Ryanair - 6

[jamesp]

if fr start flights to maderia or the azores, would fr time some or all of the flights to oporto from the uk/europe in time with the flights to maderia/azores. i know its just talk at the moment but for people who know fr well, is this something fr might do?

[AirfranceMan]

I think you have the airlines wrong way round because Ryanair would never put their prices that high even though the seats are last-minute seats !!!

[VanBosh]

Any talk of Ryanair basing a few aircraft at Bratislava following Sky Europes collapse?

They alreay have quite a few routes from there and recently announced two more (CIA,BLQ) so they must be on good terms with the airport who are now likely to be desperate to get passenger numbers up.

[MUFC_fan]

I think for the airport it is better to have the aircraft based elsewhere.

If they were to base say 2-3 planes at Bratislava, Ryanair would expect them to provide facilities etc. for little or no cost.

Unless of course they planned to build quite a substantial base at the airport then obviously it would be more beneficial for them to base the machines.

Would be quite a good idea and a great place to start their Eastern movement.

[ConstantFlyer]

In practice, it is usually fairly straightforward to take a Ryanair flight to one destination, and then travel on to another. I have done it many times and have been lucky enough not to have had any delays or problems. Some groundrules, though:

As always with Ryanair, try to travel with just hand baggge;
Check in online (you have to now anyway);
Leave plenty of time to get landside at your intermediate airport, then back through security, especially at Dublin and Stansted;
Be prepared with a Plan B you can afford should you miss a connection; and
Only use this way of flying if your journey is flexible. Fine if you're travelling alone.That said, I have successfully changed planes and airlines - including Ryanair, easyJet, flybe, Jet2.com, WizzAir, SkyEurope, Aer Lingus and Aer Arann - using this method at BFS, DUB, GRO, PRG, BCN, STN, SOU, GVA and BRS. Most were easy; the longest walks and security queues are generally at DUB and STN. I wouldn't, however, recommend this method for going to important or time-critical events; though it's fine for coming back from them.

[FSXFan]

A quick question...Ryanair recently announced they were pulling the DUB-NCE route for the winter period. In July, I booked a flight over the Winter period which is still showing as 'confirmed', despite the fact that there are no flights showing beyond 1st November - right up to and including the start of next summer. Does this sound like a new schedule is being put in place or I am being too optimistic?

[kingston_toon]

I wasn't surprised to note that at least 10 of the people on my Gdansk - Bremen flight yesterday also ended up on my Bremen - Stansted, which was scheduled out 2 hours later. Both flights arrived 30 mins early so the connection was effortless. However, when booking moves like this (as I do often, usually via Bergamo, Hahn or Bremen) I always book a backup onward flight the next morning, just in case. When it only costs £1, it makes sense.

I wonder if Ryanair know this, or even care. London - Poland is rarely on promo nowadays, but Germany - Poland always is, and London - Germany is always available for £1. So instead of £33 for one flight, pay £2 for 2!

[OliWW]

When do Ryanair release their Summer schedule for 2010? The dates are all ready on the booking section, but no flights appear...

[heidelberg]

A mother and her young son were flying Ryanair from Dublin to Malaga .
The little boy (who had been looking out the window) turned to his
mother and asked, "If big dogs have baby dogs and big cats have baby
cats, why don't big planes have baby planes?"

The mother (who couldn't think of an answer) told her son to ask the
flight attendant. So the boy went down the aisle and asked the flight
attendant, "If big dogs have baby dogs and big cats have baby cats,
why don't big planes have baby planes?"

The busy flight attendant smiled and said, "Did your mother tell you
to ask me?"

The boy said, "Yes, she did."

":ok:Well, then, you go and tell your mother that there are no baby planes
because Ryanair always pulls out on time. Have your mother explain
that to you."

[boyzinblue]

Ryanair now offering an easyjet rescue package after easyjet are to close their east midlands base.

Rich again from FR when one considers the inconvenience they cause when, for the very same reasons as Easyjet, FR pull routes. ie. Manchester.

[Based]

Ryanair now offering an easyjet rescue package after easyjet are to close their east midlands base.

Rich again from FR when one considers the inconvenience they cause when, for the very same reasons as Easyjet, FR pull routes. ie. Manchester.

Just a good marketing opportunity, nothing else.

[DILLTHEDOG]

Ryanair out of Manchester - Easyjet out of East Mids

MAG must be :{ in their Beer.

What the big players should be doiing is pulling out of the major Airports, not trying to finish off the Regionals.

[cesare.caldi]

For me a reason may be central England routes are only outbound for English people, there isn't a big inbound tourism.

[MUFC_fan]

What the big players should be doiing is pulling out of the major Airports, not trying to finish off the Regionals.

:confused:

Tell the accountants that - they would laugh in your face.

[DILLTHEDOG]

Surely people outbound must come back ?

It's the accountants that got all us all into this mess, although they probably do think it's funny.

Looking forward the Regionals should play a greater part, as majors are close to capacity. Or was that not the plan ?

[MUFC_fan]

The major airports are where the money is, although there is not much of it around at the moment.

I would agree that Ryanair probably doesn't make as much profit off of seat sales as other airlines but they are starting to move more into the larger airports as they see the demand these facilities provide.

[racedo]

August Numbers

Aug 08 - 5.78
Aug 09 - 6.88

UP 19%

Load Factor 90% same as Aug 08

12 Month Rolling Aug 09 - 62.4 M
12 Month Rolling Aug 08 - 55.12 M
UP 13.2%

[befree]

If they sell 19% more seats at 19% less each then they are not doing very well. Most of the growth will be outside the UK. The real test is when they report income & expenditure for the summer.

[racedo]

If they sell 19% more seats at 19% less each then they are not doing very well. Most of the growth will be outside the UK. The real test is when they report income & expenditure for the summer.

Did you just copy from what you said in August ????? But leaving out reference to pubs.

They have now increased PAX number by 19% 2 months in a row, so much for not having passengers to fill the planes, increased passenger numbers on a 12 month basis by 13%, produced a substantial profit in Q1.

You always seem to want to move the goal posts and when they pass them its oh lets wait until something else happens.

[Based]

Quote:
August Numbers

Aug 08 - 5.78
Aug 09 - 6.88

UP 19%

Load Factor 90% same as Aug 08

12 Month Rolling Aug 09 - 62.4 M
12 Month Rolling Aug 08 - 55.12 M
UP 13.2%
So its fair to say that the APD isn't having a negative impact on Ryanair's business after all....? http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/confused.gif

The reason you're confused this time is because it's not possible to draw any conclusions whatsoever regarding the UK APD from these figures.

[dublin_eire]

Can I just ask: Is it possible for Ryanair to fabricate their load factor results by buying up their own free seats?

[davidjohnson6]

dublin_eire - if it ever came out that Ryanair were buying their own seats to raise the number of "seats sold" in declaration to investors, the company would be toast and no auditor would want to touch them. Have a google about Enron for an example of this kind of thing

[dublin_eire]

Yes it is possible but the "optional charges" would cripple them......http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/boohoo.gifAh, I'm sure they'd have an electron card somewhere in the office and travel baggage free...

On this issue then... Is it possible to get figures for those who actually flew compared to those that booked flights?

[racedo]

Ah, I'm sure they'd have an electron card somewhere in the office and travel baggage free...

On this issue then... Is it possible to get figures for those who actually flew compared to those that booked flights?

Aside from the obvious of all bank accounts having to be declared, all credit and debit cards having to be declared why go to the trouble ?

Its profit that gets judged and this adds nothing to it.

People would go to jail as this amounts to fraud and many many easy ways to find out.

[boyzinblue]

ckeced in baggage is getting more expensive (again).
You can now check in a 2nd bag at the airport for 70 €.

[Runway 31]

or 35 euro on the internet. I take it you can only take 1 bag at this time?.

[racedo]

Does anybody really take 40kg as luggage if going alone on a SH flight ?

10 kg carry on
2 x 15kg in hold

[alm1]

You know that all checked bags must weight no more than 15 kg combined. So having two 15 kg bags would also incur an overweight fee of 225 euro/pounds.

[EISNN]

Ryanair increases fees by up to 250% - The Irish Times - Fri, Sep 04, 2009 (http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0904/breaking57.htm)


IT'S A TOTAL FARCE. For very obvious reasons owing to cabin space you can only carry a certain size bag on to the aircraft so dimensions come into effect as well as weight. So if you're going on a two week trip to the sunshine you can be sure one will be well and truly stuck with these hefty and ludicrous prices. I hope the paying public start to look at the other carriers like EZ, Jet2, AerLingus, Flybe, Aer Arann & City Jet. I won't be flying FR anymore at these crazy charges. It's too much.

[GayFriendly]

I'm not sure I would look at Aer Arann for a two week trip to the SUNSHINE!! ;)

But a very good point made EISNN - FR charges are ridiculous, I would have far more respect for them if they simply charged a higher 'all in' fare rather than incessantly go on about being Europes leading low fare airline which is more often than not :mad: when you add on all the add ons!

[LPFR]

But why should pax that travel only with hand luggage pay for others from the beginning of the booking? It's unfair.

Only when it comes to online check-in, I think it's ridiculous the 5€ fee apart from the fare, as everyone has to print the boarding card.

[al446]

LPFR - To take your thinking to its obvious conclusion, why are us skinny people such as my wife and I subsidising the fat b******s or those drastically overdressed ie wearing several items of clothing that would otherwise have put bag overweight?
Perhaps what should be weighed at check-in is pax + bags and fare adjusted accordingly. Going by your argument this would be the fairest all round.
AFAIK RYR were the first to introduce this ludicrous charge, AKA RYR tax, and were followed by the other locos then came the check-in scam started by RYR.
I consider them a cancer and will never use them again.

[mickyman]

al446

'I consider them a cancer and will never use them again.'

What a great contribution........turn the light out when
you leave!

MM

[ConstantFlyer]

It is certainly an interesting business model that Ryanair is pursuing, seemingly aiming for a baggage-free passenger load. Let's not knock it, as it caters to a market - a market that will obviously grow as people change their travel habits to fit in with the way Ryanair operates.

My local Indian restaurant provides an excellent service and delicious food. But not everyone wants to go in and sit down for a meal; so it offers a 10% discount for take-aways. If it were to reduce prices overall and add, say, a 20% or 30% surcharge for eating in, then I expect it might well be able to expand the take-away side of the business and reduce seating capacity, and thus costs. Down the road is another facility that has done just that, and now only provides a take-away service. My point is that as the market matures, service providers change their product to reflect that, which has the effect of encouraging the market to change further.

We are now seeing numerous airlines charging to carry baggage. As less baggage is taken, fewer traditional check-in desks will be needed, and people will get used to travelling light, change their behaviour accordingly or send stuff in advance by post. What Ryanair is doing is not just testing the market, but trying to lead market change by introducing pricing that pressurises it into change. Whether the market is ready for, and able to accommodate, that change will determine who wins.

[rpmac]

al446
I consider them cancer and will never fly with them again.

Why?

I have just booked flights with FR at half the nearest competitor price inc taxes fees, etc etc. Some fares were 4 times as much. I for one am pleased to have a reliable airline using modern aircraft and at suitable times. I use them all and FR is not first choice but I cannot ignore them

[Day_Dreamer]

al446

I consider you and your brand of unionism a cancer on society and a dinosaur in a modern age.

Long Live Maggie Thatcher and her anti union policies.

You wont fly RYR because you might meet one of the pilots you have "P'd" off and be off loaded as a danger to flight.

Crawl back under your rock with Mrs al446 and plan for the next revolution.

[ncleflights]

Constantflyer - your opening sentence is very interesting :-

"...a market that will obviously grow as people change their travel habits to fit in with the way Ryanair operates."

This is where I am obviously going wrong with my 20+ years in the airline industry. I was under the believe, now firmly identified as wrong, that airlines sit in the service sector and like the rail and bus network need to evolve to meet the needs of the travelling public. Not anymore the gospel according to Ryanair supporters is we must change our travel habbits to meet the requirements of Ryanair.

For those that constantly rant on about not having to fly with Ryanair many have no choice as for many the monster that Ryanair has become has destroyed choice by driving the competition away. So Mr and Mrs Respectable that may want to fly with an airline that puts customer service, and generally customers first, no longer have this choice from the local airport down the road as Ryanair have driven the higher quality competition away. Now if you want to fly from the local airport you may find yourself having to slum it with Wayne and Wayneter and the rest of the chavs who blindly think they are getting a low cost fair based on lead-in unobtainable fares.

Thankfully I fly from the airport that for various reasons Ryanair does not operate from and long may this situation last. Newcastle thankfully has airlines that offer good VALUE fares and offer a generally high level of customer service I would hate for the people of the North East to have choice removed from them.

[LPFR]

al446 - Thats not a very nice thing to say. Taking a bag is an option, but some people are overweight not cause they choose to, but they may have any kind of disorder.
Besides, the main problem for Ryanair isn't exactly the weight itself, but the fact that the more bags there are on a flight the longer it takes to load and offload them, that may contribute to a delay on the tight 25min turn arounds. Plus, more bags mean more check-in desks and baggage handlers.

I agree with you on the part of passengers wearing loads of clothes to not have to pay for a bag and check them in.

Going away with them next week to Brussels. Already checked-in, just taking hand luggage with some clothes and a jacket and ready to go. More than enough for a few days.

[al446]

OK - Let's take the flames in order.

MM - "What a great contribution........turn the light out when
you leave!" And that says what about you? Obviously full of the intellectual rigour you gained at university (you did go didn't you?) you have constructed this sentence beautifully. Many thanks for your input.

