poor terms and conditions is a concern I have - i.e., the uncomfortable feeling that the low fares I'm enjoying are being paid for by Ryanair's employees. On the other hand, how much different is this compared with, say, mobile 'phones from China or clothing from Bangladesh (except for the lack of face-to-face contact)?
Join Date: Oct 2007
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And, when I last checked yesterday, still no way of finding the lowest fares, except looking at one day at a time 
. An absolute shambles. By the way, has anyone else noticed the fabulous "low fare finder" tool on Clickair's website? Why all other airlines don't make it so easy, I just don't know. (Actually, of course I know: it's revenue management to use a euphemism. The Americans call it gouging: a much better description!)
. An absolute shambles. By the way, has anyone else noticed the fabulous "low fare finder" tool on Clickair's website? Why all other airlines don't make it so easy, I just don't know. (Actually, of course I know: it's revenue management to use a euphemism. The Americans call it gouging: a much better description!)
Had to smile at the end of the interview when h just about stopped himself from saying 'I'm never wrong!'
But I didnt rate him that well, look how many he times he dismisses statistic, people, research just because he doesnt agree with it!
BTW, did anyone manage to count how many times he said 'we wont add fuel surcharges....'!!!!
5/10
But I didnt rate him that well, look how many he times he dismisses statistic, people, research just because he doesnt agree with it!
BTW, did anyone manage to count how many times he said 'we wont add fuel surcharges....'!!!!
5/10
Join Date: Jul 2005
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O'Leary is no mans fool, you don't get to run such a ruthless organisation and amass such a large personal fortune by being a fool.
He is very very clever, extremely lucid and very well briefed. He put down any arguments against him in a clear, concise and practical fashion. I have to say I thought he came over extremely well. I actually like the fact that he is prepared to stand up and tell it how it is. Some of his views on the 'green' lobbyists are great to hear and something that the CEO's of some of the other large carriers could/would never air.
Unfortunately the cost of his success is borne by those who work at the coal face. There are far more ideal terms and condition available out there hence the high Ryanair crew turnover. But, if he can turnover the crew rapidly and get them to pay for their own training he will never have to worry about the £100,000+ 24 years in the firm flight crew. He will have his aircraft flown by cheaper pilots.
I just wonder how long the legs on the Low Cost business model are these days?
W2P
He is very very clever, extremely lucid and very well briefed. He put down any arguments against him in a clear, concise and practical fashion. I have to say I thought he came over extremely well. I actually like the fact that he is prepared to stand up and tell it how it is. Some of his views on the 'green' lobbyists are great to hear and something that the CEO's of some of the other large carriers could/would never air.
Unfortunately the cost of his success is borne by those who work at the coal face. There are far more ideal terms and condition available out there hence the high Ryanair crew turnover. But, if he can turnover the crew rapidly and get them to pay for their own training he will never have to worry about the £100,000+ 24 years in the firm flight crew. He will have his aircraft flown by cheaper pilots.
I just wonder how long the legs on the Low Cost business model are these days?
W2P
Join Date: Oct 2007
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Although I agree that, in particular, the outrageous credit/debit card fee now levied by Ryanair can be viewed as a "fuel surcharge" in all but name (in the sense that probably the vast majority of it is retained by the airline and not passed on to the banks/credit card companies), I think that other airlines' declared fuel surcharges can also be criticised. For example, these add between £32 and £40 to the price of a return BA ticket between the UK and Europe. Their fuel surcharge alone is more that the total I paid for my last trip between the UK and mainland Europe on Ryanair. Bear in mind, too, that £10 of my fare went to the UK government!
Join Date: Feb 2008
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BA may not always be great when things go wrong - which airline is? - but they do at least make an effort. If a BA flight is cancelled you know that they will provide accommodation and food and another aircraft to take you where you want to go. If a Ryanair flight is cancelled you are left to fend for yourself, either to find your own way home or to book another Ryanair flight possibly several days later. Without any kind of financial compensation, of course. That is the Ryanair business model.
That is why many people, including myself, choose to fly with the full-service airlines. It's nothing to do with the "free" refreshments.
That is why many people, including myself, choose to fly with the full-service airlines. It's nothing to do with the "free" refreshments.
Join Date: Jul 2005
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I seem to remember that the Daily Mail (normally a great BA hater) ran a comparison between a BA flight to Barcelona and a Ryanair flight to the same destination. Initially the Ryanair flight seemed a far better deal. However when factors such as proximity to the actual destination, baggage fees, check-in fees, seating etc. were factored in the BA flight actually turned out cheaper.
There are pro's and con's to both, I don't think you will see the dinosaur/legacy carriers drop as quickly as many people would like to think because you cannot run a full scheduled long haul service on the LCC model. There and back day trips to Sao Paulo don't work and even O'Leary himself was quoted as saying he would never go longhaul as he didn't want pilots lounging about in hotels at his expense.
There will always be space for the two systems especially as long haul requires the feeder airlines and routes. It is not until you need this structure that the 'fixed' carrier benefits become apparent such as the overnight accommodation and automatic re-booking to the next available flight. Through booking for long haul with a legacy carrier will always offer a better service should it all go wrong for whatever reason.
There are pro's and con's to both, I don't think you will see the dinosaur/legacy carriers drop as quickly as many people would like to think because you cannot run a full scheduled long haul service on the LCC model. There and back day trips to Sao Paulo don't work and even O'Leary himself was quoted as saying he would never go longhaul as he didn't want pilots lounging about in hotels at his expense.
There will always be space for the two systems especially as long haul requires the feeder airlines and routes. It is not until you need this structure that the 'fixed' carrier benefits become apparent such as the overnight accommodation and automatic re-booking to the next available flight. Through booking for long haul with a legacy carrier will always offer a better service should it all go wrong for whatever reason.