Ryanair - 7

[Icare9]

Does parental responsibility not exist any more in these 'elf n safety mad times?
Obviously the 3 year old was too young to understand the danger, but that's why a parent is supposed to ensure that their child/ren are under their supervision.
Accidents do happen, even when utmost care is taken, that is a part of life. It's not 100% risk free.
There was a similar incident recently regarding Qantas when a child screamed "in a passengers ear" so she sued the airline, not the parent....
So, the next time I'm on an aircraft and the child behind kicks the seat repeatedly, should I not ask the parents to control their child but ask the hostess for a claim form?

[ara01jbb]

I will often make a dash towards a seat in 1A/B/C when flying FR... means a quick exit at the other end. I've often watched families boarding and pondered the implications of the huge gap between the aircraft doorway and the air stairs.

As an architect, if I design a building that meets current UK building regulations, no ballustrading to stairs, landings, balconies etc must have openings wider than the approximate diameter of a baby's head. Yes, I'd agree it's elf'n'safety'gorn'mad, but it does go to show the different circumstances we operate under. Ryanair depend on their airstairs for keeping airport costs down and turnarounds nice and quick. One more errant toddler and this whole issue could turn round and bite FR very deeply in the derriére...

[bia botal]

As an architect, if I design a building that meets current UK building regulations, no ballustrading to stairs, landings, balconies etc must have openings wider than the approximate diameter of a baby's head. Yes, I'd agree it's elf'n'safety'gorn'mad, but it does go to show the different circumstances we operate under. Ryanair depend on their airstairs for keeping airport costs down and turnarounds nice and quick. One more errant toddler and this whole issue could turn round and bite FR very deeply in the derriére..

all good points but to be fair it's a boeing design and so it's a fault on there part and that of the FAA that approved it. And as far as airstairs and quick turn around times, in my experience, if the cost and inconvenience of a second set of portable stairs could be overcome turn arounds would not be delayed in the least.

[FR1A]

Bia Botal....


Don't forget, there's a limitation in strong winds and mobile steps.

[racedo]

The list of why a few million people stop flying ryanair would be very long but there are always new pax to replace them. The probelm is FR needs millions of extra pax par year and that means they have to do a lot more than replace those who stop flying with them. It is not that they will get say 10% less pax but they may get 10% less pax per plane. They are going to have around 300 planes which means thay will need about 90million pax per year to get 300,000 per plane per year.

The bad press the FR gets will not help, for example in todays papers about a childs accident on Ryanair.

Ryanair review urged after child falls while boarding plane | Business | The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/aug/12/ryanair-child-airstairs-accident-report)

Is that it ?????????????

Your own claim is that only 15 Million people fly them a year and now a few million will stop flying them BUT aside from a story which relates to incorrect supervision by a parent and is down to aircraft design not an airline you have NOTHING else.

You still haven't told us why you are no longer with them.

[Jamie2k9]

Ryanair have announced ski routes. There are only routes from Dublin, Stansted, Gothenburg and Stockholm. No other UK airport has flights to Turin or Grenoble (http://www.pprune.org/en/cheap-london-stansted-uk-grenoble-france-flights) this winter but they did last year.

[jdcg]

On the subject of winter flight programme, does anyone know if FR are likely to increase number of flights to SZG this winter? They currently have just 5 flights a week loaded. It's not that long ago that there were 21 or at least 14 a week over winter. Has SZG become too expensive for them or is this just all part of the general downturn?
My in-laws live in the area so we're regular flyers on the route.
I note that AB will fly there 4 / wk from STN for the first time this winter...

[RAT 5]

Gap in stairs. If this has been identified as a 'elff & saftey hazard on this type of a/c, then I assume that all operators within the EU have been mandated to apply a strip of cellotape, as has RYR been. Was it an IAA order or was it self initiative? Have any other opertors followed suit? Close to home there are other IAA & UK CAA operators of this type. In who's country did the accident happen, and does that country have B737 operators. It would seem odd if any CAA could mandate just one airline. If it was a RYR intiative, then perhaps they deserve some applause.

[Jamie2k9]

On the subject of winter flight programme, does anyone know if FR are likely to increase number of flights to SZG this winter? They currently have just 5 flights a week loaded. It's not that long ago that there were 21 or at least 14 a week over winter. Has SZG become too expensive for them or is this just all part of the general downturn?
My in-laws live in the area so we're regular flyers on the route.
I note that AB will fly there 4 / wk from STN for the first time this winter...


Wednesday - 1 flight
Friday - 2 flights
Saturday - 3 flights
Sunday - 2 flights
Monday - 1 flight

They have reduced flights from Dublin from 5 last year to 2 flights this winter.

It isn't the cheapest airport to fly to. They may increase flights but with AB now operating 4 flights weekly its hard to say.

[Facelookbovvered]

I suspect that given the rise in APD due in Nov? that much of Ryanairs reduced winter program will be along the lines of "stupid English tax rise is anti tourist" In reality they are just reducing capacity to match reduced demand. Why fly routes in winter to lose money? most of their aircraft can be parked for free or little cost at new bases, a number of crews are on flyby the hours so if they don't use them they don't pay for them simple.

[Jamie2k9]

What does this stand for APD and how much is the travel tax at the monement and is it lightly to go up in the next Budget.

[no slot]

Facelookbovvered, Why buy aircraft and not use them? I see the sense in grounding a small percentage of the fleet in the quiet months for maintenance. I even see the sense in grounding one or two in the winter to control the number of seats for sale which will help sustain a healthy yield. Ryanair have a lot of aircraft grounded throughout Europe this summer. The number of grounded machines this winter will increase.

Are these new Aircraft mortgaged? How are they financed? How much do they depreciate?

For the record, I am not a fan of Ryanair, but I don't want them to fail. I am merely calling it as I see it.

Rgds,
no slot

[EI-BUD]

no slot

It is true to say that Ryanair (pre flying scheduled to/from Spain) were of the mind that the market was seasonal ie and hence the winter would be a time when a large number of aircraft would have limited opportunities in these markets. Gladly they changed there mind on this, however the result is that there are many units surplus to requirements in winter.


Ryanair signed up to large orders and these will keep coming whether there are immediate homes for them. As regards how aircraft are financed etc you will find Ryanair costs in terms of capital requirements are much much softer than the competition due to the large discounts achieved on the new machines but also the profit on ongoing disposal of older units. It is probably of little consequence to Ryanair that they have aircraft sitting around . Incidentally, does anybody know how many spare units are lying idol over the summer season, I knew this was a winter scenario but not a summer one?


I am not a fan of Ryanair, but I don't want them to fail


no slot, most unlikely this would happen, the company despite what negatives that can be said of them they are excellent at adapting when needed, and the company is designed that, with very lean costs but importantly its staff are signed up to flexible terms so this can be a huge advantage to management when change is needed. The only major hurdle that could challenge the Ryanair model would be a serious accident, this coupled with a reputation for extremely low costs would be quite a challenge to overcome. Hopefully they will never need to deal with that one!

On a separate note I flew bmibaby yesterday from BHX - ALC, have to say it wasnt the most pleasant of experiences. The plane arrived late but was further delayed while the crew couldnt get a correct head count and said we were one pax short, in the mean time while they investigated at length who it was they realised all were abord! The trolley took for ever to get to row 18!! That coupled with screaming children I was glad to get off!!

EI-BUD

[jdcg]

Wednesday - 1 flight
Friday - 2 flights
Saturday - 3 flights
Sunday - 2 flights
Monday - 1 flight

Thanks for the correction Jamie. I'd thought as they don't have daily flights that it was just the 5 flights. Still not as convenient as they used to be though...

[cesare.caldi]

There is a rumors about new possible Ryanair base at PMI, will be announced this week.

[Jamie2k9]

Thanks for the correction Jamie. I'd thought as they don't have daily flights that it was just the 5 flights. Still not as convenient as they used to be though...

Your right from what I can remember they used to have at least 14 weekly flights during the winter, if not 16.

There is a rumors about new possible Ryanair base at PMI, will be announced this week.
What is the point of this base as most of the routes to the island are seasonal. It's the same with Faro most of the routes are seasonal.

Malaga is different as more people go to Spain during the winter rather than Faro.

[CentreFix25]

Palma base would be a wise move in my opinion.

Jamie, as with most leisure routes they will adjust capacity/routes inline with the season. Air Berlin seem to be doing ok.

Palma is always one of the most popular holiday routes and having the aircraft based at that end will open up a lot of smaller (None RYR base) destinations, Humberside/Doncaster & Durham come to mind.

[clareview]

Also a base at Palma could improve possibilities for internal Spanish flights - isn't that part of the Air Berlin model?

[FA10]

Recently I´ve heard, that the first base in the Canaries would be imminent - with Las Palmas / Gran Canaria as the most likely candidate.
Is there maybe someone mixing up Palma and Las Palmas - or ar they maybe both coming soon?

[eu01]

Ryanair's involvement with its airports so often could be classified as a typical love-hate relationship...
Two recent examples.

From Poland (http://www.polishmarket.com.pl/document/:23680?p=%2Flate%2F):Krakow airport loses carriers
2010-08-16

The Balice Airport in Kraków, the main city of Malopolska (Poland’s southern province), is to lose numerous low-cost air connections operated by Germanwings, LOT, easyJet and Air Berlin. They are ousted by Ryanair, ‘Gazeta Wyborcza’ reports.

Ryanair, Irish low-cost airline, has opened its 21st connection from Kraków – this one is to Madrid; the company also offers the most accessible prices forcing its competition to pull out from Balice. Germanwings, no frills airline owned by Lufthansa, used to be the leader in flights from (to) Kraków to (from) Koln, Bonn, Stuttgart and Hamburg in Germany, but now the routes are operated by Ryanair. Air Berlin has also ditched Kraków and shut down the flight to Düsseldorf.
(...)
“Air Berlin lost with Ryanair whose prices are eight time lower [a representative of Kraków Airport is quoted as saying]. Unfortunately Ryanair’s planes land on a completely different airport located 100 km from Düsseldorf.” he explained.Even worse is to be at risk of... losing Ryanair.

From Spain: (http://www.lavanguardia.es/economia/noticias/20100816/53984453944/girona-preocupada-por-el-futuro-de-ryanair-en-su-aeropuerto-a-partir-de-2012.html) Girona preocupada por el futuro de Ryanair en su aeropuerto a partir de 2012Girona is concerned about the future of Ryanair at the airport from 2012 Girona's Chamber of Commerce has expressed its concern what happens when the contract with Ryanair ends [in December 2011].
The president of the Chamber of Commerce of Girona, Domènec Espadaler, has acknowledged that Ryanair's activity at Girona-Costa Brava Airport will be affected by the airline's start-up in the Catalan capital.

This autumn the airline will be moving some of its routes to El Prat. From September, some domestic routes will be cancelled, such as Malaga and Granada, as well as some of present connections with the Nordic countries. The frequencies on Gerona-Madrid route will decrease.

At the moment, the Chamber continues the negotiations to prevent Ryanair from dropping the airport after 2011. "Ryanair operations in Barcelona it's a handicap that worries us," stated Espadaler.

[Jamie2k9]

Back in March Ryanair wanted to open a base in Krakow. I hope they won't let them. It would be a big mistake.

[dublinaviator]

I'm surprised they haven't opened a base in Poland yet, it seems long overdue.

[frfly]

4 new routes for LGW; to OPO, BLQ, BGY and FAO with RYG going up to 10 flights/week.

Seems a double hit, first for STN and second for EZY. Ryanair hoping that EZY's exposed LGW punctuality will draw in custom to Ryanair flights as well as direct hit at BAA's charges at STN. Great news for the South East!!

[lexoncd]

Ryanair have limitations on the utilisation of assets. Pilots can fly a max of 900 hours so as the charter guys have done for many years fly more in the higher revenue summer months and less in winter. Ryanair fly less mid week in winter when revenues are significanltly lower and won't make money and concentrate their resources around profitable operations.

Demand on any route wil fluctuate with seasonal variations due to weather, business demand....

[Skipness One Echo]

Back in March Ryanair wanted to open a base in Krakow. I hope they won't let them. It would be a big mistake.

Krakow being knee deep in millions of passengers and turning away business you mean?

I think the move to Gatwick is interesting as Stansted is Ryanair country but at Gatters they're just another 737 stuck behind a dozen other aircraft at the hold for 26L. I wonder how often that lovely jingle will play? Actually they'll just make the one hour flight a 90 minute one to make sure.

[frfly]

Let's hope they do make that schedule an extra 30 minutes....if more airlines actually made the schedule reflect the on/off block times then maybe we'd have a few more punctual airlines in Europe!! If you know you're going to have a long taxi and holding time then reflect it as much as you can in the schedule time.