ConstantFlyer - Whilst I recognise it was not a flame per se, let me challenge some of what you state. The 10% reduction is due to take away foodstuffs not attracting VAT, nothing to do with their business model. Look around, all restaurants that cater to both markets have the same discount. I don't know where you are so cannot comment on local diner's habits but suspect that the change in seating arrangements has been made to utilise space in a depressed market. I doubt that they led this or caused the market to change and would wager that their seating is in storage awaiting a market upturn. This is unlike RYR who brought in business practices previously unheard of in European aviation. It would be purely a personal view whether that is for better or worse, mine is the latter.

rpmac - See above.

Day_Dreamer - "You wont fly RYR because you might meet one of the pilots you have "P'd" off and be off loaded as a danger to flight." Do you know something I don't? Even the mods don't know my identity so I can only assume you have 'put someone on the case' to track me down. Flattering. I would not be surprised given your email to me Peter. As an aside, I do not believe in revolution but prefer evolution, that is part of my gripe with RYR.

ncleflights - Once again not a flame, far from it. I am in almost full agreement with you but I am quite happy for Wayne & Waynetta to be on the same flight, they may turn out to be nice people and, if not, it's only for 3hrs max. Live & let live.

LPFR - I agree that some pax may have disorders that blight them causing obesity but the stats show UK populace tending towards greater obesity. It may not be very nice but is a fact of life. There are many wheelchair users in UK but it took newspaper publicity to shame RYR into NOT charging a premium on wheelchair users several years ago. Perhaps next they will be shamed into abandoning baggage charges, especially the ludicrous limit of 15kg which is effectively a tax on parents who fly with small children. Whilst I understand the argument of the turn around time (who stipulated 25 mins in the first place?) it takes as long to load a 15kg bag as a 20kg so why the surcharge? It is a limit dreamed up to provide a cash cow for RYR. Why don't they just say 'hand luggage only' and stop flying to holiday destinations?

Enjoy Brussels.

[racedo]

AFAIK RYR were the first to introduce this ludicrous charge, AKA RYR tax, and were followed by the other locos then came the check-in scam started by RYR.

Nope it was FLYBE that started charging for bags first..

I was under the believe, now firmly identified as wrong, that airlines sit in the service sector and like the rail and bus network need to evolve to meet the needs of the travelling public.

So thats why National Express axed Restuarant cars on their long distance trains despite the customers not wishing it to happen. I'm wondering how exactly was this evolving to meet customer needs ?

Customer behaviour seems only to change when faced with a cost and service providers find that while some peope will change easily with a cost there are others who don't care and will pay the cost.

[ConstantFlyer]

ncleflights

You are right. The service sector not only follows consumer demand but seeks to influence and control it. Ryanair - like many other suppliers - knows what it can offer in order to make a profit, and therefore seeks to 'educate' the market to be able to 'benefit' from it.

I too fly out of Newcastle a lot, and am pleased to be able to make a choice between airlines like KLM, Lufthansa, Jet2.com, Ryanair, easyJet, Emirates and Eastern. I'm also looking forward to flying on manx2.com's new NCL-IOM service.

In my experience, you will find both "Mr and Mrs Responsible" and "Wayne and Waynetta", as you call them, sitting alonside each other on most of these. And the latter may well have ended up paying more for their tickets than the former.

So why do people fly Ryanair? Three reasons, in my view: Cost - Preference - Habit. Let me explain:

Cost

A forthcoming trip includes three sectors on Ryanair costing all-in £5-01, £4-70 and £6, and one sector on flybe costing £32-99, plus a £6-70 coach ride, £2 and £3 bus rides, two £10 taxi fares, one £2-20 and one £2-90 Metro fare and two rail sectors costing £11-70 and £8-50. Total £105-70.
To do the same journey on the same dates avoiding Ryanair would cost one £2-20 and one £2-90 on the Metro, £56-50 by train, the £6-70 coach and £32-99 flybe sectors, two £10 taxi fares, the £11-70 rail fare and another flybe flight at £32-99. Total £166-28.
If my maths is right, that's about a £60 difference, or just under 40% off the higher costing package.Preference

This is a hard one. How could anyone prefer to fly Ryanair? Or how much extra inconvenience might someone put up with to achieve the above cost saving? Some people are more discriminating or less bothered than others.
It's got to be an individual thing.Habit

We get used to things very quickly. Timing getting up from the airport seat to be somewhere near the front of the non-priority boarding queue; bringing a packed lunch or dinner to eat on the plane; becoming familiar with booking and checking-in online.
Once you get used to the Ryanair way of doing things you adjust your behaviour accordingly. Hey presto, it is now your 'normal' way of operating.

[INKJET]

Its not what Ryanair do its the way that they do it

It might not seem fashionable right now but basically they are f**ked, they have to drive the the luggage charges up crazy levels to make the numbers add up, that plus no checkin desks and extra's that hurt like hell deter many.

Take a ski holiday as a point in case, if you are doing a DIY trip you will have your own boots (a seperate bag around 6kg) maybe your own ski's or board plus luggage which will be more than 15 kg, bottom line for many an all in deal Inghams/crystall will be a better deal, plus if you get snowed in at resort or delayed or diverted on the way out its their problem and cost to resolve, can you guess what the response from the Ryanair desk would be if you told them that the road was closed and that's why you missed your flight, Fek off that'll be 230 euro's

people have had enough,a pound for a piss £100 for a CV, £450 for an interview, £5.5k for a command upgrade assement, this isn't a sustainable business model

I would rather boil my head than subject myself to Ryanair, the reason people don't want to go to Dublin is not the £7 for a pint or the over priced hotel's its the fact that to get there for many means Ryanair, well guess what 2010 is the year that the chickens come home to roost and Racedo its not about the crews, who are just trying to earn a living same as me n other's

Who wants to sweat it out in a que to see how much more your gonna have to pay

But hey i could be completly wrong..............

[Rhodes13]

inkjet people do not pay for their upgrade you are however bonded for the above mentioned sum... nice rant though :hmm:

[dc9-32]

I used to work for Ryanair and let me tell you, I'd never fly with them having seen how things work on the inside. That aside, their prices are not actually low as many have pointed out on here. Yes, the actual ticket price might be virtually nothing, but as soon as you pass through the booking process and added luggage etc, it's not so appealling.

I am off to AGP soon so thought, shop around and see. My findings:

All inclusive return prices (ticket, baggage, taxes etc) from LGW, for one adult:

Ryanair £93.50
easyJet £62.40
Aer Lingus £67.40
BA Not available

[mickyman]

al446

Your failure to understand the Ryanair concept of 'Low Cost'
is apparent.If you do not agree with it you can simply fly with
someone else.60m passengers took a chance with the airline
last year and,they made a profit - your stupid reference to
Ryanair 'being a cancer' is just THAT- stupid.
Your personal experience IS valid, but blanket statements should
be challenged.
Do you believe everything you read in the Daily Mail ?

If Tesco started charging you to park on their car-park
what would you do?

MM

[Blackball]

Mickyman I realize you are obviously an advocate of Ryanair's approach to "Low Cost", but the question has to be at what cost is low cost?
Yes it may well be cheap if one was just to consider the basic cost but when you start adding on the various charges then it does not work out quite as cheal as MOL would like to have us believe. Add to that the "moral" cost of his employing F/Os on ridiculous wages it all adds up to something quite objectionable. Incidently I am not employed in the airline industry nor have I any current affiliation to it. I only occaisionally use airlines for holidays but certainly I would not use Ryanair.

[racedo]

I am off to AGP soon so thought, shop around and see. My findings:

All inclusive return prices (ticket, baggage, taxes etc) from LGW, for one adult:

Ryanair £93.50
easyJet £62.40
Aer Lingus £67.40
BA Not available

Nice comparison BUT as FR don't fly to AGP from LGW then the so called price is...........BOGUS.

[mickyman]

Blackball

I am completely impartial when it comes to Ryanair but I
dont think blanket statements like some people write should
be allowed to stand without challenge.
What everybody who criticises Ryanair fails to explain is how
they carried 60M passengers last year if they are so bad.
As for not paying FO's etc good wages then Im sorry but
if you dont like it get a job elsewhere.

The great thing about the whole Ryanair debate/rant is that
we ALL have a choice whether we drive the plane or sit in
the back.Nobody is holding a gun to anybodys head.

I have never been bamboozled by any airlines website
including Ryanair - I suggest that if/when people look
at the website of Ryanair they take their time and read
the page before they commit.If you have add ons then
be prepared to see the cost rise - Hav'ent baggage charges
for full service airlines risen steadily recently and there are
the fuel surcharges to consider also.

MM

[Coquelet]

From DC9-32 :

I am off to AGP soon so thought, shop around and see. My findings:
All inclusive return prices (ticket, baggage, taxes etc) from LGW, for one adult:
Ryanair £93.50
easyJet £62.40
Aer Lingus £67.40
BA Not available

Comparisons like that can be made with quite other results.
I have just checked for a Dublin return on 9 december :
from Brussels, with Aer Lingus : 73,70 euros
from Charleroi, with Ryanair : 20,00 euros
(for both : no hold luggage, but everything else included )...

[al446]

I do not fail to grasp the concept of 'low cost' and DO understand the concept of 'apparent low cost' ie smoke and mirrors. RYR does not figure on comparison sites as it fails to fully disclose the price even for those bagless pax. as in WYSIWYG. Granted that the other locos have gone down this route but it was started by RYR, not Flybe as another has stated, they may have syarted with baggage but MOL grasped it with both hands. They are hardly transparent.

I have stated many times on PPrune that I will not use RYR and choose to fly with someone else. Or did that escape your myopic view?

Leaving aside that they made an apparent profit (so did many pyramid schemes before being shut by DTI) my comment re cancer was considered and, had you read it properly you would understand. From what I read on this site it is RYR that are driving down T&Cs for FD crew, they started BRK contracts which led to operators across EU taking the idea up. They introduced check in charges to be taken up by other locos. I need not go on. I stand by my descriptor as 'cancer'. You may disagree, it may suit you to be treated like cattle but each to their own. Far from my statement being STUPID I make it aftr long and careful consideration of how the airline segment of business is to survive, my opinion remains unchanged. It is not a 'blanket statement', you are very fond of that phrase, it is directed only at RYR. You don't have shares do you?
FYI, I would NEVER let knowingly allow the Daily Mail within touching distance of me.
Vis-a-vis Tesco, I shop around like all others, you should try it then the scales may fall from your eyes.
I am sure Blackball stated the lack of being employed in the airline business so I think s/he may have a job elsewhere and does not need to "get a job elsewhere"

The great thing about the whole Ryanair debate/rant is that
we ALL have a choice whether we drive the plane or sit in
the back.Nobody is holding a gun to anybodys head.

How does that work? Can I drive the plane please? I won't be silly, honest.

MM, Get real.

[racedo]

Granted that the other locos have gone down this route but it was started by RYR, not Flybe as another has stated, they may have syarted with baggage but MOL grasped it with both hands.

Nope it was Flybe

Ryanair to charge fee for luggage check-in - Financial Times- msnbc.com (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11029834/)

And now everybody is in on it or trying to get in on it

Aviation Today :: U.S. Still Rookies on Ancillary Revenues (http://www.aviationtoday.com/regions/usa/U-S-Still-Rookies-on-Ancillary-Revenues_29307.html)

[mickyman]

ASFKAP

Welcome back.

Balance is needed sometimes or it becomes a rant not a debate.

'As a brief trawl through some of your previous posts will confirm'
this could be true to the opposite effect of all your posts here -
could it not?

al446

So you see Ryanair as a trail blazer that other loco's / full service
airlines follow!

Please explain what you mean by an 'apparent profit'

'Vis-a-vis Tesco, I shop around like all others' that is the answer to ALL
your problems with Ryanair.

'How does that work? Can I drive the plane please? I won't be silly, honest'
Please feel free to re-read my comments as you plainly (!) did not
understand fully.

Why are you commenting on an airline you never use!!!

Can you please explain HOW Ryanair had 60m passengers last year or is that another untruth?

MM

[Centrefire]

al446

After implying that MM was of low intellect because he didn't go to university (so what?), you then completely misunderstand the statement


The great thing about the whole Ryanair debate/rant is that
we ALL have a choice whether we drive the plane or sit in
the back.Nobody is holding a gun to anybodys head.

How does that work? Can I drive the plane please? I won't be silly, honest.

MM, Get real.

There was a comma omitted after the word choice, showing that the choice was between working for/using Ryanair or NOT doing so.

It is quite obvious where the lack of intellect lies.

[mickyman]

ASFKAP

Why did they carry 60m passengers last year if they are so bad......as you
keep stating.
My impartiality enables me to see both sides of the argument and
decide who I side with.Having facts (like the above question - that you fail to answer)at hand, blows your position out of the water.

MM

[PPRuNe Pop]

Mickeyman,

You would not know impartiality if it hit you in the face.

That is why you are now thread banned until I remember to unban you, or not as the case may be.

That goes for anyone who cannot debate a subject without an impartial view. Instead of factual comments.

Time after time we tell you this and time after time you ignore it.

Get used to it or get off PPRuNe and stop wasting our time.

A&R Mods.

[Stone Cold II]

What profit? Didn't Ryanair announce a full year loss last financial year? First time in it's history. I remember seeing it on the news a few months ago.

[befree]

Ryanair had a headline profit for the last year. It also made a profit for the first qtr of 2009/10. The profit is very much determined by when it hedges its fuel. Some years it buys at just the right time and others it gets badly wrong.

