Ryanair - 8

[FR8364]

Why these cuts from LGW for Winter Seasson? What routes are cancelled? I think LGW-SVQ is cancelled, isn't it?

[adfly]

All the Non-Irish routes to LGW will be dropped at the start of W12 (Seville, Stockholm, Kaunas, Oslo) leaving just Cork, Dublin and Shannon.

[eu01]

Originally Posted by davidjohnson6

Apart from the 2 weeks around Xmas, the weather in Europe from November to March is pretty rubbish, kids are in school and oil is expensive. Consumer demand for trips around Europe just isn't there.

And you think there is nothing one can do about it? Why not attracting some "low-cost" business customers, let's call them that way. Such a class either exists, or could be created. Nevertheless, FR didn't even try to encourage that kind of clients. Having such an abundance of free planes in winter, FR could try to create a few connecting flights (even with no "connecting luggage", if you wish). Having not enough pax from "small A apt" to "small B apt" to fill the planes, something new should be invented to bring them. Like these "deplorable" connecting flights. Say what you want: different business model, simplicity, no-frills, whatever. That model might still work in summer, it apparently doesn't work in winter. To my mind: something should change, because this situation does influence the overall profitability, no doubts.

[LGS6753]

I have recently booked a holiday for Mrs LGS & I from BHX to FAO. Ryanair are significantly cheaper than MON on the days we are flying, but I have chosen to travel with MON again due to concerns about FR.

- if there's a problem, I expect MON will overcome it to allow us to complete our holiday - I expect FR would cancel.
- I've read about a lot of short cuts in Ryanair, and just feel MON are less likely to take a risk.
- I understand MON's Engineering support is excellent - FR will no doubt contract-out to the lowest bidder.
- If I forget to or can't follow Ts & Cs to the letter, FR will fine/charge me - MON will be reasonable.

Just my take on things, but I guess I'm not alone...

[Jamie2k9]

- if there's a problem, I expect MON will overcome it to allow us to complete our holiday - I expect FR would cancel.

What sort of problems are you suggesting?

- I understand MON's Engineering support is excellent - FR will no doubt contract-out to the lowest bidder.

Maintenance is carried carried out the same as any operator does. Not having a go at MON as I think there a great airline but there maintenance would need to be excellent as them along with Jet 2 have a tech aircraft on a daily basis and as said above regular emergency landings not so much aimed at MON but Jet2.

- If I forget to or can't follow Ts & Cs to the letter, FR will fine/charge me - MON will be reasonable.

Its not that hard to follow T & C's is it? 99% of FR passengers can but there is always a few who can't and I would add that some staff do meet passengers half way.

- I've read about a lot of short cuts in Ryanair, and just feel MON are less likely to take a risk.

Would I be correct in saying that this is in relation to the 3 Mayday calls last month.

[billyg]

I flew PMI-BCN last week , and what looked like being a routine short flight turned into a bit of a fiasco. We boarded on time , the flight was almost full and we were ready to go , so it appeared. Then the English Captain announced something along these lines " Sorry to be the bearer of bad news , and I don't speak Spanish , but I know there are a few English speakers on board , so just to let you know , we are encountering an indefinite delay as we require an air start and Iberia are reluctant to let us borrow one , we are currently negotiating with them. Hopefully wont be too long". 90 minute delay ensued . Are Iberia trying to shaft Ryanair on Spanish internal flights ?

[RAT 5]

"I flew PMI-BCN last week ............"
"Are Iberia trying to shaft Ryanair......"

Both of these are RYR bases. If they can't get these simple things sorted out at a base what hope do the pax have in the middle of nowhere? Equally, the schedule goes in the bin and the crews lose out on payment for the loss of their following sectors.

[paully]

I think whats happening is that while the `travelling public` is diminishing due to recession, the ones that are left are becoming a bit more wise. The good old O`Leary `kick em while they are down` worked fine as long as he could offer cheap fares, oil circa $50. He was a cheeky chappie and got away with it.

That attitude, has a course that runs out, and so it has proved. His fares are not that cheap, oil $100 a barrel, so must compete on better service provision......aah problem there. His biggest competitor, on the other hand, is busy doing just that and is trying to be seen as a sort of `De Facto` legacy carrier in how it treats its passengers. That too is beginning to work. In the end it will come down to how passengers perceive that they are being treated.

Quick example..this summer printed off my boarding cards at 10pm before a 7am flight.Printer throws one and puts ink all over the cards. No spares cant fix. Easyjet simply printed some new ones off at the airport, completely free of charge and done with a smile. Thats the sort of lesson Ryanair needs to learn.