[eu01]

Cyprus
To be announced tomorrow: Ryanair will soon fly to Larnaca. Hermes Airports spokesman has already confirmed the decision.

Czechia
Brno Airport will get the connection with Milano BGY (3 flights per week) from November 1st. The frequencies to STN will rise (daily).

France
The Council of Indre-et-Loire has paid a debt of 438,000 euros to Ryanair and FR will resume its bookings to Tours.

[cesare.caldi]

What are the possible new route from LCA?

Also Ryanair increase BGY-BCN from 1 to 2x daily

[toledoashley]

This is going to be quite a raft of changes in the system then. LCA - would put bets on Milan, Frankfurt Hahn, Weeze and maybe at a push Stansted.

[frfly]

I wouldnt be surprised if we didn't see a few UK bases get Cyprus, not quite to the extent as the Canary expansion last winter, but this is quite a good way to utilise assets in the winter months. EDI or PIK to close the gap left by globespan as well as to stick it to easyJet who recently announce Paphos from EDI, and maybe BRS, BHX, LPL might see routes to Cyprus in the near future. I would also expect full expansion into Greece next summer with the three destinations trialled this summer.

In terms of new bases, I believe TFS is more in the running over LPA. PMI is to be announced any day now and still talk of CPH up in the air.

[Jamie2k9]

Recently Ryanair said they wanted to expand into Turkey. I'd expact this for summer 11. DUB will be in the running for LAC. as there are only 2 chartered flights a week.

[OliWW]

Don't think its many UK flights out to LCA just yet... Palma, Las Palmas, Almeria, Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Marrakech are all being looked at as new bases

[apaul]

Why is tonight's Newsnight giving O'Leary a platform to spout his usual verbal diarrhea? With another travel firm going bust they could have chosen a topical subject instead of inflicting O'Leary's predictable bull on the nation.

[racedo]

I found it quite funny especially when he call Kirsty "love".

When asked was he in the market for buying another airline the response was "we growing enough on our own not to need to buy another airline and someone else's problems".

[Steviec9]

4 new routes for LGW; to OPO, BLQ, BGY and FAO with RYG going up to 10 flights/week.


New routes not yet bookable/no timetable. Which aircraft will operate these?

[Jamie2k9]

All the routes to/from LGW are operated from the destination bases.

[Jamie2k9]

Ryanair want to use LAC to offer flights to Israel and the Middle East.

Ryanair about to make Cyprus landing - Cyprus Mail (http://www.cyprus-mail.com/tourism/ryanair-about-make-cyprus-landing/20100818)

[dwlpl]

That article 'suggests' a change in strategy to create a hub.

Thirdly, the source said that Ryanair’s idea of using Cyprus as a hub for routes to and from various shorter-range European destinations, such as Stockholm, Milan, Pisa, Marseille, Barcelona and Dusseldorf – but also Israel and the Middle East – “had matured”.

[Jamie2k9]

There is also 2 new routes which are not operated by anouther airline.

[LGW_08R]

After compiling the latest timetable together and looking at it, it looks to me as if Gatwick still has some more routes to come. I came to this conclusion after looking at the Oporto flight.There is not yet any arrival of an aircraft to operate this flight before hand. This means one of two things, either Gatwick is getting a based aircraft or, a W route is to operate to OPO flights, but the origin route has yet to be announced.

Deps
0940 Dublin FR113 1234567
1010 Madrid FR5302 1234567
1130 Oporto FR1016 1_3_567
1205 Alicante FR5563 1234567
1205 Shannon FR1183 1234567
1300 Rygge FR1396 1234567
1335 Dublin FR115 1234567
1450 Cork FR9853 1234567
1450 Kaunas FR2746 1234567
1525 Girona FR9229 1234567
1555 Seville FR5253 _2_4_6_
1610 Dublin FR1113 1234567
1645 Ciampino FR9699 1234567
1725 Faro FR1108 1_3_5_7
1810 Dublin FR117 1234567
1900 Rygge FR1185 ___4_67
2005 Skavsta FR7729 1234567
2010 Bologna FR2006 1_34_6_
2045 Begamo FR4799 1234567
2100 Madrid FR5372 1234567
2155 Dublin FR119 1234567

Arrs
0910 Dublin FR112 1234567
0940 Madrid FR5301 1234567
1130 Alicante FR5562 1234567
1135 Shannon FR1182 1234567
1230 Rygge FR1397 1234567
1310 Dublin FR114 1234567
1420 Cork FR9852 1234567
1425 Kaunas FR2747 1234567
1455 Girona FR9228 1234567
1530 Seville FR5252 _2_4_6_
1535 Dublin FR1112 1234567
1620 Ciampino FR9698 1234567
1635 Oporto FR1015 1_3_567
1655 Faro FR1107 1_3_5_7
1740 Dublin FR116 1234567
1835 Rygge FR1184 ___4_67
1925 Bologna FR2007 1_34_6_
1940 Skavsta FR7728 1234567
2015 Bergamo FR4798 1234567
2035 Madrid FR5371 1234567
2130 Dublin FR118 1234567

Also, following on from the Cyprus talk. Surely if Ryanair is using Gatwick as a bargaining tool against STN, then it would make no sense whatsoever to announce the following day of new routes to Stansted?

8R

[pee]

The first route to/from Larnaca will originate in Belgium (CRL), but certainly more to come.

[Jamie2k9]

When Ryanair put routes on sale the day after they announce them that dosn't mean they will stay at that time. Over the next few days they will have to change the Porto timetable. If the route is to be operated from another base it will be most lightly be from the Dublin Based aircraft.

I think a Base in LGW is not to far away either. A while back Ryanair said they would move rotues from LSTN to LGW and they have.

[Telstar]

What about traffic rights? Can an Irish registered aircraft fly from Larnaca to Israel?

[Skipness One Echo]

I think a Base in LGW is not to far away either. A while back Ryanair said they would move rotues from LSTN to LGW and they have.

Your logic doesn't follow. Big market but little room in the morning to get the based aircraft away between the based EZY, BA and IT madness. The FR slots at LGW work quite well on W patterns. Can't see them basing there but that's not the same thing as saying they won't grow the business big time at LGW.

[LGW_08R]

Well that was a problem before yesterday, and still kind of is. But with Kiss Flights gone, 4 Viking nightstopers wont be on the ramp anymore? I doubt this space will last long, but theres opportunity there.

[Charlie Roy]

A second Larnaca route will be announced soon, but the current agreement between Ryanair and the Larnaca Airport excludes the possibility of a London route.

Financialmirror.com News - Ryanair to bring 30,000 tourists from Belgium to Cyprus (http://www.financialmirror.com/News/Cyprus_and_World_News/21095)

[positive]

I'm sure Ryanair are looking at Dublin to Larnaca flights at a possible twice weekly service their row over the landing charges at Dublin will not stop them starting a route if there's money to be made,both Dublin to Turin and Salzburg are back for the winter ski season.

[Jamie2k9]

Dublin will be high on Ryanair's list of LAC routes as they will get 100% discount on charges at Dublin Airport once the route starts before December 31 2010. The reason for this is that no other airline flyes the route except for 2 weekly charters during the summer months which don't count. The route only has to operate twice weekly to get the discount.

Year 1 - 100% discount
Year 2 - 75% discount
Year 3 - 50% discount

[pee]

There is a press conference scheduled for today in Tampere. "The growth of traffic and further developments in Finland", possibly a new route announcement.
At long last, if something new is really coming, of course. Recently even Finnair's Vehviläinen has publicly expressed his satisfaction as "Finland (Finnair) has suffered less damage" [due to the minimal presence of lcc's/Ryanair here]. Especially when compared to Sweden ;), of course.

[boyzinblue]

Any chance of Ryanair flying to Magdeburg/Cochstedt, half way between Berlin and Hannover? The airport will start with a few charters this winter but report that 2 new carriers will operate from March 2011.

[pee]

Tampere will get a connection from Oslo (Rygge), 4 times a week (12--5-7).
Don't know if it's official already, but never mind, it's sure.

Still nothing new about routes to BGY and AGP though. Very weird if intended to discontinue at end October (excellent LF's and yields so far).

[jpta2000]

New route MLA-EIN announced today. Twice weekly (---4--7). MLA based plane had 1st slot of the day empty on those days. (KRK and BLL seem to be dropped after 30 Oct).

timesofmalta.com - Ryanair announces new route to Eindhoven (http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20100819/local/ryanair-announces-new-route-to-eindhoven)

Still 3 empty slots (1-3-5--) for MLA plane. Any hints on new routes?

JP

[AMS flyer]

Today in the Times of Malta:

Ryanair has announced a new service between Malta and Eindhoven.
It is launching the route at a fare of €26.99, applicable until midnight of August 27.
Ryanair’s Luis Fernández-Mellado, sales and marketing manager for Malta, said the flights, starting on October 31, will operate on Thursdays and Sundays.

[globetrotter79]

LGW 08R

After compiling the latest timetable together and looking at it, it looks to me as if Gatwick still has some more routes to come. I came to this conclusion after looking at the Oporto flight.There is not yet any arrival of an aircraft to operate this flight before hand. This means one of two things, either Gatwick is getting a based aircraft or, a W route is to operate to OPO flights, but the origin route has yet to be announced.


Sorry to disappoint, I strongly suspect this is a case of error with data entry...wait a few days and I very much believe that you'll find the data is switched around (i.e. I think the schedules are probably right but the timings for the OPO-LGW sector have been entered into their system against the LGW-OPO sector by mistake and vice versa for the "return")

[frogone]

Brussels - Larnaca now showing on the RYR route map.

[Jimogr]

and in the booking system. flights in November for 34.99 all in each way.

[LGW_08R]

Jamie & Globetrotter

Thanks, i did suspect as much initially. Whats the point in them releasing the flights, if they are only going to change the times a couple days later? Still, wouldn't surprise me to see some more routes in the next month or two.

8R

[flyingtincan]

LGW 08

In your timetable list, of 18 Aug, you show LGW to Madrid twice a day at 1010 and 2100. I cannot find that on the Ryr site. Where did you get that from? Am I missing something here?

[eu01]

Just gathered some interesting news from Europe.

Germany
Over 50 environmental activists have blocked Ryanair's check-in counter at Bremen Airport Saturday morning, appealing „Für ein ganz anderes Klima“ "For a totally different climate". After some 10 minutes the agreement with security forces has been reached what allowed the staff to return to their duties.

Italy
I a very unusual way some enthusiasts try to facilitate the creation of Ryanair's base in Lamezia Terme. In their appeal we can read "Ryanair is the only carrier able to give the right impetus to national and international traffic from Lamezia." Right. You can of course visit the website and sign this appeal (http://www.firmiamo.it/base-ryanair-lamezia?zfs). I wouldn't be an optimist, though. The carrier would certainly prefer some cash bonuses or other incentives and is not likely to react to any appeals, at least didn't use to.

Finland
Ryanair has celebrated the 10.000th passenger on the NRN-Lappeenranta route. Not surprisingly the lucky one was a citizen of Russia, as St. Petersburg residents are by far the majority of passengers there. According to Ryanair's spokesman it's been a "great success", the planes fly full. Following that they are ready to create up to 10 new routes from Lappeenranta by next Summer. They want however to reach a special agreement with the local authorities, threaten to withdraw completely if the 5-year deal is not signed.

Err... do FR expect this small town on the EU border to act as a Santa Claus and prop-up the mass-transfer of Russian people to other countries within the Union? Being overly optimistic, it seems.

[LGW_08R]

@flyingtincan

They increased the frequency of the route to 2 daily a couple of weeks back, it increases at the Winter Timetable on 31st October onwards. Hope this helps.

8R

[racedo]

Err... do FR expect this small town on the EU border to act as a Santa Claus and prop-up the mass-transfer of Russian people to other countries within the Union? Being overly optimistic, it seems.

Its probably a 5 year life span, if that, before Russia sets up its own agreement with EU regarding Air transport, not too similar to the numerous cases where people travelled across borders to avail of other services not available at home at a price they want.

[flyingtincan]

Yes I should have looked further ahead into the winter schedule - thanks.
From your list I deduce that
1 Gatwick is not a Ryanair base
2. There are no very early outbound flights - nor very late inbounds.
3. Frequncy to Madrid is being increaced - which is a change from the reductions elseware.