The winter will be loss making like many airlines but this year the profit in the summer is likely to be a little bigger than the headline loss in the winter. The longterm problem is that they have too many new planes on order which can only be filled by cutting fares. The oil price is likely to be a higher next year. In the short term higher charges can keep the firm in profit but if Pax think they are being overcharged they will go with easyjet or jet2 next year.

[mickyman]

Low-cost airline Ryanair carried 60m passengers profitably last year
but find themselves hated on this site - if they are so bad how come
they carried so many passengers?

I have asked this question on the main Ryanair6 thread and been
banned but would like an answer anyway.

Please feel free to 'trawl' through my previous posts to enlighten
me as to why I was treated this way.

As I keep getting a ban for pointing out flaws in certain peoples
arguments against the airline I can only assume that this site has an
agenda to uphold that is neither fair or open to question.

MM

[EI-BUD]

Mickyman, I dont know why you have been banned. However, I flew Ryanair last Friday from Alicante to Bratislava. The flight was excellent. The crew were very nice.

There were about 6 Ryanair flights departing close together. Dublin was departing next to my flight, I had feared the usual scrum at the gate, but on this instance the flight was boarding early after an early arrival from Zaragosa. The flight to Bratislava was early as well as full. We met strong turbulence after we crossed Italy, this lasted for some time and it was the worst turbulence that I have seen in a long time. We made an excellent landing and everybody clapped.

For me Ryanair is fine, and a great success story, the problem for me is that if we are going on a trip there are so many restrictions and additional costs that it is often hassle.

However, this trip was good. For many on here it is snobbery the mention of Ryanair being good. If Ryanair tried to make the brand attractive it might be different.

[cheesycol]

I think the angle that you're approaching this is the wrong with regards to PPRuNe. The airline does what it says on the tin for the passenegers (as long as you're not fooled by examples such as 'Frankfurt' Hahn or the multitude of surcharges), however for flight crew it's a different matter.

As this is a forum for professional pilots, expect the vitriol extolled for driving down industry terms & conditions, and the poor working practices that I understand Ryanair pilots have to endure (paying for their own sim Hotac being one example).

If this was a forum for passengers who enjoy Ryanair's low prices, multiple ancilliary charges, free seating gate scrums and their use of dirt cheap airports far from city centres then there would probably be more joie de vivre. As its not, don't expect it!

[Ms Spurtle]

^ Spot on

They do what they do extremely well. If you want a 'Tesco Value' airline they fill that need.

However in doing so they've revolutionised the market and therefore put a lot of airlines out of business and a lot of crew and staff out of work. Hence the hatred here.


(PS I don't expect this thread to last long :E )

[Just a spotter]

Just my two cents ...

The aviation industry is still a very young/new one by any measure.

Its growth has included incorporating the image of Glamor and as a result led to a level of social status being associated with those in the industry, particularly fight and cabin crew.

Over the last two decades or so, the industry has gone through some stiff growing pains. In Europe, the main legacy carriers (or "flag carriers" if you prefer) have been cut free from the protected lives they lead under state ownership (in the US, the airlines can still hide under the apron of Chapter 11 from time to time) and had to deal with the realities of the free market.

Added to that, price competition for customers, which, has resulted in increased passenger numbers, but perhaps a lessening of the caliber of individual flying and as a result, the loss of glamor and status.

At the vanguard of this upheaval has been Ryanair. Reducing prices and pitching flying at the same level as a regional bus service (with an equivilent level of glamor).

They have also changed with nature of the employer - employee relationship. Moving from the "centralised" unionised negotitation model of the legacy carriers to a more hierarcic structure.

For many in the industry, this has in reality or perception eroded their status and potential earnings. As such, rightly or wrongly, it is seen as a threat.

As a business, Ryanair has, for the most part, been a success. For consumers, it has expanded the availablity of flying and reduced prices in the markets into which it operates (well it certainly has in Ireland). But for some in the industry, and this is an industry website, a cynic might say they are vested interests, the changes being experienced are not welcome.

JAS

[jferreira20]

3 planes, not 4. ;) 2 are already in Porto and the will arrive in October. Adding to the new routes, those planes will make 2 daily connections to Madrid, one daily connection to Paris and London-Stansted a a connection to Brussels-Charleroi 4 times a week. I think with all those connections all the 3 planes will have a full timetable. But in the other hand, MOL, interviewed by a portuguese channel said Ryanair will open 15 new routes. Only 9 have been announced. I don't know what to think. PS: Here's a video with the "interview". It's in portuguese but what MOL said is in English. Ryanair abre 1ª base em Faro - Sapo Vdeos (http://videos.sapo.pt/LdUaM9cfMCdWq8Q5cs0r)

[pwalhx]

There is no mystery as far as I am concerned, it is a simple fact Ryanair is one of those products (the product in this case being air service) that people either love or hate.

From my perspective that is because, when all goes well then they are great but if anything goes wrong god help you.

Also it is a case their media machine goes overboard blaming everyone else for whatever happens and some of us find that tedious and annoying.

[Ernest Lanc's]

if they are so bad how come [...]they carried so many passengers?

Might have had something to do with pricing flights at the ridiculous and unsustainable price of One New Pence. Mainly to give the impression they are Europe's cheapest airline ever and a day.

Why do people get the hackles up at the name Ryanair? - Well maybe it's the noise jarring as MOL constantly chucks his toys out of the pram ALA BLK and MAN of late.

[goatface]

Ryanair are popular because they are cheap and on the whole they do a reasonable job for the prices they charge.
Their one major failing is when things go wrong, they're completely useless at holding their hand up and admiting they could ever be wrong.

The vast majority of their passengers now know that the destination airport is where it is and not in the City Centre, what most of the travelling public fail to appreciate is that if you are prepared or able to book early enough, you'll probably pay the same or less with a mainstream airline nearer to or at the place you want to go to.

Ryanair's employees, particularly pilots, work for them because they want to or are gaining enough experience to move on when the time is right. Those who don't like it don't have to stay.

[airbourne]

......and now for something completly different........

Questions for my learned friends.

Where do you see FR in 5, 10 and 20 years time?

60 ish million passengers last year. Is this on the up, or will it stay the same?

What is the market growth for europe?

Really, how many other new airports are out there to operate routes to?

MOL said they would order aircraft up to 400. Is there a demand for them?

Has the Ryanair 'brand' been damaged too much for heritage airports to deal with the arrogance and contempt held by MOL and management in the past?

This is not a chance to bash them, just serious questions, and partially to get away from the other arguments.

[boyzinblue]

I see FR having another go an the 10€ Irish tax. This time they state DAA passengers numbers are down - however FR and EI both grew in August due to foreign business. Since EI only operates out or Ireland and UK (both countries have a tourist tax) - then clearly this tax has not affected EI's business and the FR argument is a load of rubbish?

[rapidman47]

Where do you see FR in 5, 10 and 20 years time?
A lot bigger than they are now and opening Low cost long distance. you may all say I am wrong, but when it happens which it will dont forget you heard it hear first:ok:

[ayroplain]

then clearly this tax has not affected EI's business and the FR argument is a load of rubbish?

Mr. Barrington, Chairman of Aer Lingus doesn't agree with you:
RTÉ Business: Travel tax could spark Aer Lingus cuts (http://www.rte.ie/business/2009/0610/aerlingus.html)

And to quote Mr. Barrington again:
RTÉ Business: Aer Lingus says outlook highly uncertain (http://www.rte.ie/business/2009/0827/aerlingus.html)

'Our results have also been adversely affected by the imposition of the €10 passenger departure tax in Ireland, which we believe is very short sighted and counter productive in the current, very difficult conditions being faced by airlines and by the Irish business and tourism sectors,' Mr Barrington added.


FR and EI don't often agree but on this one they do.

[dublin_eire]

Imagine the figure that could be achieved if they rebranded themselves as a more customer friendly entity

That's a valid point. But I see Aer Lingus taking that part of the business. It's hard to see rock bottom fares go hand-in-hand with good service. I was talking to my cousin who's living in London and telling him about the 1cent fares and that he'd get back all the more if he got the electron card and flew Ryanair. He replied that he preferred EI, their service and comfort. So, two airlines, one appealing to me 'cause comfort for 1/2 hrs isn't that important and the other appealing to him.

I see FR and EI growing in tandem. EI to set up a wide range of bases in Britain if it can sort out costs at home. The two airlines complementing each other whether in total control of MOL or not.... Instead of Ryanair moving in on the big airports, EI could do that and offer a decent product because of it's good reputation. I think that is why MOL is so keen on taking EI so that he can offer the complete package with two airlines that otherwise couldn't be done by Ryanair on it's own.

[Sober Lark]

I see Ryanair rebranding or someone else copying the model but being more customer focused.

Ryanair based their model on Southwest yet looking at Southwest's web site you can see a divergence where at present only one seems to cherish the total customer experience. Southwest have on their web site published a clear safety statement, a clear customer service commitment where "dedication to the highest quality of customer service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride and company spirit'. WOW! Obviously the success of this philosophy is that they carry 100 million a year and use 500 aircraft.

Ryanair probably realise the customer experience is the next frontier for driving revenues and profitability.

[EI-BUD]

Here is an ideal scenario; Ryanair take over Aer Lingus and Wizz Air. They run 2 separate airlines Ryanair and Aer Lingus + Wizz as the other.

Aer Lingus/Wizz all Airbus and Ryanair all Boeing. Wizz brand disappears, WizzAir website will be used systematically for bookings in markets that Aer Lingus brand is not well known.

The 2 carriers grow and Aer Lingus gets access to lots of new markets without the threat of Ryanair.


someone else copying the model


I cant see Ryanair becoming rebranded any time soon, they will get stronger and stronger and I simply cant see any 'new' airline coming in to replicate the model and be more customer focussed (we already have Easyjet Wizz etc!!). The scene has been set and the arrival of any new significant players in Europe any time soon us unlikely, unless of course Ryanair have a serious accident and the masses avoid same.

I was in Bratislava this week and am amazed at the gaps that have been left by SkyEuropes departure. Rome, Paris, Manchester etc. 10 routes that SkyEurope operated exclusively now have no replacement airlines. Some of these must be of interest to Wizz/Ryanair?

I read in the airport timetable, there are 32 scheduled destinations (pre SkyEurope closure) now thats 22!!!

[racedo]

Obviously the success of this philosophy is that they carry 100 million a year and use 500 aircraft.

Ryanair probably realise the customer experience is the next frontier for driving revenues and profitability.

FR carry 62 Million with 200 Aircraft.

Growth phase has probably 5 years to run before consolidation at inexcess of 90 million passengers.

Biggest issue FR face is who will replace MOL and then who will replace the person who replaces MOL, there in lies the biggest risk to its future.

[Cymmon]

I don´t understand:

"A forthcoming trip includes three sectors on Ryanair costing all-in £5-01, £4-70 and £6"

Why can you have a fare of £4.70 when it costs £5 to print out your own boarding card?

[kingston_toon]

All promotional fares include free online check-in.

[Sober Lark]

Racedo, yes the appointment of a new CEO will be quite a challenge but also an opportunity for a change in style and direction.

Of course SW need more aircraft. To quote a few facts: Southwest's longest daily flight is 2295 miles, their average flight duration is 1 hr 55 mins and each of their aircraft makes 6.2 flights a day and are utilised 12 hrs and 9 mins a day with a load factor of 71.2%. They carried 101.9 million pax. They are 79% unionised! Average airfare is $113.97 with 77% checking in online. They fly to 67 cities. They don't follow a model of flying there one day and gone the next.

Europe is a huge market (if you treat your customers right). 11% of the worlds population live here (compared to 4.5% in the USA).

[racedo]

Southwest's longest daily flight is 2295 miles, their average flight duration is 1 hr 55 mins and each of their aircraft makes 6.2 flights a day and are utilised 12 hrs and 9 mins a day with a load factor of 71.2%. They carried 101.9 million pax. They are 79% unionised! Average airfare is $113.97 with 77% checking in online. They fly to 67 cities

Southwest average route is 1353km
Ryanairs average route is 1280km

[Sober Lark]

racedo, what is Ryanairs shortest / longest flight? As a comparison those figures you just gave seem impressive but are skewed. They are a prime example of a misuse of statistics and mean very little. You are quick though, and as a matter of interest do you have any statistics on the 'Cellar of wonder'?

[MUFC_fan]

PIK-BHD is definitely their shortest both distance and time, but remember it is all about time to these people.

[tosch19]

longest is
EDI-TFS 3274km
EDI-LAP 3257km
NRN-TFS 3231km

Don't forget Southwest flies 737-700 while FR 737-800

[45989]

Clearly, has far too much time on his hands!
Perhaps he should spend more time analysing ryrs increasing "incidents"
instead of hypothetical airline financial scenarios?
Latest: 200kts at three miles at DUB another a/c lined up for t/o
Instructed to 'Go around' response......Cleared to land!!!!! AND continued till further instructed to G/A again.
Similar to previous behaviour in Sweden???
Reported by Atc NOT the airline.........sound familiar??
200kts at three miles (900 feet) is simply not acceptable in a
proper " passenger airline"

[racedo]

As a comparison those figures you just gave seem impressive but are skewed.

They are average and of course they would be skewed by higher or lower connections. :rolleyes:

As posted their longest route is less than the longest FR route.

[EI-BUD]

PIK-BHD is definitely their shortest both distance and time



Incidentally, Easyjet on Belfast/Glasgow is their shortest route too!

