Ryanair - 6
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A question for "aerospace": you say that the Madrid base is "crap". What is your reasoning behind this assertion?
One for "Sobelena": you refer to a poor "service element". In what way(s) exactly?
(By the way, I have no connection with Ryanair other than having flown with them on more than 40 occasions over the last year, with no complaints of any significance about their "service element". And yes, I do have experience of other airlines' products, including multiple trips in BA Club World and First cabins.)
One for "Sobelena": you refer to a poor "service element". In what way(s) exactly?
(By the way, I have no connection with Ryanair other than having flown with them on more than 40 occasions over the last year, with no complaints of any significance about their "service element". And yes, I do have experience of other airlines' products, including multiple trips in BA Club World and First cabins.)
Progress has certainly been made since the last false alarm we had when the BHX base was announced.
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[Ryanair has] one great advantage in Finland: you are the only one low-cost carrier that counts here. Did you take profits having such a profitable position? Not at all.
people have really started to expect some new destinations, became more excited and what? Nothing happened.
The FR's policy of route planning seems much more complicated than only following the demand. And in general, all its economy rules are somewhat unusual. Take Poland. Dozens of flights every day from UK and Ireland. You would believe the costs of running a base were much lower in the ”new” European Union member states, wouldn't you? The main reason being the labour costs still significantly lower than on the Islands. But all those planes still depart and return to the old good bases in the UK/Ireland, Polish bases are still mainly in the verbal plans. Why? Equally hard to explain as the reasons of your Finnish frustrations. But hey, WizzAir is coming to Finland in a few months. Did you know it?
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Interesting post, eu01.
Ryanair route planning and scheduling puzzles me to some extent. For example, take the London to Alicante market. In summer 2008 over a dozen easyJet flights in each direction are scheduled on peak days, not to mention BA, Monarch etc. And what's Ryanair's response? One daily rotation plus, more recently, a second flight on certain days of the week. London is conspicuously absent from Ryanair's list of destinations from Madrid: this is a very busy route but instead Ryanair has chosen to fly some much thinner ones. Is there anyone out there who can make sense of this?
Ryanair route planning and scheduling puzzles me to some extent. For example, take the London to Alicante market. In summer 2008 over a dozen easyJet flights in each direction are scheduled on peak days, not to mention BA, Monarch etc. And what's Ryanair's response? One daily rotation plus, more recently, a second flight on certain days of the week. London is conspicuously absent from Ryanair's list of destinations from Madrid: this is a very busy route but instead Ryanair has chosen to fly some much thinner ones. Is there anyone out there who can make sense of this?
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Serving the bigger destinations is only a more recent innovation by Ryanair. But they are now limited in capacity at the LON airports so cant start adding multiple daily flights to the likes of MAD and ALC without dropping other, presumbably profitable, flights
Finland
We have discussed this one elsewhere. Tampere is a poor substitute for the majority of the Finnish market.
Helsinki seems to have effectively resisted the main low cost carriers, I am surprised the politicians and the public have tolerated such a shut-out by the established interests.
I still feel Lappeenranta, right on the Russian border at the nearest point to St Petersburg (about 2-3 hours drive away) is a classic Ryanair opportunity. Big runway, lost their remaining scheduled service (a Saab 340 hop to Helsinki) this year so no vested interests. St Petersburg population is 5.5 million, a huge underserved market both inbound and outbound. A notable number of Ryanair's pax from Tampere actually drive all the way from Russia (takes all day), which they must have noticed. Not too far from Helsinki either.
Helsinki seems to have effectively resisted the main low cost carriers, I am surprised the politicians and the public have tolerated such a shut-out by the established interests.
I still feel Lappeenranta, right on the Russian border at the nearest point to St Petersburg (about 2-3 hours drive away) is a classic Ryanair opportunity. Big runway, lost their remaining scheduled service (a Saab 340 hop to Helsinki) this year so no vested interests. St Petersburg population is 5.5 million, a huge underserved market both inbound and outbound. A notable number of Ryanair's pax from Tampere actually drive all the way from Russia (takes all day), which they must have noticed. Not too far from Helsinki either.