[pee]

this small town on the EU borderUndoubtedly Ryanair has noticed the potential of Lappeenranta. Now FR is just playing its old game, blending promises, blackmail and retaliation in order to get their way. Several new routes BUT under special conditions, IF NOT we could leave (as Shearer said politely to Finnish Radio, listen (http://www.yle.fi/media/asxgen.php?file=radiosuomi/etelakarjalanradio/shearer.wma)).
Such a blackmail is possibly not the best way of negotiating here in Finland. In Lappeenranta they really did understand the chances related to having a well positioned airport, but they will not give an answer in week or two and by no means hastily. Last week the city council has ordered a special research to evaluate some important questions. Especially who are the passengers, where they go, how much time they spend in Carelia region and what services they tend to use. It will take some time, every decision here must have good grounds to be taken.

Any retaliation could have some negative consequences for everyone. Tampere for example didn't agree to some terms and conditions, FR retaliate by cancelling an extremely well running route BGY-TMP. Not a very smart solution; in a way, it can hurt both sides.

And the Open Skies agreement with Russia? Not very likely. But even if eventually comes, would the fee level be satisfactory for Ryanair?

http://yle.fi/ecepic/archive/00340/RyanAir_lentokone_L_340831b.jpg Btw., the celebration in Lappeenranta (from yle.fi)

[BoyRyan]

New route Eindhoven-Cyprus

[Jippie]

@BoyRyan: Thanks to "Wouter J" I heard this as well, do you have a different source as: Ryanair: après Charleroi, Eindhoven sera relié à Chypre | Air Journal (http://www.air-journal.fr/2010-08-23-ryanair-apres-charleroi-eindhoven-sera-relie-a-chypre-510148.html) (french)?

[eu01]

> une route qui sera opérée deux fois par semaine, le jeudi et le dimanche.

A very specific data, isn't it? Probably true, looks like.
But then... it is not possible to fly a W-pattern there. A triangle? Or maybe a new base in one of these places?

Elsewhere:

Denmark
The Danish press stresses the fact that Ryanair intends to cut as much as 16 out of 21 existing routes from Billund and Aarhus this winter. There are strong speculations the routes will be shifted to CPH's new Swift lo-co terminal. No confirmation for all that.

[Jippie]

@eu01: Looks true indeed, however it is strange that there is no other source.
The shortest W-pattern possible would be along the lines of STN-EIN-LCA-EIN-STN. If the plane would depart STN at 06:00 it would be back at 18:10, using the CRL-LCA block times. I don't know what the maximum day of a Ryanair crew is, but this seems pretty long indeed.

A base is unlikely as well as that usually involves more then 1 new route.

[FR-]

If these times are correct, it would not be possible, the crew would go out of hours everytime. The crew would report at 05:15 and finish duty at 18:40, a duty time of, 13hrs 25mins. Im sure STN LASG would have something to say about it.

The maximum FDP is 13 hrs.
These 13 hrs will be reduced by 30 mins for each sector from the third sector onwards with a maximum total reduction of 2 hrs.

So either EIN or LCA is going to be a base, or Ryanair will start doing a random planned night stop, so the crew will have sometime to put in crew bags.

[EI-BUD]

Undoubtedly Ryanair has noticed the potential of Lappeenranta. Now FR is just playing its old game, blending promises, blackmail and retaliation in order to get their way. Several new routes BUT under special conditions, IF NOT we could leave (as Shearer said politely to Finnish Radio, listen (http://redirectingat.com/?id=42X487496&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.yle.fi%2Fmedia%2Fasxgen.php%3Ffile%3Dra diosuomi%2Fetelakarjalanradio%2Fshearer.wma&sref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pprune.org%2Fairlines-airports-routes%2F392808-ryanair-7-a-93.html)).



Pee was reading with interest your post. Yes no doubt Ryanair is extracting the best deal it can from this airport, however, the head of AirBaltic has said that they are looking at airports to serve/bases in the general region including Finland, Ryanair might find that the airport may have plan b up its sleeve, and air baltic claim to be fighting fit with a cost base as low as easyjet and in profit. We shall wait and see. It would seem however, no matter what the outcome the market looks like many airlines would look at?

[Flowerdream]

What about Maastricht? Remours are saying a lot of new flights planned for 2011 to several new destinations! Anyone?

[Jamie2k9]

EIN - LCA is not in the booking system and if the route was announced yesterday it should be bookable today.

Brussles - LCA is now bookable again.

[pee]

It would seem however, no matter what the outcome the market looks like many airlines would look at?
It's just so typically "Ryanair-style" airport and any such airline would have to be oriented towards "Ryanair-type" customers. As the distance to St. Petersburg is some 120 km even Ryanair hesitated for so long and started very cautiously. Anyway, what a distance is it for Russians, used to travel 48 hours by train etc., it's an incomparable scale.

Air Baltic is different, EZY is different, WizzAir uses similar type of airports, but became very defensive recently. One has to think distinctively to go there.

And even Ryanair didn't dare to call this airport "St. Petersburg West" nor even "Lappeenranta Russian Border" :p

[Jamie2k9]

Ryanair have cut flights from BCN before the base has opened.

Brussels-Charleroi - (was 14 last week now 7)
Milan-Bergamo - (was 14 last week now 7)
Paris-Beauvais - (was 14 last week now 7)
Venice-Treviso - (not bookable now but it shows as operating)

Most of the flights depart between 7:00 - 8:30 with very few between 6:00 - 7:00. Last week nearly all the flights were departing between 6 & 7.

This may only be tempory until they finish doing the the rest of the new timetable because of slot problems in BCN in the mornings.

[jferreira20]

Ryanair is currently changing the schedules in the Porto-Gatwick route.

EDIT: All the flights will be made by a Porto based plane.

[Jamie2k9]

I wonder who will be the first to drop the route from LGW.

Easyjet, TAP Portugal or Ryanair. it's only a matter of time.

[keeprighton1974]

Hello - could I ask about a Ryanair route here?

I see that the Stansted - Altenburg route ends at the end of October. Is this usual for this route? Do Ryanair intend to restart it next Spring or is it too early to know yet?

Thanks in advance.

[FA10]

Lots of flights to and from Germany that have been there for a long time are currently not bookable for the winter.
My guess is that FR is currently waiting for the final decision on the passenger tax, that is due end of August / early September - if they really start with that tax, it might be desastrous for a quite some connections!

[Jamie2k9]

Ryanair have said that they will cut flights from there 3 German Bases and other airports. They also had planned to open up another base in Germany. (Berlin I think) but if the tax come in then there will be cuts. You just have to look at UK & Ireland.

Isn't the tax around €15 correct me if I'm wrong.

[Teaboy24]

A friend was told by airport staff at Altenburg (Leipzig) about 6 weeks ago that a decision is to be made at the end of summer about the viability of keeping the place going for only a couple of Ryanair flights a day as needs a lot of financial support. This could be the reason.

[keeprighton1974]

Many thanks for the replies. Hope it survives - it's really difficult to get to that part of Germany.

+++edit
Found out more info from a German newspaper - a decision will soon be made to which airport in the region should be assigned for LoCos - Altenburg or Erfurt. The locals favour Erfurt as that is more central for Saxony. Also, it seems many passengers arriving via Ryanair at Altenburg head in the direction of Erfurt.

Hope this is of interest to someone.

[jpthomas72]

However, it's no so clear, as the business people urge the local government to support Altenburg. Something like this (autotranslated from Thueringer Zeitung article):
"The airport Altenburg must be developed as a hub for budget airlines. This is urged-for by business people in central Germany according to a study by the Industry and Commerce Chamber of East-Thuringia. By contrast, the Erfurt airport was "not least because of its distance from the central German metropolitan areas in Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt less attractive for companies in the region". Both airports are located in the state of Thuringia. Also, FR used to be in Erfurt and I think v.rarely 'come back' after burning bridges with an airport.
I'm expecting some upheaval before Merkel's air-tax is actually reality. Cynics might wonder if LH/4U and AB lobbyists in Berlin have discovered this as a means to drive FR out of Germany ? Merkel's government is known to like to 'help' lobbyists. Lonely men in ministries far from their West German families meeting young slim company representatives with long legs. Oops :mad:. MOL, take note.

[jpthomas72]

This was probably mentioned before, but unofficially the current plan is according to FAZ newspaper: 8 Euros per passenger per leg for Germany and Europe, 25 Euros for 'mid-range' (e.g. Africa but I guess not the north - not sure about Canaries, also Middle-East), 45 Euro everything else (transatlantic, Asia etc.). No tax at all for freighters (draw your own conclusions). So I presume they take this for arriving and departing passengers ? Hm, at least in UK, it's just for departing. So effectively, the UK tax is lower. I'm now seriously planning to move from FRA/HHN/CGN to LUX for my LON flights as Merkel doesn't govern Luxembourg :}. Ironically, LH's biggest enemy EK will therefore only have 50 Euros per return ticket e.g. to China connecting in DXB, while LH's direct flight would have 90 Euros tax. I heard the connecting flight would be exempt (i.e. MAN->FRA->PVG the same as FRA->PVG). LH lobbyists, please, is this all you can do ? So that's 16 Euros for a return on FR, possibly bearable as long as the competition has to pay the same.

[Jamie2k9]

So to travel between the UK & Germany your paying 27 €/£. and 26 € to Ireland.

Thats quiet a lot. Now I can see where Ryanair are coming from.

[eu01]

„Ohne Zweifel würde das den Verlust von einigen Flugzeugen für Hahn, Weeze und Bremen bedeuten“, sagte Ryanair-Chef Michael O'Leary in Mainz. "Without any doubts, this would mean the [withdrawal] of several aircraft from Hahn, Weeze and Bremen," Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said in Mainz.

Indeed, the tax would be a disaster for these airports. The German-speakers can read about the anxiety and criticism in Weeze (http://www.ftd.de/politik/deutschland/:flugticketabgabe-die-angst-der-provinz-vor-dem-sinkflug/50160442.html).
There are also negotiations under way (http://www.ahlener-zeitung.de/aktuelles/muensterland/1378401_Startet_Ryanair_bald_auch_am_FMO.html) between the Münster/Osnabrück Airport and Ryanair to start flying there. The aviation tax, if introduced, could jeopardize this development as well.

[Jamie2k9]

Do Ryanair pay compensation for flight delays as I know people who's flight has been delayed by 12 hours Alghero. I know Wizz Air pay out but do Ryanair???

Alghero - Dublin - Due in DUB at 15:40 (Wednesday) but has been delayed until 03:40 (Today) due to a tecional problem.

The Ryanair Live Flight Infomation was not very helpful. It said:

next infomation 19:30
next infomation 20:00
next infomation 22:00 - but at midnight it went off the website as its a new day.

[frfly]

No compensation will be offered. Under EU261/2004 Ryanair has to offer the right to care, which states if the flight is delayed 2 hours or more they are allowed 2 phone calls, faxes, telexs; food and drink appropriate to the delay and where an overnight stayed is required a hotel as well as transport to and from the airport to the accommodation.

However, generally Ryanair will say to passengers go and do this all yourself, and send us in the receipts and we will refund your expenses as long as they are in line with the service levels of the airline, ie you used a 3star hotel, ate within reason to the delay etc.

Compensation only ever has to be offered when the delay was within the airlines control, otherwise it was an extrodinary circumstance, as is a tech fault. Passengers are however permitted to change their booking to another flight or cancel for a full refund when the delay is 2 hours or more.

This really depends on how well informed the handling agent is in telling passengers this.

[rewdan]

First post, can anyone give me a brief explanation why the direct flights from STN to IBZ have been cancelled. There are a lot of expats who have been let down and are unsure why. I would like to give them some idea in the local rag but could do with the definitive first.
Is it the APD
Lack of fares (unlikely)
Spanish gov.
etc

Thanks

[virginblue]

extrodinary circumstance, as is a tech fault.

I don't think so. A tech fault is often regarded as being within the sphere of risk of the airline and thus not necessarily an extraordinary circumstance in the sense of Reg. 261/04. At least according to German courts who have ruled accordingly - certainly to some extent to stop airlines coming up with all kinds of funny technical faults as soon as they want to cancel a flight for some commercial reason.

[Jamie2k9]

First post, can anyone give me a brief explanation why the direct flights from STN to IBZ have been canceled. There are a lot of expats who have been let down and are unsure why. I would like to give them some idea in the local rag but could do with the definitive first.
Is it the APD
Lack of fares (unlikely)
Spanish gov.
etc

Thanks


Brussels South-Charleroi & Trapani have also been axed for the winter.

Barcelona, Madrid & Valencia will be the only flights to IBZ during the winter.


Flights between London-Stansted - Altenburg are to contuine. Not bookable after October but they continue to show as operating during winter.

[AI101]

Anyone have any idea why Ryanair has not mentioned anything about the new route to larnaca on their website even though it can be booked on there?

[Jamie2k9]

Ryanair are due to announce a second route from LCA which will also start in November shortly so they may wait until this happons. There will be no LCA route to London with FR.

[Padanian1]

I'm wondering when flights to PIK after end of october will become bookable again...