[teddyman]

If anyone believes that any incident will go undetected in RYR they are:mad:
Everything is recorded via the OFDM and the pilots who have done a stunt will have to go to Dublin for Tea and Biscuits. This is a good thing and maybe that is why RYR has so high flight safety records. Believe me I have heard horror stories from other companis flying 737-800. If you are going to tell stories about RYR be correct and do not come up whith this h....sh...
I know how it works in RYR and I have been working in other companies before. If this story is true we will soon have a story on PPRUNE, "pilots wrongfully sacked at RYR". But then we will all know it was not wrongfully, or......:confused: RYR is but far the:ok: best/Teddy

[smith]

racedo, what is Ryanairs shortest / longest flight?

Anyone get any idea what FR's busiest (in terms of passenger numbers) and most profitable routes are?

[ChalfontFlyer]

According to their 2009 Financial Statement the top 10 busiest routes are:-

DUB to STN
DUB to LGW
STN to CIA
DUB to MAN
BGY to CIA
STN to BGY
PIK to STN
DUB to BHX
DUB to LTN
DUB to COR

However the report doesn't specify if these are in ranked order nor does it quote passenger numbers. Though it does state that these accounted for 9% of their total passenger numbers.

As for most profitable, I doubt they would divulge that information as it would be commercially sensitive!

[jferreira20]

The website will have a portuguese version in October. FR plans to transport 5M passengers from and to Porto in 2012, which is more than the total passengers transported actually.

[jferreira20]

Yes. More than the 4,5M passengers who use the airport per year, actually. If we count all the passengers transported by all the companies from and to Porto per year, the sum is 4,5M. In 3 years, Ryanair plans to transport 5M by itself.

[Sober Lark]

c800 million live in Europe. What is the size of this market for flying? EG Ireland 4-6 million but DUB alone handles c22-24 million pa pax. When you think of it in Europe as a whole the market must be huge with plenty of opportunities for many low cost carriers.

Ryanair don't need to look at transatlantic but if Ryanair were ever to go down that route then they would have to go back to basics and consider the Southwest model of customer service, no charge for bags, check in etc. The current Ryanair model here in Europe would have a complete lack of cultural compatability with the US and would appear to be a natural bar to entering that market. Then again McDonalds only took 19 years to teach us how to eat without using a knife and fork!

[ruinair]

I see that the BBC TV programme Panorama are planning a programme about Ryanair in October BBC Panorama wants to hear your comments (http://seesmic.tv/threads/FsIdiFniM8)

[jpthomas72]

Sober Lark, you say
"c800 million live in Europe. What is the size of this market for flying? EG Ireland 4-6 million but DUB alone handles c22-24 million pa pax."
The EU has ca 500 million people, and Russia (120 million) will probably never join an open skies treaty and let foreign companies invade their flight markets, while in the East of the EU, Wizzair is building a defensive front against Ryanair. Ireland is not at all typical, as it's island, also doesn't have a fast train to mainland Europe. You don't get such ratios in France or Germany (only in 'effective islands' like Berlin). Also don't forget that there are competitors in Europe who are very much aware of Ryanair, and will fight them, they are not standing by. It's quite a sign that Ryanair's largest base in mainland Europe, Frankfurt-Hahn, had little expansion and quite some route cancellations in the past year, it's stuck at about 3.5 million passengers. People with kids are already fed up and choose to fly from Frankfurt-proper or Cologne. I can't see them expanding much anymore in Germany, blackmailing Hahn was all over the press and a clear warning to the other airports. A ruthless short-term victory which might cost them dearly in the long run. So probably yes, they might have to go transatlantic once their passenger numbers in Europe stagnate. The model doesn't work without growth.

[racedo]

while in the East of the EU, Wizzair is building a defensive front against Ryanair

Wizzair and Ryanair don't compete against each other.
Overlay their routes and you will see the avoid competing with each other.

2 reasons
1.) each is afraid of the other
2.) they have unspoken agreement to leave each others routes alone and complement rather than compete.

1.) is a no way
2.) more likely

Wizz unlike Sky Europe never set out with viewpoint that it could compete with Ryanair head on. They never sought a fight that they would lose because someone else has deeper pockets.

Wizzair / Ryanair tie up has been mooted but no chance at this moment in time.

[Sober Lark]

Thanks JP. Racedo from darkest Surrey "they have unspoken agreement to leave each others routes alone and complement rather than compete" Is this not an anticompetitive practice? Where do EI complement FR?

[Based]

Its hard to know really what goes through the mind of your average Ryanair passenger, but I would imagine most of them would be quite happy buying a ticket for a flight that was advertised for €49.99 to some little airstrip near some former industrial town or wherever, actually cost them €49.99 as opposed to a flight that was advertised for 99c but ended up costing them €49.99.....http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/confused.gif
There'd be no complaints about misleading advertising or hidden charges and it wouldn't even cost Ryanair any extra.......:ugh:

Lets not get carried away here - a flight advertised at 99c can only cost a max. of €15.99 (€20.99 come October 1st) even if you pay with Visa, Mastercard, etc. and check in a bag.

[racedo]

Is this not an anticompetitive practice? Where do EI complement FR?

Sober Lark from Dublin...............p.s. this is PPRune not Blind Date with Cilla.

Anti competitive would be difficult to prove and can't force an airline to operate a particular route, similar in you can't force National Express / Greenline or Stagecoach to operate similar routes.

[Sober Lark]

racedo so ends the lesson in geography and thanks JP for starting us off!

I thought an unspoken agreement was an anticompetitive practice because it prevents or reduces competition in a market?

"difficult to prove"

yes, but becomes easier when the parties involved have significant market power.

As a side DUB-MRS both EI and FR operated but on different days and both ceased service around the same time. This niceness can be most inconvenient.

Based, fares are cheap but when you have people saying they got a flight for 99 cent then you have to take your hat off to those marketing guys that made your man believe he got it for 99 cent notwithstanding he still got it for a pittance at €49.99. However, next time when you want to charge the same chap €1.05 he'll rant and rave thinking he's being ripped off!

[anna_list]

If rumours from Italy are to be believed, Ryanair will announce two bases in Puglia next week: Bari and Brindisi. 3 aircraft will be based in total, with 15 new routes starting in January.

Guidaviaggi.it: Ryanair farà base anche in Puglia (http://www.guidaviaggi.it/detail.lasso?id=112527)

[EI-BUD]

annalist- do you think that Ryanair would have any interest in a base at Bratislava now that SkyEurope is gone out of business, quite a few gaps now and cost there should be competitive plus Bratislava being a capital city etc?

EI-BUD

[jferreira20]

And new routes from Porto, any rumours?

[anna_list]

Disclaimer: Everything that I'm about to write is purely personal speculation and as such could well turn out to be one of the biggest piles of tosh ever written on these pages.

In the medium term (the next couple of years), I think a Ryanair base at Bratislava could well happen. In the short term, I'm not so sure. I suspect it really depends how desperate BTS airport are and how good any potential deal is.

Why a base might happen:
- The airport at BTS have a fairly significant hole in their passenger numbers after the demise of SkyEurope. I imagine that they might be quite keen to negotiate in the same way that Bari (allegedly) were after MyAir went under.
- Potentially low costs and maybe other incentives too?

Why a base might not happen for a while:
- Higher priorities elsewhere? Potentially higher yielding markets in Italy and Spain where capacity might be better deployed.
- FR already cover a lot of SkyEurope's routes from BTS and VIE. With the exception of the seasonal summer routes to the likes of Croatia, Italy and Spain, the only real hole is to Paris. BTS-BVA is surely a no-brainer, but could probably be operated without needing a BTS base.
- With SkyEurope out of the way, FR already dominate BTS. This year, they have already added routes to ALC, BLQ, NRN, LPL, PSA and CIA. If they wait for a bit longer, will they get an even better deal?
- If FR don't set up a base any time soon, who else is going to dive in there? Wizzair possibly, but FR have most of the obvious routes covered, therefore no great rush?

[EI-BUD]

anna list, fair points there, thanks for the reply, however, I think it might be sooner rather than later!

I think that wizz could be looking at it and Ryanair may move first. It is hard to know what will happen!

[Seljuk22]

from 25th Oct EMA-BHD from 2 daily to 3 daily
from 2nd Nov CAG-CIA from daily to double daily
from 7th Nov CIA-FKB from 4 weekly to 5 weekly
from 17th Nov CIA-BLL 3 weekly

[McCon2]

Flew BTS-EDI on Wed evening (day trip 'fag run'). They seem to be building an extension to the terminal (looks about + 50%). Ours was the only flight showing that evening from the well appointed little terminal. Practically all 189 seats were occupied by what seemed to be nearly all Slavs travelling to Scotland.

By the way, FR sceptics, all three flights used that day (PIK - STN, STN - BTS & BTS - EDI) provided a very positive impression - even when there was a short delay in departure from STN, passengers were kept well informed.

Oh, and not forgetting the price, £1 + £1 + €1, with no added charges what so ever thank to a very easy to obtain Electron Card - acquired on line using the Bank of Scotland web-site

[OltonPete]

This is no longer bookable beyond 1st November.

Not a good week for FR at BHX with the winter timetable
virtually adjusted to three based aircraft from four and
now Hahn appears to be going.

BHX-HHN Loads in general have been bad by BHX standards although
they have picked up a bit of late.

Pete

[rafinha130]

BHX- OPO, also gone, no more bookable beyond end October, even with very good numbers all year around.

2009 load factors:

66,6% - JAN
73,5% - FEV
73,3% - MAR
76,9% - ABR
73,6% - MAI
80,4% - JUN
82,7% - JUL

[jferreira20]

Where can i check the load factors from Ryanair?

[fivejuliet]

You need to be "in the know" ;)

[OltonPete]

rafinha130

BHX - OPO, BHX - NYO & BHX - BLG, BHX-PMI were never put on sale for
this winter along with usual suspensions of PIS, OLB, MRS, TRS, & TPS.

Then Torp was chopped and Prague removed only for the latter to reappear a week later.

On top off that frequency reductions on SNN, LDY, ALC, AGP, KTW & REU.
Although ALC is the same frequency as last winter.

Then HHN was removed recently.

Pete

[jferreira20]

thanks, fivejuliet

[rafinha130]

Olton Pete,

Since the winter schedule for the OPO base was only defined last week , I did not lost my faith to see it scheduled. Even operated with a OPO base aircraft.

I can't understand such a dramatic cut in the UK routes this winter: BRS and LPL since last year, and now BHX, a young route with quite good performance. The huge portuguese comunity has STN as the only option.

:confused:

[OltonPete]

rafinha130

Me too, I just assumed it would become an Oporto based operation.

It is always disappointing to lose any route but one with such good load
factors makes it worse.

However I was told by one fairly frequent BHX-OPO traveller that winter
sees a lot of cheap fares and low spend on board. This is only one
view but but might explain matters and hopefully it will be back in April.

Pete

[rafinha130]

OltonPete,

He might be right if he flies mostly the Monday operation, because on Friday night the airplanes were always almost full.

BHX is just in the middle of the "triangle" BRS-BHX-LPL, and could perfectly remain operating, it's a considerable catching area, and as I said before, where a lot of Portuguese people live.

[Centre cities]

How long before they do a Manchester at Birmingham and just leave the Dublin.

3 based ( very light programme some days ) is a long way from the 6 mentioned for this winter.

Also a reduction on visiting harps.



Centre cities

[EI-BUD]

Flew BTS-EDI on Wed evening (day trip 'fag run'). They seem to be building an extension to the terminal (looks about + 50%). Ours was the only flight showing that evening from the well appointed little terminal. Practically all 189 seats were occupied by what seemed to be nearly all Slavs travelling to Scotland.



McCon2, I flew Alicante Bratislava last week on Friday and back last night Bratislava Alicante and both flights were fully booked. Some no shows. According to the crew on the flight the route (twice per week) has been well subscrided since it started! Encourgaing. Perhaps it will be increased to say 4 per week.

I had expected that it would have been mostly Slovaks etc travelling on the flight (perhaps working in Alicante area) however, a lot of Spaniards!

Ryanair were very good and flew on nice new 738s EI-EBB and a slightly older one going to BTS EI-DCD...

Interesting caption from Airliners.net!!!
http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/1/9/6/1512691.jpg (http://www.pprune.org/photo/Ryanair/Boeing-737-8AS/1512691/L/&sid=263f27b8e67828f9ce69e309e1b16974)

[EI-BUD]

Does anybody know how many based units there are with Ryanair at Dublin airport, Stanted Airport & Hahn this summer season?

[OltonPete]

I make this 12 routes suspended for winter with HHN & REU
added in the last few days (about six last year).

We know Stansted, Manchester & Mr B (APD) have been in the
firing line but is there a specific problem with BHX.

Things are tight here in the West Mids and I certainly
couldn't make a case to keep most of the routes but
it is a hefty level of cancellations in one season.

EDI & BRS is not too far behind with route suspensions
but they have maintained their based units although
Bristol looks light on some days.

BHX currently has four based units and on Thursdays in
November there are just four based flights by these.

Pete

[MerchantVenturer]

EDI & BRS is not too far behind with route suspensions
but they have maintained their based units although
Bristol looks light on some days.

Pete

I've done a count-up and at present there are 64 weekly rotations from Bristol using the based aircraft in November, with Turin (1 x weekly) added in December: most on any day is ten and the least is seven - on a Thursday!

All four based aircraft are required at least for some part of every day but there are some gaps in the scheduling.

It's been made more unwieldy by the long sectors on some routes with Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Marrakesh and Malta all between seven and nine hours there and back.