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I still feel Lappeenranta, right on the Russian border at the nearest point to St Petersburg (about 2-3 hours drive away) is a classic Ryanair opportunity. Big runway, lost their remaining scheduled service (a Saab 340 hop to Helsinki) this year so no vested interests. St Petersburg population is 5.5 million, a huge underserved market both inbound and outbound. A notable number of Ryanair's pax from Tampere actually drive all the way from Russia
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Ryanair Progress
Some interesting commentary in last few days.
I am of the opinion, that Ryanair needs to move away from being totally price driven and aim to be a desired brand. That would be a big repositioning exercise, however it will need to be achieved. This is their challenge, I mean in many occasions where Ryanair has a competitor price can be the reason why people use them.
They are however fortunate that they have a massive €2Billion in the bank!
On a further note, I read that someone mentioned that Ryanair only went onto ALicante for eg last summer with only 1 flight a day from Stansted. I would suggest that this because committing to a high frequency summer schedule would perhaps mean a similar winter frequency. And their initial experience on the Spanish sun routes is that it is very seasonal, I realise that there are alot of commuters going to second homes but the tourist levels are way down.
I think the daily flight is just to hurt the competition.
What does anyone else think?
I am of the opinion, that Ryanair needs to move away from being totally price driven and aim to be a desired brand. That would be a big repositioning exercise, however it will need to be achieved. This is their challenge, I mean in many occasions where Ryanair has a competitor price can be the reason why people use them.
They are however fortunate that they have a massive €2Billion in the bank!
On a further note, I read that someone mentioned that Ryanair only went onto ALicante for eg last summer with only 1 flight a day from Stansted. I would suggest that this because committing to a high frequency summer schedule would perhaps mean a similar winter frequency. And their initial experience on the Spanish sun routes is that it is very seasonal, I realise that there are alot of commuters going to second homes but the tourist levels are way down.
I think the daily flight is just to hurt the competition.
What does anyone else think?
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Ryanair needs to move away from being totally price driven and aim to be a desired brand.
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eu01
You are right, I work in a business that lives the brand. And this is what has made us succeed. Focus comes away from Price, and we leave our competitors in the shade.
So a little bit of brand magic and hey presto! I also agree that Ryanair do what they do extremely well. Preceptions are everything. Its time to cash in on the good work done on things like frequency punctuality etc.
MOL is an amazing business leader, great with numbers and economy but has no clue about Brand.
So a little bit of brand magic and hey presto! I also agree that Ryanair do what they do extremely well. Preceptions are everything. Its time to cash in on the good work done on things like frequency punctuality etc.
MOL is an amazing business leader, great with numbers and economy but has no clue about Brand.
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The reason they have loads of dosh in the bank is precisely because they don't buy into all the desired brand marketing bollocks. Always good to see the experts giving advice. I fly Ryanair because they're cheap, it does what it says on the tin, end of. Simplicity sells boys. It ain't broke.
Last edited by Skipness One Echo; 6th Feb 2008 at 22:16.
Businesses can compete in their markets on one of two bases: Price or Service. If they compete on price, they have to be the lowest cost provider, and remain so. If they compete on service, they identify one or more unique service propositions (USPs), and sell on them. These could include brand, quality, FFP, service, in-flight gourmet experience, etc.
No business can compete on both, and none should try. Ryanair has been very successful competing as the lowest cost provider, and would be foolish to try and change its entire corporate strategy. You and I may not like aspects of their service, but millions accept these drawbacks, and fly with them every year.
No business can compete on both, and none should try. Ryanair has been very successful competing as the lowest cost provider, and would be foolish to try and change its entire corporate strategy. You and I may not like aspects of their service, but millions accept these drawbacks, and fly with them every year.
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I think Ryanair should market itself as being the number-one airline on three factors: lowest airfares; excellent punctuality; and fewest lost bags. It occasionally mentions punctuality and lost bags, but it doesn't really promote itself around those all-important things.
