Ryanair 'paying people to fly'

[FlyingV]

Ryanair is offering what is claims to be a world first in air travel by paying passengers £1 to travel.

The airline is offering free seats, as well as taking £1 off airport and government charges. It says the offer is available on all routes and end at midnight on Thursday.

http://www.onbusiness.ie/2003/1117/ryanair.html

[The_Bean_Counter]

Rumour has it that Ryanair are using the "pay you to fly" programme to decide which routes to drop. If they cant pay people to fly to Ostend then the route will be dropped. Expect an announcement on route closures soon.

[brabazon]

Another Ryanair gimmick. Given that it sets the level of the non-government taxes and charges taking a £1 off is not "paying the passenger" it's just reducing the amount they have to pay Ryanair. Perhaps they'd like to think about paying back all the non-flyers who lose their Air Passenger Duty - which they should have returned to them if they don't fly.

Having said all that - if they really can't encourage people to get on-board their flights with such offers then they really have to prune some of their routes.

[Whippersnapper]

It could be a tougher year ahead than MOL is used to, with some routes' loads suffering, others having problems with the airport charges. I was told that they also have to start paying for the -800's this coming year as the end of the 3 year deferred payment is coming due, though I'm not sure about the accuracy of that.

MOL is ruthless, but seems pretty sharp too, so I imagine Ryan will fair OK. I just hope the staff don't have to suffer as a result of all this.