In addition there are 24 weekly rotations flown by non-based aircraft.

I make it that 13 routes have been suspended from Bristol for the winter: nearly all the new routes introduced this summer (not a surprise as they were almost without exception holiday routes - to France and Italy in the main); Porto (suspended last winter); Riga (suspended for the second half of last winter); Bergerac (it operated last winter).

I doubt that this is the final cut - probably work in progress.:hmm:

[MUFC_fan]

I saw EI-DAL earlier this evening sat at LPL looking lovely as ever!

I had just completed a day return on an FR LPL-DUB run.

LPL airport - can't stand the place if I am being perfectly honest. OK, it may have been 5am but to be so rude and not even a smile is quite poor. I also hate the layout of having to queue on the stairs for security.

DUB however, was fantastic! The security were making jokes and being extremely helpful in the process and all staff had a smile or always willing to chat - as it should be! Although - has anybody noticed how expensive their so called 'duty free' is? £29 for a litre bottle - still £15 when travelling outside of the EU! It is 2 for £16 at MAN!!:eek:

Must also say that both the Ryanair flights were truly superb - the crew were fantastic and the length of the flights amazes me! Under 25 minutes per sector was fantastic and would be pushing PIK-BHD if it were to get a tail wind once in a while!:ok:

[rapidman47]

LPL airport - can't stand the place if I am being perfectly honest. OK, it may have been 5am but to be so rude and not even a smile is quite poor. I also hate the layout of having to queue on the stairs for security.
The £12 million expansion starting in the next mounth or two will sort that out. if you cant smile I will get ken Dodd to help. you poor thing:E stand by for more expansion at LJLA from ryan aswell just to stay on topic good old Mol:D

[super737]

ASFKAP - was this smiley :suspect: because you never recieved compliments like that during your time at the flying harp:}

[daz211]

I dont know where all this Ryanair "rude crew" gossip started.
I have had more problems with BA,AA and CO crew, most of them crusing
the isles like they own the Airline and looking down at you like your not good enough to be on one of their old airframes.

All Airlines have some staff who dont give good service.
I travel 6x a year Long haul and about 15x a year short haul
8 flights at least with Ryanair and I have only ever been delayed once
for 2hrs due to a A/C change to enable another flight to stay operational
they have never lost my bag or cancled a flight nor have they ever gone on strike.

I have not once thought I will never travel Ryanair but I have stopped using BA after 2x summer walkouts, 3x delayed baggage one never found, two which arrived one week late to my destination but I had already done my return trip and the rudest cabin crew I have ever met.

I do think its about time people stop putting Ryanair down as they are very good at what they do and what they do must be working as I dont see anyother Airline in the WORLD starting so many new routes, Opening so many base's or buying so many NEW A/C in this Global turndown. Ryanair must operate the youngest fleet in the world, Now that cant be so bad can it.

[OltonPete]

MV

Cheers for the Bristol information, BHX has lost a similar amount
but NYO, TRF, PMI, PGF, OPO & BLG were all year round and HHN
and REU were released for booking.

Also now with the start of the winter schedule it is very late
to add new routes. Maybe some routes will get increased
frequency but overall it is not looking like a good time for UK
bases at the moment.

Pete

[conti onepass]

ryanair must be run with blokes with dummies and nappies, to drop all these routes, manchester dropped whats that about, lose loads of custom there and it was suppose to be a money earner for ryanair, im sure someone from the shed with a road ( liverpool) will comment!!!

[GayFriendly]

I dont see anyother Airline in the WORLD starting so many new routes


I don't see any other airline in the world starting as many routes and then stopping them again within a year or so of starting, just ask the punters at BHX, BRS and EMA who have all lost many FR flights this winter :ugh:

[Centre cities]

To be honnest on the subject of RYR not maintaining routes, a few years ago any airline CEO would have been put into a straight jacket for even considering some of the routes from x to y that nobody had evr heard off.

Centre cities

[racedo]

I don't see any other airline in the world starting as many routes and then stopping them again within a year or so of starting, just ask the punters at BHX, BRS and EMA who have all lost many FR flights this winter

Don't all airlines reduce fights they operate when demand isn't there ? Thats the reality of the industry and always has been.

[GayFriendly]

Don't all airlines reduce fights they operate when demand isn't there ? Thats the reality of the industry and always has been


Very true, but no other airline I know of totally over hypes an announcement of a new base (complete with over inflated pax, based aircraft and 'jobs that will be created' figures) for just under 18 months later to withdraw (sorry 'suspend') nearly half their flights (i'm talking BHX specifically here). Do people in Route Planning at FR know what they're doing or is it the PR Dept that needs to be a little less throwaway about the figures they bandy about in press releases? 10 based aircraft and 100 routes by 2010 for BHX was it? ;)

[Guest 112233]

There is a way to restrict the blatent enthusiasm of some airline marketing dept's, especially re BHX, and that is to restrict their anouncements regarding future route and aircraft basing plans to the point when legally enforcable contracts have been signed. In this way the possibility of "over enthusiasm" is reduced.

CAT III

[racedo]

Don't think there announcement gave a time frame and dealing with a PR announcement.

[OltonPete]

racedo

You are quite correct, ten mentioned but no time-frame in this
press release from their website (useless really): -

quote

"This will be followed by a further 8 Boeing 737-800 aircraft ($560m investment) which will deliver 5 million passengers annually, a visitor spend of £400m p.a. and sustain 5,000 jobs in the West Midlands."

End of quote

As for the BHX routes, to say that there is no demand is right in some
cases such as BLG, HHN, TRF, PGF REU plus the regular suspensions of PIS, MRS, TRS & TPS.

There was reasonable demand for OPO, PMI & NYO but what there
wasn't, was the willingness to pay a sustainable fare for the flights
and hence I suppose the reason why these went.

If I had to be critical it is more to do with why these routes were
chosen in the first place compared to established markets such as
Madrid & Rome (which had just ended) and other non-EMA FR routes
such as TSF and RAK.


Pete

[Centre cities]

I can see the attraction of Bydgoszcz, but where the f*** is Birmingham...?

Alabama

Well on here the cheerleaders call it "vision"......

Perhaps short sighted or lack of vision. Thought a cheerleader was something to do with dancing, perhaps not.

cc

[AMS flyer]

LONDON (Dow Jones)--Ryanair Holdings PLC (RYAAY), the low-cost airline, Tuesday announced two new Italian bases at Bari and Brindisi, bringing its total European bases to 36.
MAIN FACTS:
-From January 2010, Ryanair will base two aircraft at Bari and open nine new routes (16 in total) while in February it will base one aircraft at Brindisi and open four new routes (nine in total).
-New routes from Bari to Brussels (Charleroi), Cagliari, Dusseldorf (Weeze), Genoa, Karlsruhe - Baden Baden, Paris (Beauvais), Trapani, Treviso and Valencia, start Jan. 14, 2010.
-Four new routes from Brindisi to Barcelona (Girona), Eindhoven, Trapani and Treviso will begin from Feb. 4, 2010.

[ericlday]

Can you explain your calculations please or is it a Ryanair type calculation ?

[Based]

1 job per 1000 passengers certainly isn't 'rocket surgery'.

[mickyman]

It might as well be for people who cannot deal
with having been fired by the airlinehttp://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/icons/winksbuddie.gif.

MM

[darren1]

One based plane at an airport is hardly big news, Ryanair are getting desperate.

[davidjohnson6]

Based purely on a back-of-the-envelope calculation, using approx number of hours to fly distances and looking at just the new routes announced from Bari and Brindisi, this leaves on average the Bari aircraft each in the air for about 8 hours per day, while the Brindisi aircraft should be in the air for about 5 hours per day - rather low utilisation rates for short-haul aircraft operated by a LCC

I'm sure someone else out there can do a better job with flight schedules, but it suggests that either further routes / increased frequencies on existing routes will be announced from Bari and Brindisi, or alternatively these aircraft are being deployed in a way to free up aircraft based elsewhere in Europe.

[Scottish Flyer]

Ryanair aircraft utilisation is not always simple as they increasingly operate 'W' pattern flights from their bases. There were for instance several predictions in this forum that the Prestwick base would go down from 5 based aircraft to only 4 or even 3 this winter. While there are considerable cutbacks, 5 aircraft are still required (6 on a Wednesday!) with aircraft operating more 'W' patterns. Beauvais, Torp and Bergamo flights are operated in this way with the aircraft starting from Prestwick and operating 4 sectors before returning to base. It may be that some of the flights from the newly announced bases at Bari & Brindisi are also to be operated in this way.

[jferreira20]

There is a Birmingham-Grenoble route in FR's new routes.

[OltonPete]

FR thread on page 2 of A, A & R!!!

Anyway since the last post two more BHX routes are no longer bookable for winter. Billund from Sat 14/11/09 and BZG fro Fri 23/10/09.

That makes 19 routes gone out of 39 started (40 with Knock years ago).

Some might just have disappeared for time changes but time will tell.

The roll of honour this winter as it stands today: -

BLG, BLL, BZG, HHN, OLB, TRF, PGF, PIS, OPO, REU, NYO, TPS, TRS
MRS, PMI. Previous cancellations DNR, SZZ, FRL & CUF.

At least eight of those operated last winter or were not intended to
be seasonal.



Pete

[mickyman]

Ryanair seem to be carrying out their stated intension
of withdrawing marginal services from the U.K to concentrate on
European mainland expansion - chasing the Euro instead of the
pound.
Maybe English (regional)airports will now get the chance to
expand services at their own pace & cost by attracting 'hand
-picked airlines to start routes,with the added bonus of 'hand-picked'
passengers to boot!
Watch-out LBA......

I know one or two people on here will be overjoyed to see this
happen.

MM

[iwak]

noc/kerry
noc/dub

These two routes are coming up on the drop down when you go into the new search page on the booking page. Hardly going to happen in these lean times.

[Crusher1]

Mickeyman,

Ryanair seem to have expanded on routes that are not sustainable unless the seats are virtually given away.

Which is, I think part of the problem. Ryanair are just not such good value anymore, here's my recent experience.

I travel to northern Sweden (Umea and Vilhelmina) which requires a change at Arlanda.

For a few years I took a RYR flight from STN to either of their "Stockholm" airports and put up with the hassle of having to get across the city becasue they were so cheap, in fact quite ofton the parking at Stansted cost more than the flight!

When Sterling operated out of EMA I used them as I'm on the doorstep and the time saving was massive even if the fare was more.

These days I use KLM out of BHX via AMS, usually the price is about the same as RYR when booked a week or two in advance, but the advantage is that I get to a hub for connecting flights and probably feel a little less like part of a cattle herd.

I've also just booked for two of us RTN to Malaga, RYR air fare 53.00, EZY 80.00, however the eventual price saw EZY come out 40.00 cheaper!

I'm not anti RYR, in all my years using them all I've ever had is one cancelled flight, so I have never had any real problem at all with them, however, unless you can avoid all their extras, which these days is quite ofton impossible, their bottom line cost bears no relation at all to the actual air fare and other alternatives become more attractive.

[flysr4ever]

noc/kerry
noc/dub

These two routes are coming up on the drop down when you go into the new search page on the booking page. Hardly going to happen in these lean times.

Perhaps a way to get more utilisation from the KIR based aircraft?

On the days HHN isn't operated, they would have time for a:
KIR-NOC-DUB-KIR-NOC

With the failure of both GNB and LPL, what else could they try? Beauvais maybe? There isn't enough space in the schedule for a Spanish route.

KIR-STN is down to 4x this winter (KIR based aircraft) but KIR-LTN is daily (LTN based aircraft).

[jpthomas72]

The BHX-HHN flight was operated by an aircraft based in Spain (I've been on it a few times, Spanish crew and ads). So this is not linked to BHX in any way, but actually on a W pattern via HHN. HHN is also endured more cuts currently, not just to the UK, so who knows where this exact plane is going now, maybe Bari or so. Interesting that they keep BHX-NRN, that's somehow a niche. A bit odd how FR pushes so much into Italy and Spain, while both economies are really feeling the crises.
Looking at AirBaltic's recent development, things like RIX-FRA and frequent KUN-RIX with various connections, FR surely doesn't like that. They seem to get squeezed a bit by Wizzair and AirBaltic in Eastern Europe, also they haven't jumped yet at the vacated BTS opportunities, while FlyNiki doesn't sleep.

[Gulf Julliet Papa]

Birmingham – Hahn flights are operated by a Hahn aircraft and always have been. The nationality of the crew is irrelevant as there are lots of different nationalities based at every base. The only routes that are currently operated as so called W patterns are those routes between two destinations (which are not bases). The BHX flights are operated as such...
Mon – HHN – LBC/BHX
Wed & Sun – HHN – BHX/OSI
Fri – HHN – KLU/BHX

[racedo]

A bit odd how FR pushes so much into Italy and Spain, while both economies are really feeling the crises.

They are BUT in Italy there in excess of 60 million journeys by Air made domestically each year and given the demise of a number of Italian carriers and the way the Neuvo Alitalia is operating its an open market.

Additionally Spain with Spanair / Vueling / Clickair and Iberia declines there is also an open market.

Your assets can be moved around quickly so why not do it when opportunity calls.

[EI-BUD]

The only routes that are currently operated as so called W patterns are those routes between two destinations


I think the Dublin/Neiderhein route on Sunday morning goes Dublin/Neiderhein/Manchester/Dublin. While not strictly a W pattern, it is not common to be able to spot such a routing that is not simply a straightforward rotation on between to airport pairs!

Perhaps some Ryanair people on here can give other examples............?