[Rusland 17]

can anyone give me a brief explanation why the direct flights from STN to IBZ have been cancelled. There are a lot of expats who have been let down and are unsure why.While I'm sure it's very frustrating to lose a direct service to the UK, Ryanair is not a public service operator and will have made this decision on purely commercial grounds. They are a for-profit company and have no obligation to ex-pats anywhere.

[Sober Lark]

Agree they are a for profit company but a bad experience with a failure on their booking engine last week that left my brother €150 out of pocket makes me wonder how long their bottom line will continue to defy the 'Once bitten twice shy' phrase?

[Jamie2k9]

I'm wondering when flights to PIK after end of october will become bookable again...


They should be bookable around December or January.

[Skipness One Echo]

I'm wondering when flights to PIK after end of october will become bookable again...

Er....from where? Glad Jamie says you should see the flights, though quite how he works this out has yet to be established as Ryanair are withdrawing City routes from PIK and moving them across to EDI leaving PIK with the sun routes for shiny white Glaswegians to tempt skin cancer with.

[Padanian1]

Er....from where?

All Italian origins

[Jamie2k9]

Rome and Gothnburg will be axed for good. As EDI doesn't have Milan BGY it may return but not lightly. Pisa should return but not sure.

Ryanair's next flights to LCA will be from Stockholm or Madrid shortly. Ryanair are not allowed to launch flights from the UK as this was part of the deal.

Operator power grounds Ryanair?s Cyprus ambition - www.travelweekly.co.uk (http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2010/08/26/34542/operator+power+grounds+ryanairs+cyprus+ambition.html)

[Skipness One Echo]

Rome and Gothnburg will be axed for good. As EDI doesn't have Milan BGY it may return but not lightly. Pisa should return but not sure.


What's your source Jamie?

[Jamie2k9]

A while back Ryanair said they were focasing on EDI as they charges were low.

Brussels being droped as the route was increased from EDI
It's not a route which would be seasonal.

Gothenburg was on sale but as soon as EDI got the route it was dropped.

Paris BVA being reduced to 3 weekly was 7 last winter from PIK as EDI will now have 4 weely this winter.

Ryanair are withdrawing City routes from PIK and moving them across to EDI leaving PIK with the sun routes

Have you a source????
Last I herd Rome, Milan & Gothenburg were cities.

[Skipness One Echo]

A while back Ryanair said they were focasing on EDI as they charges were low.

Hi Jamie, actually they fly for next to nothing from PIK but the market is bigger from EDI, this decision wasn't only made on cost. Can you link to a Ryanair statement confirming this? I'm not saying you're wrong, I just don't recall this ever being stated.


Brussels being droped as the route was increased from EDI
It's not a route which would be seasonal.

Gothenburg was on sale but as soon as EDI got the route it was dropped.

Paris BVA being reduced to 3 weekly was 7 last winter from PIK as EDI will now have 4 weely this winter.

My point is that FR seldom "announce" a route is dropped so a lot of what is said on here is assumption and conjecture stated as "fact" if you like.

The "city routes" perfom much better from EDI due to a strong inbound market that Ayrshire cannot match. This is why these routes are moving across the the East Coast. Given that Prestwick started off with the likes of
Brussels, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Paris and Rome as city destinations it's pretty clear that the focus for these kind of routes has moved as most have either been drastically reduced or removed as an option from PIK.

New destinations from PIK have tended to be more traditional Scottish holiday routes.

[Jamie2k9]

BBC News - Glasgow airport worst hit by volcanic ash disruption (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10282471)

[Skipness One Echo]

"We are still obviously committed to Prestwick, but we are working very closely with Edinburgh airport and of course they offered us very good charges which for us is of key relevance." From BBC

Ah I see. They're not *lower* than PIK but they'll be on a better deal than easyJet at EDI that's for sure! Thanks, that's clearer now.

[captain.weird]

A while ago O'Leary has said something that there was a plan for a ICA Ryanair (Intercontinental). Some inside information someone?

[Callsign Kilo]

50 777s penciled in from 2014. You heard it here first :ok:

[rewdan]

so can you tell me the reason or basis for pulling the STN IBZ winter run?
thanks

[IJM]

so can you tell me the reason or basis for pulling the STN IBZ winter run?
thanks

The definitive answer could probably only come from Ryanair themselves, rather than from a public forum, where you'd get at best educated guesswork / speculation.

Are there no other airlines who fly STN - IBZ? (eg. Easyjet, Thomas Cook, Thomsonfly etc.)

[Telstar]

50 777s penciled in from 2014. You heard it here first


Yawn! This rumour is as old as the hills. It's a publicity stunt, just like charging for the toilet in flight. Not likely to happen.

[airhumberside]

Are there no other airlines who fly STN - IBZ? (eg. Easyjet, Thomas Cook, Thomsonfly etc.)
There are certianly no winter charters, and I doubt EZY do either

The reason is probably why FR have axed their winter flights. Demand to the Balearics in winter is very low and a hard market to make work. So Spanish mainland links for the locals may do OK, and Air Berlin's PMI hub keeps going, but point 2 point routes to mainland europe are a lot harder to sustain

As a comparison Jet 2 don't serve PMI in winter, Thomas Cook don't. Thomson only do in a limited way, Monarch scheduled are only launching their first winter PMI flights this year. While for Menorca their only UK link in winter is Monarch

[jubilee]

Air H.

Some years ago Monarch (ZB), operated flights to pmi, through the winter from Manchester. My last booking with them on a winter trip to pmi was cancelled by them
due to operation reasons (lack of numbers). I have booked for November with them,
but holding back on further bookings to make sure the new flights dont suffer the same fate.

Jubilee

[OltonPete]

Despite decent offering in the summer from FR/ZB/WW, BHX has no
flights at all to any of the above in winter.

As others have said there is little demand although FR Palma from
BHX did carry good numbers when it operated for a short period
with FR but fares were rock bottom.

Talking of which there is the very strange situation where BMI Baby
don't offer MAN-PMI in summer but do in winter (well at present
they intend to) but that is for the BMI Baby thread.

Pete

[rewdan]

FR have been flying stn/ibz during winter for the last few years, the only ones of all the cheapies, 3 times a week and I have flown with them aprox 10 times over the winter each year, always 80% full at least. I cant see it as a pax problem, more likely a uk tax thing. I find it impossible to contact ryanair direct for an answer, any ideas?

[bigdaviet]

An 80% load does not necessarily mean profit if the majority of seats have been practically given away. I think the cut you mention, and the cuts in general are due to a more general move towards seasonal operations,(not helped by the recession,) and also partly the latest tax hikes.

[h&s]

There is very little market for Ibiza during the winter and it's a relatively long short haul sector so costy to operate. Little demand + high cost = obviously all the Ibiza routes lost a lot of money last winter (even if partly, but not enough, offset by subsidies), everybody knew that will happen except the low brain highly subsidised Ryanair apparently.

It was easy to anticipate, as even airlines which had long experiences with the route like easyJet never tried that- can you believe it, it is a amazing to think that they opened/discovered ibiza only in 2009!!!

Nothing to do with uk taxes, as the route stopped for example from Bergamo as well whereas they operated it last winter. It's all about crazy network management and poor commercial performances which followed

[Jamie2k9]

Shannon - Gran Canaria will resume on 31 October.

[lfc84]

BBC News have just said Ryanair will stop flying to Belfast

Sorry i dont have any more info, I just saw the text on screen. I didnt have the sound on

[Jamie2k9]

Belfast City pull out
RTÉ Business: Ryanair to move from Belfast City airport (http://www.rte.ie/business/2010/0831/ryanair.html)

[WHBM]

"50 Ryanair jobs lost with the pullout from Belfast City".

Is anyone else amazed at the number of jobs each Ryanair station seems to have been supporting, when closures are mooted or announced. 50 employees at a place with this level of service seems beyond what the wildest legacy operator would get away with. Ryanair have no city ticket office, use a handling agent, and have one aircraft overnighting there, which is apparently going to be "redeployed", so no loss of crew positions.

[Callsign Kilo]

It's hard to believe that they will completely say goodbye to Northern Ireland. Ryanair are keen at keeping their cards close to their chest. Are they speaking to BFS?

[Jamie2k9]

They will still have flights from Derry.

If they were to open a base at BFS. That would be the end of the Aer Lingus base and all routes including the LHR route.

[compton3bravo]

This could not possibly have to do with the easyJet service to Luton being a resounding success operating an A319 (no restrictions) so much so that a third rotation is being introduced this autumn. No it couldn't possibly be - could it?

[RooCat]

according to Bloomberg and other news sources, president of Georgia Saakashvili and Georgian minister for tourism Vera Kobalia have said that ryanair are very interested in starting services to Georgia, subject to an EU aviation agreement and upgraded facilities:
Ryanair May Start Flying to Georgia in 2011, Economy Minister Kobalia Says - Bloomberg (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-30/ryanair-may-start-flying-to-georgia-in-2011-economy-minister-kobalia-says.html)

Should be interesting!!

[FR-]

I dont see why other bases from the UK can still fly into BHD, the loads from EMA are really high

[Jamie2k9]

When it comes to Ryanair cutting routes the passenger numbers on the route have nothing to do with it.

[FR-]

Looks like BMI Baby have won the EMA-Belfast fight then :ooh:

[840]

Georgia is an awful long way from any Ryanair bases, apart from Kaunas and the ones in the far South-East of Italy. Maybe there's a market for Kaunas-Tblisi, but that's a big maybe. I can't see any market at all from Bari, Brindisi etc.

[green granite]

Ryanair to pull out of Belfast City airport over runway delays

From the Guardian, Full article: Ryanair to pull out of Belfast City airport over runway delays | Business | The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/aug/31/ryanair-withdraw-belfast-city-airport)

Ryanair today said it would pull out of George Best Belfast City airport from October, citing repeated delays over extending the airport's small runway.

The airline said 50 jobs would go and that tourism in Belfast and Northern Ireland would lose up to one million passengers a year.

Five routes – to London Stansted, Liverpool, East Midlands, Bristol and Glasgow Prestwick – will be withdrawn.

Ryanair, which started flying out of the airport in October 2007, said it had been planning to open up a wide range of low fare European routes to and from Belfast once the runway extension was delivered, but lost patience with the latest delay in the public inquiry.

[Lon More]

Looks like MOL is trying to bully the airport operator

[dogsbreath]

Why are we surprised? Ryanair were given the standard start up package for 3 years in 2007, minimal landing fees etc. Obviously they have been unable to bully the airport authorities into extending the concessions beyond October. Don't lose your bottle, other operators will pick up the slack, Flybe, Baby, etc.

[Callsign Kilo]

It has nothing to do with the airport operator. Ryanair have maintained a good relationship with the airport. The problem lies with the public inquiry into the runway extension at BHD. It is a prolongued process which in effect has no timescale. The underlying reason to opening the Belfast base was to eventually allow flights to/from Europe. They believed this was possible as the runway extension had been agreed in principle, then it was stalled due to an inquiry being requested. So in true Ryanair fashion, enough was enough. I'm sure there was a bit of "we aren't getting what we want so we're not playing anymore" however if Ryanair can't put a timescale to their expansion plans at Belfast then more economically viable ventures may indeed be elsewhere?

They stated they would readress the base if circumstances allowing expansion were to change. Additionally they could have operated flights to BHD from other bases within the UK. Who knows why the won't?

[flying officer kite]

sad news, but good riddance to the base captain, never met such a horrible person in the industry before

[ara01jbb]

MO'L interviewed at some length at the top of the hour on Evening Extra, on Radio Ulster, just now. Will be on the iPlayer later. Explains with a measly extra 200m on the runway, FR could fly to Madrid, Paris and Milan from BHD. Also pointed out that 7% of passengers through DUB are NI going/to from NI.

[dublinaviator]

This could not possibly have to do with the easyJet service to Luton being a resounding success operating an A319 (no restrictions) so much so that a third rotation is being introduced this autumn. No it couldn't possibly be - could it?

Of course, even though easyJet didn't compete with Ryanair on any routes, but of course it must be that easyJet ran Ryanair out of Belfast...:rolleyes:

[Thad Jarvis]

that extra 200m isn't needed by an orange A319. If BHD really want their Euro routes they should've looked elsewhere. O'leary only played with BHD because EI set up at BFS...can't see him being in BFS anytime soon so he's off to play in more lucrative fields.

[BFS101]

If sufficient demand exists to Madrid, Milan etc, and Ryanair feel that money could be made, then negoiations should take place between BFS and FR. No curfew, long enough runway, and not in the middle of suburbia.