[LGS6753]

Jamie -

- if there's a problem, I expect MON will overcome it to allow us to complete our holiday - I expect FR would cancel.
What sort of problems are you suggesting?

Oh, I don't know - volcanic ash, fog, thunderstorms, sandstorms, ATC strikes, the list is endless. I've watched FR cancel flights in the past when others (including MON) were actually trying to get their pax to the destination.

- If I forget to or can't follow Ts & Cs to the letter, FR will fine/charge me - MON will be reasonable.
Its not that hard to follow T & C's is it? 99% of FR passengers can but there is always a few who can't and I would add that some staff do meet passengers half way.

Perhaps Mrs LGS will overload her suitcase, perhaps my self-printed boarding card will be creased after a holiday and unreadable, perhaps the cabin case I normally take will be too large for FR's 'bin'. As FR make so much of their profit on "ancillaries" I would expect them (or their under-paid agents) to be very keen to levy a charge.

- I've read about a lot of short cuts in Ryanair, and just feel MON are less likely to take a risk.
Would I be correct in saying that this is in relation to the 3 Mayday calls last month.

That certainly didn't help, but it added to an increasing list of stories (maybe not all true) that one hears, and the instances that I have observed myself - fast taxying, excursions off the pavement, etc.

[Slickonline]

I always fly Ryanair

Me and Mrs slick knows not to over pack her hand lugage that is smaller than what they allowed

Also always print 2 copies of return ticket just in case

Always take our own food onboard

Play Mr Oleary at his own game and you can win

Simples

mon fleet avg age 14.5 Years only 32 planes mixed
ryanair avg age 4.2 Years only 294 planes all 738

[TSR2]

Think you have missed one out.

Always camp out for hours on the floor at the gate to be sure of boarding first.

[sitigeltfel]

I use RYR frequently, but they gave some friends the runaround yesterday.

FR1286 was scheduled to leave Marseille MP2 for Edinburgh at 10.40 yesterday morning, and after my friends got to the gate they were turned back to arrivals and told there was an "Air Traffic" delay. Sparse info was given and eventually a new departure slot of 14.10 was given. They went along to the MP1 terminal to get better facilities and saw the slot slip to 16.10. They eventually got away at 15.50, with the staff still spouting the "Air Traffic" bolleaux.

Why couldn't they be honest and say something like, "a bit broke and we are fixing it"!

[irishlad06]

I am by no means a fan of Ryanair but however how can you say the flight was tech when the delay reasOn given was arc delays.
Slot delays can get pushed back really quickly, many factors contribute to ATC delays staffing levels, weather, amount of aircraft flyIng a route vrs amount of staff to watch that area. If it was ATC and that's what they said I can't see no reason why they would lie.

[sitigeltfel]

Originally Posted by irishlad06

If it was ATC and that's what they said I can't see no reason why they would lie.

I am an ex controller. One phone call, to a still operational colleague, told me that they were being, "economical with the truth."

[lfc84]

haha. brilliant

[victorc10]

A french controller? at MRS? If you knew anything about air traffic you might understand that calling your operational colleague would not necessarily be able to determine the reason for the delay. Congestion or weather at EDI?, Paris, London or some local issuance in MRS. I have often been given a CTOT for departure into EDI, for no apparent reason, on asking the tower, they sometimes have a reason other times they do not, I do not always ask. If there was something up with the aircraft, an engineer would be required, there are not any engineers in MRS. So I would expect a delay to last much longer than a couple of hours. Why would anyone bother lying about a reason for a delay? It makes no difference to the delay be it ATC, Tech, weather. Besides who would phone an operational controller to find out the reason for a delay? Answer....someone who is at best unprofessional?

[Jorik]

sitigeltfel, very easy to explain.
Aircraft breakdown is the responsibility of the airline, while an ATC delay is not. As you know airlines need to compensate passengers for delays that are part of their responsibility. That's probably why Ryanair wants to make you believe it's a ATC delay (which means no responsibility, so no need for them to pay the EU compensation). Fleet maintenance is part of airline responsibility, so if that was the case, they probably wouldn't tell the passengers who then have the right to claim EU compensation

[davidjohnson6]

Seems that as expected, Ryanair's 3rd bid for Aer Lingus has been effectively killed off...

BBC News - Ryanair's Aer Lingus bid faces EU inquiry

[EI-DAC]

CIA-CUF is a new italian domestic route, to be announced on friday.

[FR8364]

Ryanair to announce more routes from Budapest.

Press conference tomorrow.