"Fat-cat's favorite airline".

[unmanned transport]

Ryanair hits out at BA 'fat-cat' survey
27/09/2005 - 11:04:24

Ryanair has taken the opportunity to hit out at British Airways (BA) following the publication on BA’s website of a poll naming it the City’s Favorite Airline.

The poll was carried out among 250 company directors.

Ryanair’s Peter Sherrard said: “We are delighted that BA is now the fat cats’ favorite airline.

“Fat-cat directors with their six-figure pay-packets are probably the only people left who don’t mind blowing £181 (€266.10) for British Airways’ average fare.”

[unmanned transport]

BA especially in club on short haul, is the fat cats favorite. Its not just fat cats though, its also goverment employees, European MPs, utility workers, BT employees etc who still put in those £450 air ticket receipts for a flght from MAN-CDG or LHR-FRA.

Thats what I find annoying. Its not the 'top brass' and company directors and people like myself, paying for my own ticket but all those public sector workers who are abusing their expenses and often public funds.

[Carnage Matey!]

Funny but whenever I look at the passenger list it seems our most valued customers, the top tier Exec Club members and the full fare econ passengers generally work for banks, oil companies or pharmaceutical companies. Don't see many cabins full of public utilities or government employees. Of course if you know otherwise....

[mary_hinge]

Why do Rynair not compare the average BA Short Haul Fare with their own instead of the average BA Fare for the entire network?

I guess the answer may not be so compelling!

[TheOddOne]

If Ryanair flew LGW-LUX first thing AND came back later the same day, I might well consider using them, but they don't, so BA @ £41 each way (plus taxes) got my business. I think that's a pretty competitive fare and so do the people who approve my expenses.

Now, why don't Ryanair fly this route? (I think we all know the answer to that one!)

Why are Ryanair taking it out on people who have to travel to do their work?

Don't they realise that lots of their own pax are travelling on business, too?

Are the only people allowed to fly those doing so for leisure, to/from airports of Ryanair's choosing?

Generally, people in business who start unnecessary sniping at their cometitors like this are showing that they are afraid of the opposition. It ain't no way to attract customers, being rude about them. But then, being rude seems to be MOL's stock-in-trade. I wonder if he's like that for real or if it's all a put-up job for the publicity? A bit sad, either way, really.

Cheers,
The Odd One

[Wycombe]

The retort to that dubious piece of PR (just one in a recent series from RYR) would be that a lot of their services are useless to business people, as the back-water airports they use are miles away from where the business takes place :D

[Red Snake]

I'm sure BA doesn't mind the free advertising courtesy of Ryanair.

Most business people I know fly from where they need, to where they need, when they need. And whichever airlines do that, get the business.

[Coasthugger]

Ryanair spin makes Josef Goebbels look like Honest Abe.

It annoys me because they are very good at what they do - but they are not a high quality service and to pretend otherwise is nonsense.

On this basis Mercedes are rubbish 'cos they are all driven by 'fat cats' and we're all much better off with our Skodas.

[trainer too 2]

@ unmanned: who still put in those £450 air ticket receipts for a flght from MAN-CDG or LHR-FRA.

Try booking FR short notice or BA and you will be surprised who can come out most expensive! At least BA flies from places you want to be to places you plan to go and treats you and their staff as human beings!

:ok:

[Eurekadelta]

When travelling for business I always try Ryanair - but last minute (a day in advance) many of their most attractive flights are simply not available (full).

This is of course great for them, but pretty useless if you urgently need to go somewhere (or come back) regardless (well almost regardless) of cost.

I'm sure their yield management system must be able to set prices so that they always keep a couple of seats available for those last minute travellers willing to pay "£450".

Easyjet seem to do it, and I would imagine it means they should be getting greater loyalty from their business passengers.

[bealine]

Easyjet seem to do it, and I would imagine it means they should be getting greater loyalty from their business passengers.


Will you be quiet!!! Business passengers aren't supposed to use Gatwick - it's not good for Great Britain PLC's image.

Don't let His Tonyness (title courtesy of Jeremy Clarkson) find out!!!

[brookhouse]

In the last two weeks I've flown Ryanair, bmi and BA. BA LHR-MAN-LHR return yesterday £290. bmi LHR-GLA-LHR £200 and Ryanair BRS-DUB-BRS £90 for three of us. BA 767 late, no medical kits, pax bag on board and no pax plus minor cabin defect requiring engineer - 40 minute delay. Full crew but catering was tea or coffee. Sorry, but the rear loos stank. bmi spot on time and very friendly, happy crew and food if you wanted to pay. Ryanair just an outrageous laugh on a brand new gleaming 737 - lovely east-european cabin crew pushing bloody scratch cards and all sorts of marketing crap, cabin full of adverts stuck on the PSUs - a total riot. If I'm flogging around Europe at my own expense, I know who I'll chose. Flew on a charter the week before with Channel Express and they were pretty good too.

[Carnage Matey!]

no medical kits

How do you know?

pax bag on board and no pax

I guess that never happens on Ryanair then.

lovely east-european cabin crew pushing bloody scratch cards and all sorts of marketing crap

And when it hits the fan on Ryanair they are fully trained and able to open the doors and get you out of the aircraft. Unlike last time. You hope.

[VHF FLYER]

ryanair are actually the only airline that frighten me - there is such a pervasive 'we hate you customers' about the place that I just wonder whether there is some sort of abusive cult developing. Have travelled a whole host of other LOCOs and HICOs this year - most seem quite keen on your business. Ryanair have this sort of '**** off we're smarter than the customer' attitude.

[Flame]

VHF Flyer;

If you really want to experience..

"**** off we're smarter than the customer' attitude"

take a business class flight transatlantic with Aer Lingus out of Dublin and experience a level of "could not care less" attitude that has to be seen to be believed

[waffler]

The day that O Leary takes his own advice and swops his merc. for a Lada because its cheaper is the day that I will believe any of Ryanairs announcements.