An agreement that offers FR realistic sustainable prices, and that can be profit generating for both BFS and FR. However I believe that many FR regional routes operate on such thin margins that they are only profitable while in the start up price incentive period from the airport. SNN prime example.

Although we live in a free market economy I see no point in competition on thin European routes like Paris. EI tried to complete with EZY on many of the routes and realised the traffic just wasn't there. What would happen after the initial price war, that some ignorant travellers would think are the long term sustainable prices and sing praises for FR, would be that one or other would pull the flight and back to square one, though instead of CDG, we'd be stuck with Beauvais!!! Why would NI want that??? If they could sustain, on a long term basis flights to Madrid, Milan etc, then credit where its due, but I have my doubts from NI.

[potkettleblack]

Also pointed out that 7% of passengers through DUB are NI going/to from NI.I.

So he shouldn't care less than as they will travel down to Dublin to hop onto his flights? Or maybe the real answer is they will continue to fly with the competition instead. Whenever he brings out this type of tirade it is usually to divert attention away from something else. He has the equivalent of Alastair Campbell working for him.

Expect the same when he pulls out of SNN since their fees are increasing. Expect the usual rant about 1000 job losses, was about to create another 1000 on top so now we have lost 2000 etc etc. Anything with a multiple of 1000 is always a good headline grabber he seems to think.

[Jamie2k9]

I know Ryanair said they would pull out of SNN but why did they announced today that they would resume flights from SNN - LPA from October 31.

[BFS101]

While the LPA route is good for SNN, lets face it, how many based aircraft and routes has FR pulled from SNN, since MOL didn't get his own way. It's still a huge capacity reduction. FR went into SNN, decimated the competition and then when the going got tough (or didn't get his own way) pulled the routes. With the original airlines, many are once bitten, twice shy, and may be reluctant to reinstate, or are no longer in existance.

I do not want either Belfast airport, to ever be in that, or close to that position.

[fullrich]

I aggree. SNN has little to loose now if FR pull out anymore and I wouldnt be getting too excited over the new once weekly LPA route. If MOL continues these tactics he may eventually back FR into a corner of the Irish market and end up operating from the likes of Knock and kerry

[Charlie Roy]

I know Ryanair said they would pull out of SNN but why did they announced today that they would resume flights from SNN - LPA from October 31.

They announced it last Friday. It was on the route map since then at least...

[EI-BUD]

I know Ryanair said they would pull out of SNN but why did they announced today that they would resume flights from SNN - LPA from October 31.


the longer the sector the fewer the flights, ie 2 UK return trips could be done in the time 1 LPA flight is completed, net result is that Ryanair will be delivering less passengers and less revenue to the airport?

Also pointed out that 7% of passengers through DUB are NI going/to from NI.


The Irish department of tourism say that 2/3 (two thirds) of all visitors from overseas coming to NI do so via ROI, ie mainly Dublin. That says that there are opportunities.

However, I do feel that at this time Ryanair would go head to head on existing markets, ie Alicante, Paris, Malaga, Faro, Barcelona, Canaries, so in the longer run it would be a transfer from BFS for many pax rather than new business. Of course I think that there are opportunities to deliver on new visitors from abroad but these would in my view mainly come from new markets, eg Brussels, Frankfurt, Milan etc. However, given BHDs desire not only to get into European flights they also have an ambition to dent BFS share?

[Facelookbovvered]

BHD will loose some pax volume with Ryanair pulling out, but the airport knew who they were getting into bed with! need to focus on Flybe or bmi that can afford to pay a little more per pax. The next gen of aircraft will get to MAD without an extra 200m so if the market is there?

It seems more and more that once the start up deals expire there is no valid business case on many of Ryanair fly cheaper routes.

I guess bmibaby will smile, but the sure have proved that people want to fly to BHD rather than BFS

[dublinaviator]

The Irish department of tourism say that 2/3 (two thirds) of all visitors from overseas coming to NI do so via ROI, ie mainly Dublin. That says that there are opportunities.

Where are the opportunities going to come from though? The only airlines that could've capitalised on those potential opportunities are already serving Belfast(or about to leave), and yet as you point out 2/3 of all visitors to the North of Ireland continue to travel via Dublin. Even if you look at the island as a whole, 90% of all visitors to the island of Ireland travel via Dublin.

If Belfast had 1 airport, then maybe it might have the potential to counter the influx of tourists away from Dublin, but with 2 competing airports it'll never happen.

[True Blue]

"I guess bmibaby will smile, but the sure have proved that people want to fly to BHD rather than BFS"

and how have they done that? what a wild statement with little evidence to support it. I think if you look at Liverpool and Stansted out of Belfast, there were lots who didn't decide to fly out of Bhd. I,m one with no desire to use Bhd.

True Blue

[COSTABRAVO]

I notice there is a Face book page been started for people asking for the restoring of winter flights between the UK and Reus.

Would I be correct in the assumption that Ryanair would take absolutely no notice of such campaigns?

I understand the page has only been open for about a week so it will be interesting to see how much support it gets.

So much work has been done to Reus Airport compared to how it was a few years ago and now Ryanair appear to be running away (I'm sure the El Prat base is obviously a factor). Its a shame that Reus could now be left with a white elephant all because of yet more false promises from the worlds favourite airline.:=

[ryan2000]

I can't see Ryanair cutting much more at SNN. Assuming the London routes are profitable, it makes sense to base a plane there. Malaga at twice a week should work and ACE and LPA are no brainers. Maybe the Polish route and/or LPL might go but that's all in my opinion.

[Jamie2k9]

Ryanair announced they will review every route from Germany as the new travel tax is going a head.

Ryanair: Germany routes may be closed because of new departure tax | Earth Times News (http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/342407,because-new-departure-tax.html)

[johnnychips]

45€ per passenger is a lot!

[Noxegon]

I'm going to make a wild guess that €45 applies to long haul... I'd guess the average Ryanair flight would be stung for much less than that?

[jaypla]

For european destinations it´s 8 euro.

[bia botal]

The government has presented the levy as a form of "green" taxation, aimed at reducing heavy carbon-emitting travel patterns

If ryr pull out then i guess they will have been successful huh.

[jpthomas72]

The German finance minister has been pretty clear that this tax, which is part of a bigger austerity package, is there to balance the big federal budget deficit (it's not as huge as UK's, but still not pretty and well above Maastricht). The 'Green' idea is anyway not honest as the freighters are excluded. Living close to HHN, you do wonder about those big noisy guys compared to the little 737s. BTW, train tickets in Germany have full VAT. So much for 'Green'.
It's not even such a joke about using this to shrink/push-out RYR in Germany. It's a clear business interest of LH/4U and AB, even EZY's SXF operations, to harm RYR. But RYR caters for quite a special market, they are less important than in UK - esp as Germany's national carrier doesn't just serve the capital - obviously that has historic reasons - but also our 'Go' is still alive, 4U that is. Can't think RYR will leave HHN though, despite the rhetorics it's a valuable base. They've chopped all low-yield routes from there, what remains is making money. Giving that up would basically mean 'LH, you have won !'.

[compton3bravo]

If many more European countries introduce a 'departure' tax Ryanair could be running out of places to fly their very large fleet of aircraft and then what do they do!

[COSTABRAVO]

So is it true, did Kylie Minogue fly with Ryanair from Luton this morning to Gerona??

I guess she can afford the excess luggage fee!!

[FR-]

Yes it is true, and she only had 20kg checked in. I guess all them hot pants dont weigh much. Im still waiting for the crew to get back to me on facebook

[racedo]

Another good set of passenger numbers but no doubt there will be doom merchants on here within the hour stating otherwise.

Ryanair’s booked passenger and load factor statistics for August 2010 are as follows:



Aug 09
Aug 10
Increase
12 mth to Aug 10*
Passengers (m) 1
6.88M
7.68M
+12%
70.9M
Load Factor 2
90%
89%
-1%
82%

[clareview]

How many airlines in the world are showing a 12% growth at the moment?

[befree]

most airlines are trying to make a profit and giving up growth for higher income per seat. Over the last 9 years FR has had a 90%-95% load factor in August. Once germany has its 8 euro tax in place other governments will be able to follow without blackmail from FR. FR are hit hardest by these taxes as it is a higher rise relative to ticket price.

Take a look at August growth over the last 9 years to see how things are about to change.

2002 37%
2003 44%
2004 20%
2005 27%
2006 23%
2007 21%
2008 19%
2009 19%
2010 12%

[TartinTon]

Quoting a slowdown in % increase is completely irrelevant as it takes no account of the base figure. The fact that FR have increased their Aug-Aug carryings by 800,000 is pretty impressive.

befree, why not restate those figures as actual number increases as that tells the true story?

[befree]

growth is ending however you look at the numbers. They are closing bases and routes this winter that will offset much of the new growth.

Aug 2008-2009 they grew 1.1million pax. 2009-10 they grew 0.8million. next years growth may be half that and net growth may end from 2012.

More important is how they do over the year. Load factors on Ryanair are falling while they rise on easyjet.

[Amelia Earhart]

Do Ryanair staff get commission or bonuses for catching people with oversize or overweight baggage at the boarding gate?

The reason I ask is my brother was recently on a flight and was one of the last few people to board and he described an experience which almost made the staff seem desperate to reach a quota of money collected.

They stopped him and demanded he pay to check in his hand luggage. He refused and stated that his bag was the correct size and was called "rude" for his troubles. He wondered if the bag measuring stand did indeed match the supposed specifications. Anyway after a stand off and a bit of a row the staff relented and picked on an OAP instead who seem less vocal at defending herself. The very fact that the staff relented in the end did nothing to dampen his suspicion that the whole exercise was a trawling expedition rather than a real case of oversize baggage.

So, is there a bonus system or was it just a case of the usual pleasantries from Ryanair?

[aidoair]

Do Ryanair staff get commission or bonuses for catching people with oversize or overweight baggage at the boarding gate?
The reason I ask is my brother was recently on a flight and was one of the last few people to board and he described an experience which almost made the staff seem desperate to reach a quota of money collected.


It's not actual Ryanair staff, though the airline ground handling agents. These companies are constantly pestered by Ryanair to hit targets on spend per passengers and one of the ways the can achieve this is being very strict with the ryanair regulated hand baggage size. If they don't hit targets per month Ryanair managers go to the base etc etc... (As you are probably aware all airlines size regulations are different, many people don't!)

The staff had probably been pushed by their managers and in the end just couldn't be bothered to argue with your brother, as it was probably not too much over the baggage stand size... and oh no they don't get commission at all, that's why many feel 'why should we bother making more work for our selfs'. It's then down to the cabin crew if they take notice of the size of the bag. If it's too large then they take payment onboard and have it put in the hold.

[frfly]

Firstly - I think it's brilliant how you are trying to portray this slow down in growth as a sign Ryanair is about to hit trouble. This slow down is planned, deliveries and new base launches have slowed and the route structure is maturing with longer sectors and less aircraft utilisation therefore a slow down in growth but a move towards improved yields. This is the company running as Europe's most successful airline business and adapting to current market trends. Any % increase for any airline right now is impressive. By 2014 expect near 0% growth as aircraft deliveries stop and the business puts focus on good yield returning routes.

Secondly - the gate bag issue. Airports with an effective gate bag system allow flights to depart ontime, safely and efficiently, without crew running around throwing bags everywhere because yet another passenger has decided they are entitled to break the rules. Its very clear, stick to those measurements your bag goes on, you have no problems and everyone is happy. Try your luck, and 90% of the time you will get stopped. The gate bag may bring in revenue but initially it was designed to stop baggage related delays, and this has worked very well.

Ryanair bashers = people who decide they make their own rules up and fail to read simple intructions in the terms and conditions and get penalised for it.

Ryanair lovers = people who know the product, adhere to the policies and consistantly get flights to places they want to go for the lowest possible price, arriving ontime 90% of the time. 75 Million + passengers.....I think that speaks for itself in this industry right now.

[COSTABRAVO]

Very easy to have a 90% punctuality record when you make no effort to get customers to their destination in the event of strikes etc. I know the strikes are not Ryanair's fault but least other airlines (maybe not easyJet) get their customers there albeit with a delay.

That low fare customers paid could prove expensive if they already have hotels booked at their destination.