On a separate note Ryanair have a schedule of some 60 new aircraft deliveries for the next year. Any suggestions by country as to what the next bases are going to be?

Lets predict a top 5 list or Top 2 in each country EU country???

I predict that one of the EU capitals will get a substantial base next year maybe Lisbon with up to 5/6 aircraft?

In the UK I dont see much activity re New bases but maybe a move from PIK to GLA???

We might get a few surprises with some of the smaller airports getting some new activity?

EI-BUD

[Gulf Julliet Papa]

I think the Dublin/Neiderhein route on Sunday morning goes Dublin/Neiderhein/Manchester/Dublin. While not strictly a W pattern, it is not common to be able to spot such a routing that is not simply a straightforward rotation on between to airport pairs!

Far as I can see the NRN-DUB is operated NRN - DUB - NRN - MAN - NRN as a standard in and out pattern. It looks like that for the next month or so in timetable.

[davidjohnson6]

Probably about as accurate as putting on a blindfold and sticking a pin in a picture of a donkey's backside (sorry, I mean Ryanair's route map :E) but here goes anyway:

Memmingen - southern Germany has plenty of money but relatively little FR presence
Karlsruhe (or Basel) - risk of cannibalisation of Hahn ?
Seville
Treviso - NE Italy still a bit of a blank, given Alitalia's woes. Further, MyAir who had a base at Venice went bust recently
Oslo - Norwegian have had it easy for too long
Gothenburg - SAS are struggling
Copenhagen - new LCC terminal opens in 2010
Wroclaw or Krakow - the Polish economy has been relatively unaffected by the recession compared to the UK or Ireland, and LOT is struggling

[johnnychips]

You don't have to buy them if you don't want to.

And it does offer spirits: 'Baggies'.

[OliWW]

When are Ryanair putting their summer routes on sale, can EMA see a possible 7th aircraft next year?

[Evileyes]

Several posters are enjoying a 7 day break from this thread because they continue to pick childish fights with each other. Unfortunately, shorter bans and warnings posted in the thread did not seem to get their attention.

Hopefully this will return the thread to civility and to its purpose which is to discuss Ryanair, not attack it or each other. No, this certainly doesn't mean that non-flattering posts are forbidden, it means that they will be posted and responded to in a civil and contributory manner.

Finally, posters whose emotional lives seem to focus on trashing or defending Ryanair are frankly unwelcome here. The majority of them are currently in the sin bin and it is hoped that no more need to be added to their ranks.

Cheers,
The Mods

[bad bear]

I really am greatful for your intervention Evileyes.

[Based]

noc/kerry
noc/dub

These two routes are coming up on the drop down when you go into the new search page on the booking page. Hardly going to happen in these lean times.

Looks like the Ireland 'Yes to Europe' campaign activities tomorrow would explain these. O’Leary's flying to Knock, Kerry and Dublin.

I've also just booked for two of us RTN to Malaga, RYR air fare 53.00, EZY 80.00, however the eventual price saw EZY come out 40.00 cheaper!

Crusher1, as sad as it probably is I'd be interested to know how Easyjet became £40 cheaper from these figures. Assuming that's the base price for the two of you, even checking in a bag each and paying with a debit card should leave the grand totals at £113 and £115 respectively!

[Charlie Roy]

anna_list (September 10th):
- FR already cover a lot of SkyEurope's routes from BTS and VIE. With the exception of the seasonal summer routes to the likes of Croatia, Italy and Spain, the only real hole is to Paris. BTS-BVA is surely a no-brainer, but could probably be operated without needing a BTS base.

BTS - BVA will be in the booking engine sometime Wednesday :ok:

[anna_list]

Hi,

Thanks, although I'm not sure whether to be pleased by the predictive powers of PPRuNe or disturbed to find out how Ryanair now seem to do their route planning...;-)

There are rumours from Spain suggesting that there could be a number of new bases announced there over the next couple of months, with the bases to start in the Spring.

The airports mentioned include Seville (SVQ), Malaga (AGP) and Palma (PMI). More creatively, Zaragoza (ZAZ) may get 2 aircraft this winter, according to this article:
Ryanair estrenará este invierno la base de operaciones de Zaragoza - Aragón - www.elperiodicodearagon.com (http://www.elperiodicodearagon.com/noticias/noticia.asp?pkid=526494)

Another one to watch is Beauvais where they have recently upgraded the ILS and if I remember correctly, the apron has been expanded too. I suspect that the French authorities probably haven't spent this amount of money just for fun. If so, the long wait for Beauvais to become a base may be nearing its end. It's worth noting that with well over 20 per day, BVA will be in Ryanair's top 10 airports this winter in terms of the number of daily departures (if I've got my sums right). Recently, the airport has been a prime candidate for picking up routes to new bases and new 'W' patterns (e.g. BRI, BTS, TRF, CAG, TPS, AHO, BLQ all this year).

[fivejuliet]

I've heard internally for a while that AGP has been planned for some time. Its a given that it will probably happen at this stage I think at least

[ssflyer]

Earlier this month had return flights on FR- BHX/GRO/BHX. Both flights pretty full (although rows 2-4 kept clear for takeoff and landing) and took off on time and arrived early.Good security briefing and two trolley services on each flight - little sold other than hot drinks.
The usual scratch cards,phone cards,perfume being sold and also good commentary from the flight deck.
Also,to a tootle on the PA system, the announcement of the introduction of smoke free cigarettes at €4 for 10. Didn't see anyone buying them
Decent companion PAX and well dressed and behaved unlike some leisure flights to the Med.

Only real complaint was the garbled mangled English announcements from the FAs.

By no way my favourite airline but you have to give it to them - when it works (which is most of the time) it is an efficient and cost effective way of flying from A to B.
And, including baggage,priority boarding and airport checkin the two of us paid what BA used to charge for one return from BHX to BCN.
Price of F&B is so high on board our only extra cost was a £3.49 Boots Special and a £3.99 mini bottle of red each, airside!

[FA10]

The rumour about an upcoming base in AGP is one of the oldest rumours in Ryanair (almost as old as the first announcement of a continental Europe base) - maybe this time it´s going to be real?

[Tom the Tenor]

If there is any more news about a Zaragoza base emerging please let us all know straight away. After Cork, I have a lot of fondness for Zaragoza for both the airport and the people.

Thanks.

[LPFR]

MOL said in Porto (when the base opened), that Faro is a strong potencial base to be opened either in 2010 or 2011.

[markch2000]

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has announced Ryanair are not to bid for Aer Lingus, and are years from going long-haul.
At a speech at Ryanair’s annual general meeting in Dublin, O’Leary said: “I don’t believe we will make a third bid,” however did say "We'd be happy to invest more money in Aer Lingus."
O’Leary also said that Ryanair are at least three or four years away from long-haul flights due to lack of aircraft saying: "While the market or orders for short-haul aircraft has collapsed for both Boeing and Airbus the long-haul order book has held up.”


(RAeS)

[FreeBird1106]

Off course. And he never lies, does he? He ain't gonna tell the world what his plan is, is he? I think we'll be talking about A.L. early next year, some sort of deal will be made and Molly will have his LH fleet ready within 2 years.

[stansdead]

Costs of entering Long Haul will prohibit O'Leary ever making profit at it.

He can say what he likes. The only way to do it is to get Aer Lingus and carve it up.

[The Real Slim Shady]

Or to buy bmi from LH, sell the LHR slots, use the 330s for long haul and get shot of the 320s / 321s and 319s replacing them with NGs.

[MUFC_fan]

Best to keep/rent the LHR for now.

1. Not a 'use them or lose them' policy at the moment.
2. Market is down at the moment - when it recovers/when tories say no to the 3rd runway they will rise in value.

[woodpecker]

Forget the price structure, look at their safety procedures in the passenger cabin..

Zimmers loaded first. They head for the emergency exit rows, then children in arms again in emergency exit rows. The lead purser suggested there was no problem with such passengers occupying these rows. As for pre briefing passengers in these rows the answer was "we don't, there would be ample time in an emergency to brief them".

As for the the pre departure safety briefing in broken English, it's a joke, especially as it is preceded, and often followed by, the scratch card "sell".

Although this was out of a UK airfield the CAA were not interested. The IAA suggested they are very happy with Ryanair safety procedures.

Fly Ryanair, but look after yourselves, sit at the back where you might have a better chance of exiting the aircraft in an emergency.

Now rwmind me....How much do I pay for my bag in the hold per sector......?

[akerosid]

"I think we'll be talking about A.L. early next year, some sort of deal will be made and Molly will have his LH fleet ready within 2 years."

I think Freebird is closest to the mark on this. I think that the govt will be anxious that the EI name survives in some way and since it's known in the long haul market (particularly in the US) and reasonably well respected, it seems like a reasonable prediction that the FR long haul operation will carry the EI name (indeed, bear in mind that MO'L has always said that it would NOT bear the FR name).

Over the next few months, you will see EI's long haul operation move more closely to the long haul low cost model (replacement of J class by premium economy, for example), so if it comes to a deal being done, FR will have a readymade template for expansion. It can benefit from its relationship with Boeing to dump the A330s (and the A350 order - which is probably too big an aircraft) and order 787s instead.

[CallBell]

(replacement of J class by premium economy, for example),

Where have you heard that Business Class is being replaced? I have heard EI are looking at Y+ as a 3rd class and not as a replacement for Business Class.

[The Real Slim Shady]

Woodpecker,

The safety briefing is pre recorded: good try but wrong again.

TROLL ALERT.

[woodpecker]

Sometimes the recorded system "don't work" and we have to put up with very very poor ENGLISH.

Shame you couldn't comment on the occupation of emergency exit rows.

GROLLY ALERT

[EI320]

Over the next few months, you will see EI's long haul operation move more closely to the long haul low cost model (replacement of J class by premium economy, for example),

Seriously doubt it. Business Class is here to stay.

[The Real Slim Shady]

Woodpecker,

With an average fleet age of 2.7 years it is very unusual that the reproducer doesn't work.

Sure you weren't on a bmibaby?

[EISNN]

EI Business Class on long haul is there to stay as they've just revamped the cabins and are doing a big promo/ad campaign in business journals and papers. Rumour also has it that Herr Muller is keen to re-introduce a business class on routes such as AMS, FRF, CDG, BRU, LHR that have a 'business traveller' market.

That all said shouldn't this discussion be on the Aer Lingus thread??

[super737]

Well once EI have been assimilated, this will be the thread for both. As I've said before hope those shambles I mean shamrock pilots remember their new callsign on those winter nights into STN:}

[woodpecker]

Bournemouth-Gerona.. BMI BABY? I think not!

[davidjohnson6]

woodpecker - I wasn't on the flight to which you refer, so have to believe what happened is as you describe. Playing a recorded message for the safety demonstration relies on a machine to broadcast the audio component - and like any machine this can of course break down, with someone reading it out as a backup method. Not a common occurrence, but it does happen every now and then. Perhaps the person reading may have had an accent from somewhere other than the UK, or their grammar may not have been absolutely accurate - but then again plenty of native born Brits have less than perfect knowledge of English grammar.

Your comments about the cabin crew allowing those less able to move or children to sit in the exit rows seem more surprising. Did this happen just the once (in which case the cabin crew member may have been a bad egg), or have you seen this happen regularly ?

Any company employing a large number of people will always have a few people not following procedures - this is human nature, and organisations round the world can only but try to pick out the bad eggs. If the captain of the aircraft were for example to do something stupid, there's not much that can be done on the spot - it's no good firing someone while they're still in control of a plane with 150 people onboard.

If however you observe safety breaches happening on a regular basis, then it suggests something more serious - for which aviation regulators would be more interested.

[burble]

Davidjohnson6 is quite right the IAA should be your first port of call. Ryanair need to be highlighted for their poor safety culture, it is a small step from poor customer relations to holding the passenger and his safety in contempt. It is one mind set that draws from another. But that is not the point. Ryanair announced a halving of pre tax profit and a post tax loss! MOL has lost the plot. New aircraft arriving all the time, no market for his old aircraft. Dire passenger loads and desperate yields on them. The public increasingly avoid Ryanair at any cost. The man just announced he's in serious trouble because he has to, and what do the media pick up on? Ryanair unlikely to make another attempt on Aer Lingus and Ryanair years away from a long haul fleet. Something is very fishy in the way the media can be so easily played.
PS Super737 sounds like sour grapes, get your flying experience up and have another crack at selection.

[frfly]

Now I have kept very quiet on these forums, I think its actually amusing to watch industry insiders fight and bad mouth ryanair like school children in a play ground.

Lets just remember one pure fact - 60 million passengers voted with the feet this year and chose Ryanair. Your statement that Passengers are avoiding Ryanair at any cost is pure speculation, yes a minority will, we are not everybodies "cup of tea", and we dont try to be. We're going to carry on doing what it says on the tin. Get you from A to B, on time, with your bag (if you chose to check one in) for the lowest possible price.

Ryanair as a business had revolutionised this industry, I meet people every working day who have the best experience on board or in the airport and simply because they bothered to read the terms and conditions.

Finally - and this is what really provoked me to make a response. Ryanair's training is second to none. Of course some crew will "bend the rules", but this gets picked up on, and these crew are gone faster then you can imagine (again where Ryanair get their bad press on treating their staff, which is again rubbish because its these sort of inefficient, lazy, safety compromising people that are not wanted in the company and its purely their own fault). Safety is taken very seriously at Ryanair, yes everything is done with speed, but from the outset that is how Ryanair train their staff to do it. Efficiency = success.

