Ryanair - 9

[racedo]

We are very close to the end of Ryanair growth phase. In August FR passenger growth was 1%. Over the rolling year Growth was only 2%. Looking at Easyjet they are still growing, charging higher fares and not having loads of bad press.

Course ignoring NOT flying many routes in winter which they stated was the plan and it worked.

Funny load factor not commented on when you big on it last year.

Ryanair are not going to vanish but they are now needing to get use to be fully grown.

You may have missed the bit about ordering more planes.

[pee]

"Ryanair needs to change from being a cost-aggressive, confrontational airline into being a more corporately, caring, sharing company".

Guess who said it? MOL himself, some four years ago.

What else did he say? "I'm very good at running an airline which has very low costs, is very punctual and delivers what it says on the tin, but I don't have the skill set to make us warm and loved."

There is at least one good reason to implement the face-lifting procedure even from MOL's point of view. Less pax flying, the unit costs growing. Why not try?

[MARKEYD]

Any reason why Ryanair have taken off sales for the winter programme from Bournemouth Airport ?

Please say they are not pulling the plug again after a much anticipated re launch of flights this winter

[DublinPole]

A few routes have been removed from sale but I know people booked on some of them and they've got no cancellation emails for them.

Warsaw - Dublin is also gone.

[A and C]

Ryanair profit warning

The Ryanair management issued a proffit warning last week as passenger bookings have been disappointing for the next few months.

While Ryanair is a long way from going into the red there is speculation in the business pages of the newspapers that the policy of drip feeding the customers with charges as they go through the online booking prosess and other add on charges are turning passengers away in favour of other airlines that offer a more transparent booking system.

The speculation seems to be that the Ryanair attitude to customer service is driving away all but the passengers who deliver the lowest yeald in total revenue and the likes of Easy Jet and Norwegian are benefiting from this change in customer attitude.

[Kingfisher]

You would have to have a heart of stone no to laugh.

[anothertyke]

ryanair and economic recovery

I recall MOL saying five years ago that RYR would be super strong in recession conditions. People would be counting every penny, reining in.... He was right. Maybe, just maybe, we are over the worst now and the flipside of that will kick in. In a world where perceptions are all, it would be dangerous to allow the perception that it's worth paying 20% more to go easyjet or Norwegian to go unchallenged, especially when the booking experience on their websites is so much more pleasant.

[Skipness One Echo]

Ryanair are not going to vanish but they are now needing to get use to be fully grown.

Ryanair grow up? With MOL in charge? * stamps foot and chucks toys from pram in fit of pique, er free publicity I mean.

[pee]

The self-confidence and high self-esteem voiced by some successful big enterprises could be really dangerous for them. Look at Nokia. The key to success of any business is, among else, an ability to react swiftly to the changing circumstances. Nokia's might was built upon the cellular phones, remember? Well, it's over now! A few years ago their strategy was far too conservative. As a result, just trying to survive, they will not produce mobile phones anymore.

Many of us here pointed out that there was a need for changes in Ryanair's otherwise brilliant no-frills concept. Even by searching this forum one could find some good tips and solutions. No matter if read here or elsewhere, all need for gradual transformation has been presumptuously disregarded. Well, the success story continues in spite of that, but for how long?

Recently we have observed an attempt by Ryanair to rise the level of fares. It's a logic move and probably a necessary one. However, nothing significant was done in advance to facilitate the move, to sweeten the pain felt at least by the price-conscious consumers. Constantly visible blatant attitudes make even harder to explain and motivate these rises. The (very subtle) signs of clients' annoyance could have been in fact detected much earlier.

Still far from Nokia's disaster, Ryanair cannot afford to oversleep, if the success story should continue.

[EI-BUD]

The key to success of any business is, among else, an ability to react swiftly to the changing circumstances. Nokia's might was built upon the cellular phones, remember? Well, it's over now!

Pee, fully agree with your comments here. However, FR will need to establish exactly what is the reason for a drop in bookings, rather than rely on speculation. Despite being quite proud of Ryanair's success as an Irishman, I simply don't and will not use them anymore. No need for discussion on that one. If the reason for a drop in bookings is as suggested about customer service, this is a little more difficult to 'react swiftly to'. Hence, the importance of appropriate diagnosis.

MOL will possibly as they used to do, respond with lower prices....

EI-BUD

[MCDU2]

FR is now a mature business and as such is entering into a new phase of its life cycle. As with any big business it's time for a regime change. MOL has said it numerous times himself yet he still won't let go of the reins. Their inability to deal properly in the geo political sphere has highlighted this over he past 5 years. They need to start playing the game in order to get what they want. Constantly banging heads with civil servants will only get you so far.

[eu01]

Ryanair will return to Warsaw Modlin one month earlier than expected, beginning Sept. 30th. More details at the press conference tomorrow.

[ayroplain]

There has often been criticism of FR's booking system and rightly so - for example, there should be an option to bypass all the other optional extras once a flight has been selected and go directly to the payments page. Frequent travellers would greatly appreciate this as we never have any interest in any of them.

However, my query relates to online check-in where so much other information has to be entered (in addition to having to refuse all the other extras again). It must be a nightmare for families or groups.

The info requested is:

DOB
Nationality
Passport No.
Passport Country of issue
Passport Expiry Date

Can anyone explain the reason why all this info is required. No other airline I fly with asks for this info. Is there some legal requirement involved? Despite the warning that all the info you have input will be checked as you board it is perfectly obvious that this never happens.

I'm not interested in any sarcastic responses from the usual suspects - just plain info.

[davidjohnson6]

Do the various European Govt immigration / border agencies requirements perhaps have anything to do with it ?

UK Border Agency | Advance information on passengers

[pee]

online check-in where so much other information has to be entered (in addition to having to refuse all the other extras again). It must be a nightmare for families or groups.

It is, believe me. Additionally you have to start the check-in sessions for groups over and over again (dividing into parts of 3-4 people). The standard htpps connection ends far too soon, all the data entered lost.

Do the various European Govt immigration / border agencies requirements perhaps have anything to do with it ?

Poor Ryanair. Why they require only them to send all this information. Additionally, FR demand all this information also on flights between the Schengen countries. Who else?

[Capetonian]

easyJet also require APIS information, at least for flights to and from UK, I can't remember about internal Schengen flights as it's been a while since I booked one, preferring to do my European travel by rail where possible.

I think it's laziness on the part of the programmers. Whereas is it is not always required, programming the system to only ask for it where it is mandatory would require extra coding, so they put the onus on the pax by saying it must always be provided.

[Jamesair]

British Airways require this information as well

[Transportraition]

................... so there we are - let's just get on with it and go flying !

[eu01]

From the easyJet website:

API is currently required on the following routes:

• all international flights to/from the UK (including routes to/from Germany from 8th April 2013)
• flights to Spain from UK and Morocco
• flights to Italy from Morocco and Egypt
• flights to Switzerland from Kosovo, Turkey and Morocco
• flights to Germany from Morocco
• flights to Portugal from the UK
• flights to Russia

And indeed, on the routes between the Schengen countries API is NOT required. But please, do not accuse Ryanair of malice. As the process of omitting API data would require some changes to the website booking system, it would involve some costs. Paying the software provider for something like that? No way! . Could be as simple as that.

[ayroplain]

British Airways require this information as well

Not between UK and Ireland they don't. BA online check-in takes all of 2 seconds with no info to fill in. Looks like it is a one-size-fits-all then by FR as suggested. Thanks to those who replied.