Air traffic control strike in France today so the following flights are cancelled:-

FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS - 7TH SEPT



07/09/2010

Flight No.Departure AirportArrival Airport.
Flight No.Departure AirportArrival Airport. FR6002AgadirMarseille
FR9812LiverpoolMurcia FR9084AlicanteEast Midlands
FR2112LiverpoolReus (Barcelona) FR9086AlicanteGothenburg
FR3456London Luton Beziers FR5598AlicanteHaugesund
FR3676London Luton Brest FR9887AlicanteLiverpool
FR3452London Luton Murcia FR1075AlicanteNewquay
FR3256London Luton Nimes FR9069AlicanteOslo (Torp)
FR3464London Luton Reus (Barcelona) FR9034AlicanteParis Beauvais
FR8351London StanstedAlmeria FR5572AlicanteTeeside
FR8592London StanstedBergerac FR8352AlmeriaLondon Stansted
FR372London StanstedBiarritz FR6392Barcelona El PratBrussels Charleroi
FR72London StanstedCarcassonne FR6374Barcelona El PratParis Beauvais
FR514London StanstedDinard FR9366Barcelona GironaBologna
FR8234London StanstedFigari FR9293Barcelona GironaDusseldorf (Weeze)
FR8776London StanstedLimoges FR7824Barcelona GironaGlasgow Prestwick
FR6538London StanstedMarseille FR9004Barcelona GironaHamburg Lubeck
FR8022London StanstedMurcia FR2744Barcelona GironaKaunas
FR2356London StanstedPau FR9107Barcelona GironaParis Beauvais
FR5464MadridBrussels Charleroi FR9101Barcelona GironaParis Beauvais
FR5466MadridBrussels Charleroi FR9186Barcelona GironaRome Ciampino
FR7157MadridDublin FR6027BergeracBristol
FR5446MadridMarseille FR9919BergeracLiverpool
FR5444MadridParis Beauvais FR8593BergeracLondon Stansted
FR2531MalagaBillund FR3457BeziersLondon Luton
FR3659MalagaBremen FR1492BeziersStockholm Skavsta
FR8613MalagaDusseldorf (Weeze) FR747BiarritzBirmingham
FR2588MalagaKrakow FR373BiarritzLondon Stansted
FR2447MalagaLeeds Bradford FR4869BiarritzMarseille
FR9863MalagaLiverpool FR2532BillundMalaga
FR7783MalagaMarseille FR746BirminghamBiarritz
FR2567MalagaStockholm Skavsta FR9367BolognaBarcelona Girona
FR6001MarseilleAgadir FR4303BolognaParis Beauvais
FR4868MarseilleBiarritz FR1389BordeauxBrussels Charleroi
FR6003MarseilleBrest FR4507BordeauxPorto
FR4818MarseilleCagliari FR7941BournemouthIbiza
FR1286MarseilleEdinburgh FR3658BremenMalaga
FR7452MarseilleFaro FR3677BrestLondon Luton
FR6005MarseilleLille FR6004BrestMarseille
FR6017MarseilleLille FR6026BristolBergerac
FR6539MarseilleLondon Stansted FR3885BristolLimoges
FR5447MarseilleMadrid FR8336BristolReus (Barcelona)
FR7782MarseilleMalaga FR6393Brussels CharleroiBarcelona El Prat
FR6774MarseilleNante FR1388Brussels CharleroiBordeaux
FR7708MarseilleTours FR8023Brussels CharleroiCarcassonne
FR7482MemmingenFaro FR6312Brussels CharleroiFaro
FR4231Milan BergamoParis Beauvais FR4566Brussels CharleroiFigari
FR8078MontpellierBrussels Charleroi FR6456Brussels CharleroiIbiza
FR1925MurciaEast Midlands FR8174Brussels CharleroiLanzarote
FR9813MurciaLiverpool FR5465Brussels CharleroiMadrid
FR3453MurciaLondon Luton FR5467Brussels CharleroiMadrid
FR8021MurciaLondon Stansted FR8077Brussels CharleroiMontpellier
FR1635NanteEast Midlands FR5352Brussels CharleroiPau
FR6775NanteMarseille FR1384Brussels CharleroiPerpignan
FR1076NewquayAlicante FR1918Brussels CharleroiValencia
FR1959NiceDublin FR4817CagliariMarseille
FR3257NimesLondon Luton FR8024CarcassonneBrussels Charleroi
FR9613Oslo (Rygge)Paris Beauvais FR9917CarcassonneLiverpool
FR9068Oslo (Torp)Alicante FR73CarcassonneLondon Stansted
FR6611Palma MallorcaEast Midlands FR1653DinardEast Midlands
FR8194Palma MallorcaHamburg Lubeck FR515DinardLondon Stansted
FR9035Paris BeauvaisAlicante FR1996Dublin Grenbole
FR6375Paris BeauvaisBarcelona El Prat FR7156Dublin Madrid
FR9108Paris BeauvaisBarcelona Girona FR1958Dublin Nice
FR9102Paris BeauvaisBarcelona Girona FR26Dublin Paris Beauvais
FR4304Paris BeauvaisBologna FR9864Dublin Rodez
FR29Paris BeauvaisDublin FR9294Dusseldorf (Weeze)Barcelona Girona
FR6833Paris BeauvaisEdinburgh FR6418Dusseldorf (Weeze)Ibiza
FR65Paris BeauvaisGlasgow Prestwick FR8612Dusseldorf (Weeze)Malaga
FR5445Paris BeauvaisMadrid FR2232Dusseldorf (Weeze)Reus (Barcelona)
FR4232Paris BeauvaisMilan Bergamo FR2172Dusseldorf (Weeze)Santander
FR9612Paris BeauvaisOslo (Rygge) FR8622Dusseldorf (Weeze)Seville
FR9977Paris BeauvaisPisa FR8602Dusseldorf (Weeze)Valencia
FR7475Paris BeauvaisPorto FR9085East MidlandsAlicante
FR9134Paris BeauvaisPorto FR1652East MidlandsDinard
FR2118Paris BeauvaisReus (Barcelona) FR1632East MidlandsLimoges
FR9632Paris BeauvaisRome Ciampino FR1924East MidlandsMurcia
FR9636Paris BeauvaisRome Ciampino FR1634East MidlandsNante
FR133Paris BeauvaisShannon FR6601East MidlandsPalma Mallorca
FR9504Paris BeauvaisStockholm Skavsta FR6608East MidlandsReus (Barcelona)
FR8642Paris BeauvaisTrapini FR1756East MidlandsValencia
FR4984Paris BeauvaisVenice (Treviso) FR1287EdinburghMarseille
FR7236Paris BeauvaisZaragoza FR6832EdinburghParis Beauvais
FR5353PauBrussels Charleroi FR6313FaroBrussels Charleroi
FR2357PauLondon Stansted FR7451FaroMarseille
FR1385PerpignanBrussels Charleroi FR7481FaroMemmingen
FR9976PisaParis Beauvais FR4567Figari Brussels Charleroi
FR4506PortoBordeaux FR8235Figari London Stansted
FR4172PortoFrankfurt Hahn FR4623Frankfurt HahnJerez
FR4502PortoLille FR4171Frankfurt HahnPorto
FR7474PortoParis Beauvais FR4477Frankfurt HahnSantiago de comp
FR9135PortoParis Beauvais FR7823Glasgow PrestwickBarcelona Girona
FR8337Reus (Barcelona)Bristol FR64Glasgow PrestwickParis Beauvais
FR2231Reus (Barcelona)Dusseldorf (Weeze) FR7816Glasgow PrestwickReus (Barcelona)
FR6609Reus (Barcelona)East Midlands FR9087GothenburgAlicante
FR7817Reus (Barcelona)Glasgow Prestwick FR1997GrenboleDublin
FR2205Reus (Barcelona)Knock FR9005Hamburg LubeckBarcelona Girona
FR2111Reus (Barcelona)Liverpool FR8195Hamburg LubeckPalma Mallorca
FR3465Reus (Barcelona)London Luton FR5599HaugesundAlicante
FR2117Reus (Barcelona)Paris Beauvais FR7942IbizaBournemouth
FR9865RodezDublin FR6457IbizaBrussels Charleroi
FR9187Rome CiampinoBarcelona Girona FR6419IbizaDusseldorf (Weeze)
FR6704Rome CiampinoIbiza FR6703IbizaRome Ciampino
FR9631Rome CiampinoParis Beauvais FR2026IbizaVenice (Treviso)
FR9635Rome CiampinoParis Beauvais FR4624JerezFrankfurt Hahn
FR9157Rome CiampinoSantiago de comp FR2743KaunasBarcelona Girona
FR2173SantanderDusseldorf (Weeze) FR2206KnockReus (Barcelona)
FR4478Santiago de compFrankfurt Hahn FR2589KrakowMalaga
FR9158Santiago de compRome Ciampino FR8175LanzaroteBrussels Charleroi
FR8623SevilleDusseldorf (Weeze) FR3812LanzaroteLiverpool
FR132ShannonParis Beauvais FR2446Leeds BradfordMalaga
FR1491Stockholm SkavstaBeziers FR6006LilleMarseille
FR2568Stockholm SkavstaMalaga FR6018LilleMarseille
FR9503Stockholm SkavstaParis Beauvais FR4503LillePorto
FR5573TeesideAlicante FR3886LimogesBristol
FR7709ToursMarseille FR1633LimogesEast Midlands
FR8641TrapiniParis Beauvais FR8777LimogesLondon Stansted
FR1919ValenciaBrussels Charleroi FR9886LiverpoolAlicante
FR8603ValenciaDusseldorf (Weeze) FR9918LiverpoolBergerac
FR1757ValenciaEast Midlands FR9916LiverpoolCarcassonne
FR2027Venice (Treviso)Ibiza FR3811LiverpoolLanzarote
FR4985Venice (Treviso)Paris Beauvais FR9862LiverpoolMalaga
FR7235ZaragozaParis Beauvais

So naturally Ryanair will have the best on time performance today.

You get what you pay for. I'd rather put my hand in my pocket and fly with an airline that at least has an ounce of respect for it customers, suppliers and the airports it operates to. Just my opinion of course and I'm entitled to it.

[befree]

dropping a whole load on flights today is a great way to get the load factor up for the month and cut their operating costs. In the long term pax will notice that they drop flights when others make every effort to get you there or home.

[frfly]

There's a hell of a lot more to do with that other than punctuality. It has more to do with aircraft and crews being in wrong places at wrong times and more to do with crew hours. Means the operation can get back on track straight away once these strikes finish.

Lots of cancellations today due to a strike from French ATC, not due to not recruiting enough manpower (like maybe easyJet) or having a dispute with workers (like maybe BA).

Ryanair has the one of the lowest cancellation rates of EU airlines, today unfortunately is an exemption, but it is a non day-to-day event.

Theres lots of cancelled flights from other airlines such as easyJet, just take a look through some of their flight information pages to see.

As for airlines such as flybe....only a handful of routes fly further than UK domestic and there's no such thing as a European base that would feel the real force of this strike.

[EI-BUD]

growth is ending however you look at the numbers. They are closing bases and routes this winter that will offset much of the new growth.


Befree

Say for eg that Ryanair had growth over last year of 1M pax each year that would be consistent growth yet each year in % terms it would relflect a decline. The % will keep declining as the basis figures keep growing ie LY.


befree, why not restate those figures as actual number increases as that tells the true story?

tartinton is correct, if you look at numbers rather than % it says alot. Besides all that compare to the market. Ryanair is showing a sparkling performance whether you love them or hate them.


However, if they dont plan new aircraft coming on stream it will certainly be a small rate of growth past 2014!!!!

EI-BUD

[COSTABRAVO]

Quoting frfly:-
Theres lots of cancelled flights from other airlines such as easyJet, just take a look through some of their flight information pages to see.

As for airlines such as flybe....only a handful of routes fly further than UK domestic and there's no such thing as a European base that would feel the real force of this strike.

=================================================

How about Thomson, Jet2, Monarch etc. How many flights have they cancelled? Given that many of their flights are over the Iberian penisula I would imagine it would also greatly affect them. It would also cause them a massive headache with crew rosters going up the spout etc. but do they just throw in the towel and say sod it, no, they operate with terrible delays for the day having to call in staff that were not scheduled to be working and so on, but least they deliver what the customer has paid for.

Ryanair may be bigger than all these airlines combined but it should all be relative i.e. bigger fleet, bigger ops department, more crew etc.

But of course, as any good Ryanair spin doctor knows, its not us it all the others! We can do no wrong.

[Amelia Earhart]

Ryanair bashers = people who decide they make their own rules up and fail to read simple intructions in the terms and conditions and get penalised for it.

Nice soundbite Frfly, but before you race off and condem anyone who criticises Ryanair as some sort of outlaw with an axe to grind, the point of my story was that my brother's luggage was in accordance with the regulations as he had bought it specifically for the purpose (albeit not a samsonite bag), that it did fit into the measuring stand and just because it didn't slip out as smoothly as it fitted in was then ordered to pay charges. The woman in charge seemed determined to catch someone, my brother's suspicions raised as to her motives as he was eight people from the end of the queue. It was at Alicante airport. I've been there and the staff do seem rather officious, more so than at other airports; there's always a row.