I don't believe it needs to bother changing to become all warm,, caring and fuzzy, or to become less provocative in advertisements; in other words, it shouldn't become like most other airlines.
I don't believe it needs to bother changing to become all warm,, caring and fuzzy, or to become less provocative in advertisements; in other words, it shouldn't become like most other airlines.
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When MOL decides to leave FR and start a new long haul airline 'working with FR,' what kind of aircraft can we expect?
Would it be the 787-9 or the A350-1000? Maybe push it to an A380 size? Afterall - "Pile 'em high, sell 'em low!"
Would it be the 787-9 or the A350-1000? Maybe push it to an A380 size? Afterall - "Pile 'em high, sell 'em low!"
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A380, thats an interesting concept. I am plucking these figures out of the air, they may be miles out, so I stand to be corrected.
I assume the A380 could carry 800+ in all economy mode.
Say London-JFK at a massive saving over the full cost carriers, about to loose a fortune on the over capacity from LHR.
What could Ryanair in this fiction scenario charge to make a profit.?
Discuss, Speculate, Whatever. !
I assume the A380 could carry 800+ in all economy mode.
Say London-JFK at a massive saving over the full cost carriers, about to loose a fortune on the over capacity from LHR.
What could Ryanair in this fiction scenario charge to make a profit.?
Discuss, Speculate, Whatever. !
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Ryanair to close their website for 3 days?
Ryanair are closing their website down from the 16th through to midnight on the 18th of February to comply with an Office of Fair Trading ruling that all prices must be fully inclusive.
Seems an odd one to me. Why couldn't they have done it earlier and just swapped the website across?
Ryanair will go offline for three days this month to comply with an Office of Fair Trading instruction to display all prices inclusive of tax and charges.
But it will do so having failed to meet a deadline for compliance by the end of January.
The delay will infuriate the trade, which has largely *complied with demands to *display inclusive pricing since May 2007.
A deal between the OFT and ABTA has seen the latter police members, issuing fines of up to £5,000 to a handful of companies that failed to comply on pricing.
An OFT spokesman said: “We are very disappointed *Ryanair has not met the agreed date of January 31 for changing its website.” The airline argued technical difficulties prevented compliance.
On May 11 last year the OFT announced: “The deadline to include all fixed non-optional costs in the basic advertised prices of holidays has expired.” On August 9 it stated: “Ryanair will be making these [agreed] changes shortly.”
A Ryanair spokesman confirmed: “Our booking site will shut down from February 16 to 11.59pm on February 18.”
Flight details will remain available, but no one will be able to book or make changes to bookings for three days. *Ryanair said passengers would be informed in advance. No *extra staff will be available *offline to deal with problems.
An ABTA spokeswoman said: “We are very disappointed and awaiting the next deadline. But this is about raising the industry’s reputation. If Ryanair does comply, it will have been a success.”
But it will do so having failed to meet a deadline for compliance by the end of January.
The delay will infuriate the trade, which has largely *complied with demands to *display inclusive pricing since May 2007.
A deal between the OFT and ABTA has seen the latter police members, issuing fines of up to £5,000 to a handful of companies that failed to comply on pricing.
An OFT spokesman said: “We are very disappointed *Ryanair has not met the agreed date of January 31 for changing its website.” The airline argued technical difficulties prevented compliance.
On May 11 last year the OFT announced: “The deadline to include all fixed non-optional costs in the basic advertised prices of holidays has expired.” On August 9 it stated: “Ryanair will be making these [agreed] changes shortly.”
A Ryanair spokesman confirmed: “Our booking site will shut down from February 16 to 11.59pm on February 18.”
Flight details will remain available, but no one will be able to book or make changes to bookings for three days. *Ryanair said passengers would be informed in advance. No *extra staff will be available *offline to deal with problems.
An ABTA spokeswoman said: “We are very disappointed and awaiting the next deadline. But this is about raising the industry’s reputation. If Ryanair does comply, it will have been a success.”