- and cabin crew know exactly who should sit in exit rows 1 ABC 16 17 A-F. This will have been picked up on by the No1 and the crew member in question reported.

Anyway, now I shall go back to reading and laughing to myself at the playground fight.

[ryanair1]

frfly - well said. agree with all your comments.

The most vocal are always those with extreme views, so the negative comments are to be expected.

I personally love this company, Ryanair (-:

[looot]

"Ryanair's training is second to none."

just keep saying to yourself.

[isayoldchap]

QUOTE " I've said before hope those shambles i mean shamrock pilots remember their new callsign on those winter nights into STN"

SUPER 737, good to see jimmy tarbuck is still alive and well and hiding in an office...

[Coquelet]

Sometimes the recorded system "don't work" and we have to put up with very very poor ENGLISH.

Passengers have sometimes to put up with poor French, or Italian, or Spanish, etc. You can't demand that all cabin crew speak faultlessly in every European language ...

[Seljuk22]

Some cancellations beside flights to/from MAN except DUB ending 30th Sep:

MRS-LGW ending 30th Sep
PSA-TRS starting 1st Oct, ending 31st Oct
PSA-DUB ending 4th Nov
NYO-WRO ending 1st Nov
HHN-PIK ending 24th Oct
HHN-BHX ending 1st Nov
NRN-DUB ending 4th Nov

[Telstar]

Burble

Dire passenger loads

There are a lot of things one can accuse Ryanair of but your statement has left me somewhat baffled. May I ask how an average load factor of 82% (My recollection from the last stats I saw) is dire? 82% seems impressive to me. I'm not having a go, I'm just trying to understand.

Sometimes the recorded system "don't work" and we have to put up with very very poor English

The irony! "Doesn't work"? I find it very very poor form from you that you critisize my colleagues in the Cabin who, quite often, speak several languages when you seem to have a modest at best grasp of your own language.

[cesare.caldi]

New route PSA-LPA 2x week from November.

Great route, finally broken the taboo of no direct route from Italy to Canary Island.
I hope this is the first of several of these routes. I think route from BGY and CIA to Canary Island are cash cow for FR.

[EuroWings]

I see online check-in has now been extended to 21 days before departure from the previous 15 days. :ok:

I think this will make flying Ryanair easier, particularly for the longer flights which are becoming more common especially to Morocco and the Canary Islands. People generally go on holiday to these places for longer time periods. Return boarding passes can be printed before departure for longer stays.

Does anyone think they will ever consider Turkey? I think a few flights to DLM/BJV from UK/Ireland and Germany could work especially with the sheer volume of flights between these countries. :hmm:

[en2r]

Does anyone think they will ever consider Turkey? I think a few flights to DLM/BJV from UK/Ireland and Germany could work especially with the sheer volume of flights between these countries.
As far as I know Turkey doesn't have an open skies agreement with the EU. Therefore since Ryanair is an Irish airline, the only routes Ryanair could operate would be between Ireland and Turkey. This would be exactly the same for Russia.

[wowzz]

Hello frfly - thanks for the funniest contibution this year!

[Teaboy24]

Came back on a flight Altenburg - Stansted yesterday, and did a little survey out of boredom. Flight was about 85% full.

4 sales from the food/drinks trolley.
No-one bought any scratchcards, but have never seen anyone buy any.
No sales from duty free trolley.
3 sales of bus/train tickets.

If this is representative across the network, not much of a revenue source. Have noticed on last few flights that people seem to be spending a lot less in flight. Even offered breakfast items and this was an evening flight !!! Wonder how many sectors they had done.

[LPFR]

I guess that's usual on short flights, in the evening. From my experience the 3 hour flights i've been on, all morning flights, the food and drink sales were pretty high. I don't think it skipped any row without someone asking something. And the flights were nearly full.

[BALLSOUT]

Teaboy, If this was an evening flight, they probably had little left on board to sell. The aircraft are stocked up in the morning and mostly sold out by evening.

[MUFC_fan]

Teaboy 24,

Try a Canaries route - you'll see where the company make their REAL profits on those flights! The amount they sell is scary!

[wowzz]

And just think how much he could make if he flew to the US. 8 hours where he can sell everything, from hiring head-sets, watching the video [or at a supplement, video +], drinks, meals etc. And not many pax will fly to the US with only hand-luggage. He could probably give the seats away and still make money, especially if he flew into one of those airports that might give him a little [ahem] encouragement.

[MUFC_fan]

Ryanair complete removal of check-desks : Stansted Airport News Stories (http://uk-airport-news.info/stansted-airport-news-270909a.html)

It's called the 'Check-in fee.'

Could this just be another name for, dare I say it, a 'fuel charge'?:bored:

[Just a spotter]

MOL on why he's campaigning for a "Yes" vote on the Lisbon Treaty in Ireland

Business Matters - TV3 (http://www.tv3.ie/shows.php?request=businessmatters&tv3_preview=&video=14169)

Interview broadcast here in Ireland on 27th September, starts at 18mins, Lisbon question at 20 mins .... for those who don't want to watch, the answer is he want's to persuade the Irish Government to sell FR the State's stake in EI.

JAS

[racedo]

Just

Its hardly a shock BUT note what he is saying, trying to persuade them V what he said at last weeks AGM regarding not making another bid.

If Irish Govt decide to sell then its game over and while he will have to make a formal bid anyway then the reality is that he has 50% plus. Its why EI share price has moved on assumption of a bid.

Irish Govt seem to need a yes vote and if he has any part in delivering it then he just gained lots of brownie points both in EU and Ireland.

Seems MOL's timing is good.

[Flying_Frisbee]

25th September 2009 15:20 Seljuk22
Some cancellations beside flights to/from MAN except DUB ending 30th Sep:
...
HHN-PIK ending 24th Oct
...


Is this definite?
I see there's nothing bookable after the 24th October.

[eu01]

The first airport in Central-Eastern Europe rumoured to become Ryanair's base was just "taken over" by Wizz (Wroclaw has been announced as their fifth base in Poland). While Wizzair already established its bases in some of the most important places in the region, FR is just waiting (they say negotiating) with no results. A non-aggression pact or a severe oversight there?

Interesting to see who will "take" Bratislava.

[Charlie Roy]

The first airport in Central-Eastern Europe rumoured to become Ryanair's base

There are rumours about an impending Ryanair base at a half dozen Central and Eastern European airports, not just Wroclaw. Wizz Air's advancement into Wroclaw now is natural, logical and not unexpected. They have still very carefully selected routes that will not compete with Ryanair's existing Wroclaw routes.

[racedo]

A non-aggression pact or a severe oversight there?

Wizzairs leading shareholder is Indigo Partners LLC, Indigo had a 24% holding in Tiger Airways along with Irelandia which was the late Tony Ryans Investment vehicle which had a 16% holding.

Indigo run by Bill Franke former boss of America West.

[eu01]

There are rumours about an impending Ryanair base at a half dozen Central and Eastern European airports, not just Wroclaw.Right. However, Wroclaw and Riga were "historically" the first potential ones, a few years ago I mean. Since then WizzAir has made some significant steps ahead (naturally, logically and not unexpectedly), while FR base status to the East from Bremen-Milan line is still precisely NULL. Hence my "non-aggression pact" thoughts (also Wizz having not a single base West of Prague, to be accurate).

[Bengt]

To add to the conspiration theory Skavsta (NYO) - Wroclaw is closed by Ryanair in the end of October...
The first airport in Central-Eastern Europe rumoured to become Ryanair's base was just "taken over" by Wizz (Wroclaw has been announced as their fifth base in Poland). While Wizzair already established its bases in some of the most important places in the region, FR is just waiting (they say negotiating) with no results. A non-aggression pact or a severe oversight there?

[racedo]

Sept Passenger numbers

Sep 09 - 6.12M
Sep 08 - 5.23M

Increase 18%

Load Fact 85% +1 % v Sept 08

Quarterly figures

2009 - 19.73M
2008 - 16.67M

Increase 18%

Load factor 88% (no change)

They had a decent quarter in terms of Passenger numbers.

[chrism20]

Ryanair wants to renegotiate aircraft orders : Stansted Airport News Stories (http://www.uk-airport-news.info/stansted-airport-news-071009.html)

It will be interesting to see what comes of this.

[wowzz]

As a matter of interest I see that Panorama [BBC1 news show] is showing a programme about Ryanair on Oct 12th at 20:30. Not sure that they will say much new - MOL will have the final word, stating that if PAX do not like the way he does business, they can eff-off to another carrier [I know that is what I have done]
Going slightly off-thread, the BBC will probably wheel out the infuriating travel journalist Simon Calder [are there no other travel journalists out there?] who will sit firmly on the fence and say absolutely nothing that might upset anyone in the travel business.

[potash]

Ryanair are set to return to fuerteventura according to reports coming out of fue a three year deal is to be done next week lets hope so:D

[befree]

Ryanair wants to renegotiate aircraft orders : Stansted Airport News Stories : Stansted Airport News Stories

Ryanair has had a great deal on the 737s on the basis that MOL took so many at a time when Boeing needed a deal. It was getting them so cheap that he could sell them on after a few years around the price he paid. They will not let him off lightly. MOL cannot keep blackmailing suppiers and then expecting big discounts for his trade. Airports and suppiers should start a MOL markup system that matches how he markes ticket prices work.

I think boeing could invent a few taxes and charges to add to the FR bill.

BBC Panorama has already been attacked on the FR website so it is likely to be a good watch.

[Captain Caveman]

Perhaps Boeing should sell him some B737's MOL style, just the hull at a cheap rate then ask him if he wants wings, engines and wheels which are extra's and charge him **** loads! :O

[mickyman]

Or...... Boeing could hold him to the original deal - the airline folds -
Everyone looses their jobs - and MOL crawls back under the
stone he crept out from under - AND the minority of Ryanair bashers
could celebrate from now till kingdom come.

Sorted !!

MM

[airbourne]

I am not wishing to see Ryanair go out of business, BUT, you can only be the bully for so long before the the bully gets a slap and is hurt badly. Everybody from A-Z that has dealt with FR has been squeezed, pushed, pulled and bullied by MOL. Its only a matter of time before he gets a major slap from someone. I cant see Boeing bowing to his insane demands.

[chrism20]

As long as Airbus doesn't offer them a cheap deal which doesn't look likely given the comments that they have made and what happened when the original 738 order were placed there is no need for Boeing to renegotiate anything unless Embraer build a bigger plane which would be years off.

[stormin norman]

Flying Ryanair is a bit like shopping at Lidl.

Its cheap, but you you wouldn't tell your friends you use them.

does MOL remind anyone of Gerald Ratner ?

[rpmac]

Lidl is good value for money, so is Ryanair and you tell others.

[mickyman]

ASFKAP

Could you enlighten us as to your bad experiences whilst
flying with Ryanair please......Cheers.

MM

[wowzz]

Well Mickyman, I'll tell you mine. Ryanair brought forward the time of my flight home to Spain by two hours without informing me, thus causing me to miss the flight. I had to buy two new tickets for the flight the next day[one for me and one for Mrs Wowzz] plus hire a car for a day in order to stay with relatives over night.
Ryanair desk at STN stated that I had been informed by e-mail of the change in flight time. Two years later I am still waiting for the e-mail to arrive.
As much as anything it was the sheer attitude of the staff that made me angry - it was all my fault and if the e-mail didn't reach me, well that was my problem, not theirs.
Never again!

[mickyman]

wowzz

If that is your experience then fair enough - take your business elsewhere - in your position I would probably be just as agrieved.

MM

[daz211]

Blar Blar Blar, heard it all before :ugh:.
If you want Lidl try Delta/Northwest B757 MSP-LAS, has to be the oldest A/C I have ever been on, shabby warn fabric seats, all the white overhead bins and window shutters have turned as yellow as Ryanairs bins and where the TV's were there is now white/yellow plastic screwed over where they have been removed, you also have to buy food, the crew were stuck up and the flight went tech for 2.5 hrs.

Give me nice new Ryanair A/C and Ryanair CC with a good ontime record anyday. I love ryanair and what they offer, before you say you get what you pay for your wrong ! I have just payed £20 rtn all in for flights next spring when i looked the week before for the same flight other Airlines wanted £160 rtn to £240 rtn.

So just give it a rest, Im sick to the back teath of all you stuck up I'll never fly Ryanair jokers, please do us all a faver and dont fly Ryanair, I would hate to be sat next to any of you because I know the kind of people you all are, you spend every weekend writing complaint letters to
people that you think are under you ...

[The Real Slim Shady]

If you think Ryanair is bad you should try Gulf Air.

Cabin crew with ATTITUDE, old, tired airplanes, rubbish service, dank food.

[Falcon666]

Have heard a rumour that Ryanair recently approached Easy with the view to doing some of their maintenance (up to 50 a/c???)
I know Monarch got fed up with them in the early days at LTN but if this is true MOL has got balls.
Can anybody enlighten on this please

[nt639]

Do you mean Easy doing Ryanair 737 maintenance?, can't see that being so as Easyjet have Just awarded a 3 year contract for heavy maintenance of their 737's to KLMuk Engineering at Norwich!

[IJM]

daz211 - are you rubbishing people like wowzz, who appears to have a very genuine gripe against Ryanair?

[Falcon666]

nt639

Yeah it was Easy doing maintenance for Ryanair.
Not sure but it may have been "a" checks.I believe at one time recently Ryanair approached Thomson as well who declined.
Just curious if Ryan are looking at alternatves for checks due to their current fleet size .