And don't tell me that all Ryanair staff are angels struggling to deal with the ungrateful public. I was on an aircraft but was requested by the ground staff to assist them with the folding of a double pram (quite large) which they were having difficulty with. The Ryanair staff refused to let me leave to the bottom of the steps to help. Imagine my amusement to see the pram twirling round the carousels at the destination airport still full erected.

[TSR2]

The most amazing thing is that maybe 30 million people each year actually pay for the Ryanair 'experience'.

Whilst checking-in at Murcia airport recently I noticed quite a few people 'scurrying' past complete with mini suitcases. I thought nothing of it at the time except that perhaps they were on the last minute for their flight. It all became clear when I reached the departure lounge, a planeload of Ryanair passengers camped out on the floor at the departure gate some 2 hours before departure. Most were sat on their cases, some were standing but quite a few were lying on the floor making a scene somewhat reminiscent of a disaster area.

After an orderly boarding onto our flight to Manchester, I witnessed what can best be described as a less than orderly stampede from the terminal to the adjacent Ryanair aircraft.

My thoughts at the time were 'Bloody hell what a way to travel'

[rewdan]

Frfly, you seem to be in the know with FR, any idea why they have cancelled STN to IBZ for the winter?
Also, if its only a few euros in tax extra, why don't they just add it on for the punter to pay?

[vkid]

Press conference in Limerick tomorrow. End of ryanair at snn?

[righthandrule]

What was the actual justification for cancelling so many flights today?

Just a small example but todays LBA-AGP flight was cancelled by Ryanair last night, despite the aircraft arriving 35 minutes early today from Knock, it was parked up doing nothing all afternoon. Some passengers hadn't even be told, and the ones that had been told tried to buy seats on the Jet2 afternoon Malaga service, though not many succeeding as it was nearly full already. Did they just chop flights with light passenger loads?

I also noticed several cancellations that do not even route over France, any explanation as to why these were cancelled too?

[clareview]

Money talks so people will do all they can to get the price to a minimum - that is why the likes of Ryanair succeed - by charging low fares they get people who would not be able to pay the high legacy carrier fares to almost impulse buy. If you pay £5 and don't go you have not lost a lot

To all the Ryanair knockers, I have just dug out a 1984 ticket from Belfast to London - £49 return, Saturday night stay, no changes permitted. I recently flew to London for £12 return all in, 26 years later. That is down to the likes of Ryanair.

[racedo]

Take a look at August growth over the last 9 years to see how things are about to change.

2002 37%
2003 44%
2004 20%
2005 27%
2006 23%
2007 21%
2008 19%
2009 19%
2010 12%

YET Another hilarious attempt at saying FR is in trouble.

Course if you do the numbers back you will see in 2002 they were flying 1.1 Million in August 2002 v 7.68 Million in 2010.

Funny how you keep away from BA thread which showing a decline and pretty much every other airline.

So why did you leave FR ?

[befree]

I also noticed several cancellations that do not even route over France, any explanation as to why these were cancelled too?

Ryanair will be saving crew hours and fuel with cancellations of unprofitable mid-week flights. Many of the pax will end up flying the next day so that FR keep the income but mos pax would then never take a FR flight again.

Funny how you keep away from BA thread which showing a decline and pretty much every other airline.

With less money to go round getting a little smaller is the correct policy for big airlines. It stops then having to dump seats onto the market which kills ticket prices. Ryanair is now a very big airline and should be adapting to the reducings size of the market.

Racedo - do you work for FR and is your name mike?

[Skipness One Echo]

I recently flew to London for £12 return all in, 26 years later. That is down to the likes of Ryanair.

Who paid the APD and taxes?

[pee]

New route coming: GRO - LCA, twice weekly, beginning December 1st. At least something positive for Girona that otherwise faces a few significant reductions there.

[MUFC_fan]

Ryanair looking to expand once more but Airbus ain't so pleased...

Airbus Won't Engage In Talks With Ryanair - WSJ.com (http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100908-707275.html)

All I hope is that the 1p flights make a glorious return!:p

[jpthomas72]

All I hope is that the 1p flights make a glorious return ! Something comes to my mind when you say this: At HHN, which is now owned by the regional government of Rheinland-Pfalz after Fraport bailed out, it's well known the regional government is effectively paying 5 Euros per passenger in subsidies to keep it running (3 million passengers resulting in 15 million loss per year). But on the other hand the federal government in Berlin collects 8 Euros per flight now. Which effectively means the 5 Euros move straight from Mainz to Berlin. For the FR forum, this is maybe not too off-topic: the HHN-FRA-Frankfurt city shuttle bus was 'demoted' to go to FRA T2 which is awkward to drive in and out with the big bus, drivers are quite vocal about this (costs them 10min all in all). Punishment from Fraport, and surely very welcome by LH. I'm one of the rare profiteers of this as BE and BA go from FRA T2. I use FRA mostly as FR have cut MAN and BHX from HHN, of course. Rumours for years FRA would get an EZY base when the new runway is open, so FRA and HHN would become proper enemies. We're not getting excited though either EZY or FR will open many new routes in Germany now of course, due to the tax.
BTW, if HHN users read this: To connect to trains, consider the Mainz or Mannheim shuttle buses, as it can now be a 30min hassle to get from the HHN shuttle at FRA to the trains (which leave FRA T1-ish).

[Jamie2k9]

Ryanair Launches Duty Free Sales on Four Dublin Routes to the Canaries(Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Tenerife)

News : Ryanair Launches Duty Free Sales on Four Dublin Routes to the? (http://www.ryanair.com/ie/news/ryanair-launches-duty-free-sales-on-four-dublin-routes-to-the-canaries)

[Kavs8]

Heard FR are to expand services to Bulgaria & Larnaca for Summer 11 i think STN would have to be in there with Larnaca, maybe even DUB to Larnaca who knows?

Anyone else hear anything about this?

[Jamie2k9]

Ryanair can't have any flights between London - Larnaca. This was part of the deal with LCA airport and FR.

[COSTABRAVO]

This is quite a funny clip from Youtube, it doesn't mention Ryanair but it seemed the most appropriate thread to put it under as I'm sure you'll agree:-

YouTube - FASCINATING AIDA - Cheap Flights (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAg0lUYHHFc)

Enjoy

[bigdaviet]

Another link for anyone who is not subscribed to the wall street journal!

Ryanair CEO says airline contemplating order for ?up to 300 aircraft? | ATW Online (http://atwonline.com/aircraft-engines-components/news/ryanair-ceo-says-airline-contemplating-order-300-aircraft-0908)


Also some more nonesense about one pilot flying in this as well.

[Flowerdream]

Nothing know yet about the situation at Maastricht as from January ?

[airhumberside]

Ryanair can't have any flights between London - Larnaca. This was part of the deal with LCA airport and FR.
FR can fly London-Larnaca (it would be illegal under EU law to prohibit them). However they won't get any discounts from Larnaca airport, or any other form of support. But if FR feel they can make STN-Larnaca work when paying LCA's normal fees there is absolutely nothing anyone can do about it

[Noxegon]

Uh, wait - since when does any airport have to do business with an airline? Surely it's up to the commercial people to decide whether they wish to sell their services?

[racedo]

Uh, wait - since when does any airport have to do business with an airline? Surely it's up to the commercial people to decide whether they wish to sell their services?

An airport could state we refuse to do business with Y because we happy with Y and therefore we refuse to do business with you in any way.

Course expect then a visit by EU Cartel investigating bods.

[Hull City AFC]

Any idea as to why this flight diverted to Doncaster this evening???. Other flights have been landing into Leeds Bradford tonight.

[FR-]

MOL was on it and dropped in to make it a base 25 a/c opening 1stNov :E

[righthandrule]

Flap problems, needed a larger runway to land.

[eu01]

The Observer quotes MOL saying: "Ryanair must move away from low fares". In the article (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/sep/12/ryanair-move-away-from-low-fares) we can read among else:
O'Leary indicated that an average fare of €40 (£33) is unsustainable. The airline is facing pressure on costs as it moves into major airports closer to city centres in a quest for more passengers and will also be under pressure to improve levels of service. "We have to move away over the next number of years from being obsessed with having the lowest fares in the market," O'Leary said.He added that Ryanair will have to become a more sophisticated operation as the business reaches maturity: "Growth rates start to slow down significantly and it becomes more about the brand game, telling all the lies that you need to tell to get the fares up."

In a departure from his usual business philosophy, O'Leary said Ryanair would need to trumpet attributes other than cheap fares – such as its young aircraft fleet and "terrific" in-flight service. Comparing Ryanair with retail giants Tesco and Lidl, O'Leary said the Dublin-based carrier would have to move beyond the "cheap and naff" labels that were attached to Tesco before it overtook Sainsbury's in the 1990s. "At the moment we just pile it high and sell it cheap. Lidl started off cheap and cheerful but now it is very sophisticated – it is no longer perceived to be cheap and cheerful.""It becomes more about the brand game". Oh indeed? I'll quote my own post from 2008:Ryanair will HAVE TO improve the profitability, e.g. by rising the load factors (what will be difficult in winter) AND by rising prices (even more difficult). Obviously they should have taken care of how people associate Ryanair brand name a little bit earlier...And of course, the recent "pee-fee-style" propaganda didn't help the brand either.

Let's wait a year or two and we'll hear about the connecting flights (the issue of such necessity in selected hubs I've been rising for years). For all skeptics: it must happen to improve the demand, the aircraft usage (LF's) and yields. If that conception does not fit the FR business model, this model has to change, other options are scarce. Moving away from low fares can be achieved only partially. FR has educated people to associate "Ryanair means flying cheap", hence the fare level can be risen just in a very limited way. One of the solutions: giving pax flying from smallish end-destination more choices. Not only, say, Hahn, CRL and Barcelona for these guys, but also a few more connections via one of these bases.

MOL is smart to reduce the aircraft usage in winter in order to reduce possible losses. Even smarter, he could have tried a few indirect routes. Just to test them in practice.

[frfly]

Sorry for the late reply, I would say the STN-IBZ is going due to it not creating strong enough yields in the winter. It will be done on a year-on-year comparison with 2009/2010 winter, and then taking into account this years economic climate.

Remember for all airlines, especially Ryanair - the winter is not about what profit you can make, but how you can minimise loses, so the profit from the summer months is not hit too hard. In Ryanair's case the airline is going more and more seasonal as traffic is generated from two main sources, VFR and leisure. Business traffic helps sustain airlines such as easyJet and flyBE in the winter, and Ryanair dont pretend to chase after those customers. As in MOLs interview though expect a big change in the RYR business model in a few years, Ryanair has the lowest cost base now its time to adapt the business model, raise yields and increase profits. I would expect to see a lot of the nowhere - nowhere routes to slowly get phased out in the next 5 years, as more airports like BCN and MAD beg for the "ryanair effect" to regenerate declining traffic numbers at airports with major overcapacity. Ryanair are one of 2 airlines in the industry best placed to do this. Easyjet missed the opportunity at BCN, but with Stelios still ranting on about expansion I feel they have been slightly more cautious with new bases this year.

[apaul]

The 'Ryanair effect' for major airports is next to worthless. It may increase passenger numbers in the short-term, but will not bring in worthwhile income and profit as Ryanair won't pay landing fees at a reasonable rate and cheepskates who want to travel for £10 are not going to spend much in the terminal either. If they've any sense they will show Ryanair the door like Manchester did rather than lose money and upsetting other airlines by pandering to O'Leary.

[Jamie2k9]

The €10 Irish Travel tax may be scrapped in the December budget. It will be reviewed between now and December. It will examine if airlines closed routes from Ireland and the fall in tourism has been because of the tax. It will be interesting to see how Ryanair will react. They have said they will add more aircraft and routes from DUB if it is scrapped. They may be some hope for Shannon if it is scrapped.

[clareview]

Scrapping the tax will not just benefit Ryanair but Aer Lingus, Aer Arann, all the airlines flying into Ireland, all the airports and, of course, the passengers and prospective passengers

[fireflybob]

Ryanair must move away from low fares, says O'Leary (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/sep/12/ryanair-move-away-from-low-fares)

[hec7or]

Hot towel for you sir?

That's £5 thank you sir.

[411A]

Actually, a good idea for MOL, provided he can pull it off.
It is generally called....revenue enhancement, IE: offer a slightly premimum product for those that are willing to pay the price.
On a much larger scale of course, there is one quite noteable airline in SE Asia that has made this idea work for many years...SQ.
The SQ chairman at the time, JYM Pillay, started the ball rolling, and it paid off big time.

[vapilot2004]

I guess the stand up seating and pay lavs aren't going to work out.