[daz211]

Im not rubbishing anyone BUT I am sick of people saying Ryanair are cheap and nasty and they will never use them again or they will never fly in the first place.

The fact is Ryanair are a very good Airline who have made travel affordable, they have made other Airline drop their inflated prices
and they have one of the largest, newest fleet in the world.

I as a seasoned traveler I check my flight times 12hrs before my departure time and arrive at the airport 3hrs before departure.
All airlines have flight time changes and not all can 100% say they positively contact 100% of the passenges on the flight.
wowzz must have been very unlucky or is he saying that all the passengers on that flight missed it ? If all passengers on the flight missed it then he has a point but if most made the flight then that proves Ryanair tried to contact the passengers inc wowzz.

The main point I am making is alot of people that post on here have never flown with Ryanair or have once and will never again, I have had problems with many Airlines but I dont devote all my time to slagging them off.

To make it simple ... everyone is free to fly with who they want if they have a problem, fly with someone else, I had a problem with my bank I just closed my account and opened another, you dont see me outside the brach with a plaquard putting them down, its just life nothing more nothing less, move one, life is to short.

[DP.]

LPFR,

Agreed. Flew LPL - RIX - LPL last week, both flights pretty full, and plenty of sales going on.

[mickyman]

I think the number of people with good experiences with this airline easily outway the bad recently on this site.Which cannot be a bad thing for balance (after everything that has gone before).There have been times when I have been banned for speaking up for this airline and questioning certain posters on their experiences.The fact that they do not fly with or are no-longer employed by them seems to pass them by in the credability stakes.

Nobody seems able to answer a simple question I keep asking:

If Ryanair are soooo bad how come they carried 60m passengers
last year?

A few facts in an argument (in general) will help you.Personal experience will also be of use.Logic is a simple concept.

MM

[heidelberg]

Ryanair sent me TWO emails recently notifying me their upcoming DUB/AGP flight has been advanced by 8 hours to 0850hrs. No problem for me and Mrs H.

However I am aware of this fact - all emails do not get delivered for whatever reason. As a backup it would be nice if an SMS text was sent as well.

Incidentally I know Ryanair will get me to Malaga. I am booked with EI on the return trip. I cannot be 100% sure they will not be on strike on the day of my return flight!!!

[eu01]

If Ryanair are soooo bad how come they carried 60m passengers last year?They are not soooo bad, obviously. But being at least slightly more pax-friendly, having more logical routes, better schedules, improved publicity and the brand esteem, FR could have easily carried 70m passengers or even more. It terms of money and yield - it's very much. Worth trying.

Now concerning wowzz. Nowadays all pax are required to print their boarding passes in advance (e.g. at home, it's possible as early as 3 weeks before the departure). Even having missed the e-mail about the flight schedule change, one sees very clearly the departure time on its boarding pass. Impossible to pass unnoticed.

[potash]

My wife and i have been flying to fue for ten years now we have flown most airlines on this route we only had ryanair for a short period from bhx but with hand luggage it was a snip regular flights come and go as one pleased seats were ok a lot better than tcx (real cattle class ) i would rate fr top for regular service second to monarch for comfort thompson and thomas cook if we have no alternative and yes four hour flights they do sell there over the top priced food on these flights to first time flyers who will learn to take there own in future. Flying Ryanair to us is like catching a bus a new basic bus that gets you from a to b and if you book well in advance and pay with electron card dam cheap

[flybar]

Is this the service we want from an airline?

Yorkshire folk are never slow to say exactly what they think!!


Yorkshire Post - Letters - Published Date: 09 October 2009


I WAS intrigued when I heard the decision of Ryanair to expand its operations at Leeds Bradford International Airport with the creation of more than 1,000 jobs.

I am pleased that Ryanair is making this commitment to the region, particularly at the present time and I hope that this venture is successful and leads to further investment and economic growth.

However, I recently travelled from East Midlands airport to Nantes by Ryanair and experienced the sort of treatment that should not be meted out to cattle, let alone paying customers.

On checking in our luggage, we were told that we had exceeded our allowance of 15kg per item. The Ryanair staff member advising us concentrated his efforts on unsuccessfully trying to persuade us to pay £150 excess surcharge instead of explaining how to distribute the excess to our hand luggage. We rearranged our luggage under some duress at the front of a very long queue.

This process took some time and we then embarked on the long walk to our departure gate.

On boarding the aircraft, we were told by the Ryanair ground staff: "You are boarding the plane at five minutes – you were lucky not to be offloaded."

When we explained the reasons behind our delay, the staff simply reiterated this message that we were fortunate to be allowed on to our flight.

I am acutely aware that airlines require passengers to be punctual and observe flight regulations to allow them to run efficiently and smoothly. However, having had this experience first hand, I feel that Ryanair are taking the "cut to the bone" approach too far and abandoning any pretence to customer service and comfort in the pursuit of market share and profit.

Is this really the service we want to have established at Leeds Bradford airport?

[Charlie Roy]

I as a seasoned traveler I check my flight times 12hrs before my departure time and arrive at the airport 3hrs before departure.
All airlines have flight time changes and not all can 100% say they positively contact 100% of the passenges on the flight.

Indeed, emails can end up in one's SPAM filter, so no matter what airline I am travelling with I always re-check the flight times a couple of days before.

[Charlie Roy]

On checking in our luggage, we were told that we had exceeded our allowance of 15kg per item .... We rearranged our luggage under some duress at the front of a very long queue.

I can't stand passengers like this who disrupt their fellow passengers :mad:

[daz211]

It is the passengers responsability to follow the Airlines rules and regulations on baggage.

It is the check-in staffs responsability to follow the airlines rules and regulations on baggage charges.

It is not upto the check-in agent to advise the passenger on how to pack there baggage.

The gate staff done a good job in advising the passenger that he would have been offloaded if he was a little later, he will know for next time that he has to stick to all the rules and regulations and not try to pull a fast one at the check-in desk with his baggage weight, as this may cost him in the long run !

I think he got good treatment from the check-in agaent because if I worked there I would have made him leave the line and to come back when he had sorted his bags out. as I would need to check other passengers in.

[flybar]

The gate staff done a good job in advising the passenger that he would have been offloaded if he was a little later, he will know for next time that he has to stick to all the rules and regulations and not try to pull a fast one at the check-in desk with his baggage weight, as this may cost him in the long run !

I think he got good treatment from the check-in agaent because if I worked there I would have made him leave the line and to come back when he had sorted his bags out. as I would need to check other passengers in.


And I thought that Airline staff were there to serve the paying customers - obviously got that wrong!

[LPFR]

As a check-in agent, it amazes me how some passangers find it unbelievable that if they have excess weight they have to pay the extra. This doesn't happens only at Ryanair (as I don't even work for them), but others with 20 kg or more allowance. It's as simple as it gets. Passengers are advised on the website and on the booking or boarding cards that they print online about their hand and hold-luggage allowance. If they don't follow it any extra is to be charged. Pretty obvious, isn't it?
And don't tell me that is lack of customer service. Customer service is one thing, following the baggage rules of the airlines is another. Rules like this are to be followed in every airline, low-cost or not, doesn't matters if you paid 5 or 200 euros, rules are the same for everyone. I'm very friendly to costumers, and I'm no less friendly if someone has 10kg over the allowance and explain that as those kg are an extra they have to pay for it, or, transfer somethings to the hand-luggage. Luckily 95% pay without arguing.

[daz211]

The check-in agents are NOT "Airline staff" they are an agent for the Airline, they are there to open and close check-in on time and to make sure all regulations are followed that includes making sure passengers stick to the rules that they have agreed to when they made the booking

You can put bowes and ribbons on it but thats what they are there for !

[blueplatinum]

Yorkshire Post - Letters - Published Date: 09 October 2009


I WAS intrigued when I heard the decision of Ryanair to expand its operations at Leeds Bradford International Airport with the creation of more than 1,000 jobs.

I am pleased that Ryanair is making this commitment to the region, particularly at the present time and I hope that this venture is successful and leads to further investment and economic growth.

However, I recently travelled from East Midlands airport to Nantes by Ryanair and experienced the sort of treatment that should not be meted out to cattle, let alone paying customers.

On checking in our luggage, we were told that we had exceeded our allowance of 15kg per item. The Ryanair staff member advising us concentrated his efforts on unsuccessfully trying to persuade us to pay £150 excess surcharge instead of explaining how to distribute the excess to our hand luggage. We rearranged our luggage under some duress at the front of a very long queue.

This process took some time and we then embarked on the long walk to our departure gate.

On boarding the aircraft, we were told by the Ryanair ground staff: "You are boarding the plane at five minutes – you were lucky not to be offloaded."

When we explained the reasons behind our delay, the staff simply reiterated this message that we were fortunate to be allowed on to our flight.

I am acutely aware that airlines require passengers to be punctual and observe flight regulations to allow them to run efficiently and smoothly. However, having had this experience first hand, I feel that Ryanair are taking the "cut to the bone" approach too far and abandoning any pretence to customer service and comfort in the pursuit of market share and profit.

Is this really the service we want to have established at Leeds Bradford airport? Oh dear. Do not expect any sympathy here.

As ground staff the bain of our lives are PAX who tick that little box agreeing to the airlines Ts&Cs without actually reading them. They then que at checkin or bag drop wasting valuable time when they could have been configuring their baggage correctly and then expect us to hold everyone else up whilst they sort it out at the head of the que.

Get a life! Read the Ts&Cs and comply with them before you even leave the house for the airport - we have better things to do that wipe your bo**oms for you.

[blueplatinum]

I think he got good treatment from the check-in agaent because if I worked there I would have made him leave the line and to come back when he had sorted his bags out. as I would need to check other passengers in. That was NOT good service from the checkin agent if you are the PAX waiting behind these people in the que. We always send people to the side to sort themselves out and continue to checkin the following PAX.

[potash]

However, I recently travelled from East Midlands airport to Nantes by Ryanair and experienced the sort of treatment that should not be meted out to cattle, let alone paying customers.

On checking in our luggage, we were told that we had exceeded our allowance of 15kg per item. The Ryanair staff member advising us concentrated his efforts on unsuccessfully trying to persuade us to pay £150 excess surcharge instead of explaining how to distribute the excess to our hand luggage. We rearranged our luggage under some duress at the front of a very long queue.

Our luggage scales cost us about £12.00 three years ago. The best £12.00 we have ever spent. We fill our cases to what we think is correct and yes they are alway to heavy. So get it right before you leave home, pop your case on the check in scales and smile:D

[lplsprog]

There's an old saying that passengers pack their brains in their baggage before they come to the airport. They should have gone to the back of the queue as they could have caused others to miss their flights.

[adolf hucker]

Tonight, 12th October, at 2030, the BBC is showing a documentary about Ryanair. Expect plenty on the cynical and opportunistic hiding of extra booking charges and ripping off cabin crew for training fees.

Pikey Mikey has already been bleating about the 'BBC hatchet job' and the fact that the BBC won't allow him an unedited, live opportunity to defend his cr@ppy outfit. The BBC maintain that they requested an interview but would not agree to Ryanair having editorial control. Should be entertaining.....

[HXdave]

whilst personally i do not like ryanair, i do think that they should have the opportunity to have their unedited say regarding the accusations. editing a statement ever so slightly can change the whole context of the statement being made. years ago there was a woman from my village who was sentenced in Thailand for trying to smuggle drugs out of the country (Sandra Gregory). the BBC local news was out and about asking for comments on what had happened. this is what i said:

her sentence does seem very long considering what she would have got here, but she knew the consequences and deserves everything she got.

as you can clearly see, i had no sympathy whatsoever for her. however, the BBC only showed me quoting the following:

her sentence does seem very long considering what she would have got here, (end of quote - onto next commenter)

so by only quoting half of what i said makes me seemed like i sympathised with her, which i did not at all!

[Bearcat]

ditto re above

Ryanair - News : BBC Panorama Censors The Truth (http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/news.php?yr=09&month=oct&story=gen-en-091009)

[goatface]

Concur.

Mr O Pikey should have been given the opportunity to either speak live or completely unedited, it rarely takes more than 5 minutes of diatribe before he shoots himself in the foot.

I am not a big fan of Ryanair management, but I reckon that this is going to be a hatchet job by the BBC although I doubt that anything they have to say will do Ryanair any harm or be news to any of us.

Most of the staff who work for Ryanair do so because they are either gaining the requisite experience prior to moving on or are happy to make a career of it on the terms and conditions offered.
I use them frequently, as I suspect many others do, because they're cheap, generally they do what it says on the tin and we all know exactly what to expect, Ive even had refunds without any hassle!

[ara01jbb]

Not that I am that keen to ever appear on any TV programme, I couldn't help responding to Panorama's video invitation for regular passengers to contact them.

From a purely SLF point of view, I have no complaints with FR. Two to six times a month, I travel for anything from £0.01 to £10 on clean, new, well staffed aircraft. Not one flight in six months has been delayed or cancelled. I know the rules, I read the T&Cs, check-in online, double-check before departure, travel with lightweight hand luggage only, and I pay with Electron. I'm a very happy customer.

Did Panorama get back to me?

Of course not. There's no story in good news.

[Coffin Corner]

So if the BBC is spreading porkies about ryanair then I assume we can expect their legal team to start court proceedings in the near future? We shall see.

[simonchowder]

I will watch with interest ,must say on the odd occasions ive used Ryanair they have done exactly what it said on the tin, there is far worst out there, how about doing a docu on jet 2 Mr Vine?, now that would be interesting.

[ALLMCC]

...or Easyjet, that would be just as if not more interesting.