[A and C]

The cost of the ticket may be low but by the time you have put a bag in the hold, had a Tea and a bite to eat, got the bus to the city you realy wanted to go to you will have paid as much as with one of the majors.

What MOL is telling you is that he is being forced out of the "low service" sector because he can't get enough money out of the rif-raf!

[The Range]

And pilots must move away from low paying jobs

[411A]

And pilots must move away from low paying jobs
Oddly enough, the range, that is precisely what transpired at SQ...some years ago.
Low fares, low salaries initially, but smartly moved up scale, once the premium passengers started to appear (with senior 707 Commanders on the old high salaries..,training new young First Officers...the bucks flowed in, alright, big time.
I watched it all happen, from my SQ B707 LHS perch.
Make no mistake, MOL is headed in the right direction alright, however, IMO he has outlived his usefullness, in hos position....already.
JYM Pillay (already mentioned, chairman SQ) positively knew when the time was proper for him to step aside, and let others...carry the weight.
We shall see if MOL is as well, informed.
50-50...up 'til now.:hmm:
My bet...he'll **** it up.:ugh:

[EI Premier]

This is an interesting interview from Michael O' Leary.

However, it's absolutely no surprise that FR fares will have to rise - because the business model is flawed. How is it flawed? - It is a short term model that aims for immediate Revenue and Profit maximisation and requires sustained annualised growth in order to be successful. It relies upon volume revenue generation rather than true yield maximisation.

FR have very limited scope for any further product unbundling. The model is simply unsustainable in the longer term without an increase in fares.

Low fares is their ONE and ONLY true point of differentiation. When that is gone - what airline would you choose?

One with now higher fares and total disregard for it's customers or others with relatively low fares which cares a great deal more about customer service and has several other key points of differentiation? The answer is quite clear and predictable.

That is exactly why FR's recent statement regarding the potential for 300 aircraft is nothing more than a publicity stunt in order to inflate the share price to the maximum possible value before Michael O' Leary eventually departs with FR revenues having reached their peak.

FR has revolutionised aviation without a doubt and is a real commercial success story - but the current exceptionally low fare base cannot be sustained in the long run as growth becomes more limited.

Regards,

EI Premier

[Binder]

Bye Bye Ryanair!!

(Or perhaps just O'Leary)

[BEagle]

One cannot polish a turd.....

[alm1]

Low fares is their ONE and ONLY true point of differentiation. When that is gone - what airline would you choose?I will choose Ryanair. Because their product is realy terrific - of my 36 sectors with them this year I had delay only once, and even that was only one hour due to snow on runway. Most of the time I had already been outside of a (usually convieniently small) terminal by the schedulled arrival time. I had worse experience with other carriers.

And I like free seating, I usually manage to get a seat that I like (with a good window position related to a seat).

[MrBernoulli]

One cannot polish a turd..... Interestingly, Beags, I saw an episode of Myth Busters many months back where they did just that - polish a turd! ;)

The turd in question (lion?) had much more substance to it than O'Leary ...... :)

[EI-BUD]

MOL has said often that the future of aviation in Europe will include a few carriers, including LOCOs Ryanair and Easyjet. What is relevant is that while Ryanair may be significantly more profitable than Easyjet, you will find that Easyjet has higher sales and higher average fare. Easyjet operate alot less routes than Ryanair and in many markets have focused on adding frequency rather than routes.

The difference is that Easyjet can be the airline for the business man, on many markets they offer primary airports with frequency. It is probably true that Ryanair offer good frequency on many routes but in the last number of years many new routes coming along were 3/4 per week, suitable mostly for price conscious leisure travellers.

What MOL may be hinting at there is that they will look at big primary airports to operate from where good passenger supply is available.

Anyone who thinks that there is a flaw in MOL strategy would be quite naive. They have cash to burn and can use it to clear out competition.

I have always said that the brand needs to be elevated. Ryanair can be cheap and nasty but it is punctual, good aircraft, strong financials and an extremely flexible business model.

MOL has recognised in the past that building the brand of Ryanair on something other than low fares would have to be done by his successor. Maybe he will embrace this himself. Maybe they will rebrand the airline as a new and caring company!

Many of the locos have moved away from their price orientated slogans
Easyjet moved to Come On Lets fly and Aer Lingus (ok debatable if LOCO) from Low Fares way better to Enjoy your flight. So what would Ryanair's new slogan be?

The World's Favourite Airline!!! Or is that belonging to BA?? :O

[EI-BUD]

MOL has said often that the future of aviation in Europe will include a few carriers, including LOCOs Ryanair and Easyjet. What is relevant is that while Ryanair may be significantly more profitable than Easyjet, you will find that Easyjet has higher sales and higher average fare. Easyjet operate alot less routes than Ryanair and in many markets have focused on adding frequency rather than routes.

The difference is that Easyjet can be the airline for the business man, on many markets they offer primary airports with frequency. It is probably true that Ryanair offer good frequency on many routes but in the last number of years many new routes coming along were 3/4 per week, suitable mostly for price conscious leisure travellers.

What MOL may be hinting at there is that they will look at big primary airports to operate from where good passenger supply is available.

Anyone who thinks that there is a flaw in MOL strategy would be quite naive. They have cash to burn and can use it to clear out competition.

I have always said that the brand needs to be elevated. Ryanair can be cheap and nasty but it is punctual, good aircraft, strong financials and an extremely flexible business model.

MOL has recognised in the past that building the brand of Ryanair on something other than low fares would have to be done by his successor. Maybe he will embrace this himself. Maybe they will rebrand the airline as a new and caring company!

Many of the locos have moved away from their price orientated slogans
Easyjet moved to Come On Lets fly and Aer Lingus (ok debatable if LOCO) from Low Fares way better to Enjoy your flight.

[racedo]

This is funny because as soon as MO'L has an interview the pavlovian anti Ryanair mob are on, the subject matter doesn't really matter as response is the same.

Funnily enough the question asked long time ago "IF FR moved from secondary airports to primary city based ones and started competing directly with the legacy airlines then where exactly would the legacy compete ?"

Lack of response or Ryanair couldn't do it is generally the standard response. Funny enough 10 years ago if anybody said they would carry twice passenger numbers of BA they would have been laughed at.

As per usual people underestimate what FR have done, long may they continue doing so.

[charliemouse]

But you can roll it in (blue and yellow) glitter...

[FR-]

Can this not be moved to the ryanair thread worm,

Oh and to the ryanair bashers :mad:

fr-

[F.O.E.]

"Asked when he expects to step down as Ryanair chief executive, the 49-year-old said he will stay at the helm until the carrier nearly doubles in size. "When we are twice the size we are now, at around 400 aircraft, then the growth rate slows down to 2% or 3% per year. "

We stop taking deliveries in 2012 and I dont think we will be at double the size then (I stand to be corrected) so I'm thinking its not going to be any time soon :-(

Doesn't matter if you polish up the brand people will always see it as the airline that "charged me 30euro at the gate" the airline that wasn't going to pay compensation after the ash cloud.... the airline that operated to X and back with no bars on board...... the list goes on and on everyone has their own bitter experience. The only reason why people would come back is due to price

There's an old saying "MUD STICKS" and ryanair are not made of Teflon

[waffler]

Place your bets: Will Ryanair reduce their fares by 10 euro if the travel tax is
eliminated or charge the same fare and keep the money ?

[james170969]

I can remember, not that long ago, when MOL said several times that most fares will be free and that Ryanair would rely on other sources of income. Now he is saying the business model will have to change and fares will have to rise. He has gone on and on about pay toilets, standing on planes, beds and b*** ****. This man talks a load of **** and to be honest I take everything he says with a huge pinch of salt.

[frfly]

I doubt fares will reduce....fares need to increase to become a long term viable business. It just means routes that under the tourist tax are not viable become so.

Would be fantastic to see all airlines in Ireland expand again and prove to the UK government the damaging effect APD has had on all UK airlines and inbound tourism.

[EI Premier]

Anyone who thinks that there is a flaw in MOL strategy would be quite naive. They have cash to burn and can use it to clear out competition.



There is no flaw per se in Michael O' Leary's strategy EI-BUD - after all he has achieved massive wealth maximisation for himself.

However, there is a flaw in FR's strategy as I stated above. It is a short term strategy that will not work in the longer term, as Michael O' Leary has admitted in the interview. The strategy of volume revenue generation cannot work once the scope for excessive growth declines - which is something that is not very far away either.

FR have to generate more fixed revenue streams - as opposed to transient ones in terms of routes only lasting for a year or a little more etc before aircraft are redeployed to new bases once again.

The problem is - how do you reposition a carrier which has a terrible reputation for customer service and no prestige brand recognition - but only differentiates on price. When that differentiating component is no longer so clear cut, there is going to be an issue.

Average air fares across the industry are heading north and will continue upon such a trajectory for some time.

EI Premier

[ESCNI]

Would be fantastic to see all airlines in Ireland expand again and prove to the UK government the damaging effect APD has had on all UK airlines and inbound tourism.
Assuming that they actually care, of course.

:ooh:

[MUFC_fan]

I think we all need to really forget about the "Spend a pound to spend a penny" rubbish MOL comes out with. How many times on this forum do people need to say that it is all PR - all of it.

This is a rare occurance where MOL has come out to the media and spoke as a CEO, not a PR mule he is such a master at.

I have all along said he is one of the best CEO's not just in aviation, but in any industry. He knows exactly how to work the media, how the public work and certainly how to run his business - the figures simply speak for themselves!

I think the key part in this article is his mentioning of shareholders. These are the people who bank rolled the company and the ones who want to see a return on their investment and MOL has made it very clear in years to come these people will want answers in the form of cash.

He is a true business master of our time whether you love of loath the man.

[maggot738]

The current fleet is set to stabilise at about 289 aircraft when all deliveries and disposals have been completed (I stand to be corrected). There are no negotiations currently underway for a new aircraft order in al the public statements therefore, unless there is a secret deal in place for new aircraft, it looks like MOL will be around for a long time to come.

Cheers
Maggot

[MUFC_fan]

Stand-up airline seats unveiled - Yahoo! Travel UK (http://uk.travel.yahoo.com/p-promo-3359824)

Obviously impossible due to regulations regarding the number of passengers allowed on a 737 anyway, but could they be used and Ryanair look to introduce cargo in the newly created space?

MOL says they need to move away from the ultra low fares - could the small increase in turnaround times open up a complete new opportunity to FR?

[jpta2000]

New route Birmingham - Malta. Starting 15 Dec, twice weekly. Already on route map but not yet bookable.

This will be FR's 5th route from Malta to the UK (after the discontinuation of Bournemouth) and FR's 18th route to Malta this winter.

JP

[Sober Lark]

Not so long ago Ryanair had a competition where people could make wild cost saving suggestions. Now you are getting the ideas drip fed back to you via the media and that is the way it will be for the next few years because thousands of you entered. It's only a bit of fun and really not worth writing to the FT worried about it.

[ssflyer]

The Catalan paper, El Periodico, is currently headlining that MOL is threatening to move his Girona and Reus aircraft to BCN "as it the destination of 80% of PAX"
Girona has invested heavily on the back of FR with new facilities including terminal and multi storey carparks and many,many jobs are at stake.
Incidentally - I have no idea where the stats come from, as in my experience I think the figures for the April/October period for flights from the UK,Germany,Nederlands etc would show 80% are tourists for the Costa Brava NOT Barcelona.

[lfc84]

Flew FR 10/9 and 17/9. 2nd sector was delayed by 90 minutes. No gate agents around to provide information. Very miserable crew on both sectors who did their best to sell food, drink, scratch cards and phone cards to passengers but otherwise ok.

Nice and cheap price paid for LPL-LPA-LTN

Queued for an hour at passport control on return to UK at LTN though. This was actually the worst part of the trip :ugh:

[Tom the Tenor]

All a part of the glamour of flying for you!

[airnoc]

That cheaps flights for you

[Skipness One Echo]

No gate agents around to provide information.

The cabin crew are the people who check your boarding card at the gate so don't expect a gate agent. Ryanair won't pay for one. Not a criticism, it usually works OK but I'm afraid them's the breaks!

[Private_flyer]

Does anyone think that a modified version of the business model Jet2.com have regards convertible pax/freighter could work if applied correctly to Ryanair on certain routes? Could some airports be developed into freighter hubs as much as pax hubs? Surely, there must be sufficient intra-European freight to make this viable? I know there'd be logistical headaches collecting and delivering freight but maybe with the right business model and connections made with local haulage that could be achieved?

[racedo]

The cabin crew are the people who check your boarding card at the gate so don't expect a gate agent. Ryanair won't pay for one. Not a criticism, it usually works OK but I'm afraid them's the breaks!

An airport based member of staff will always be present at the Gate as otherwise who hands across the details as to number of passengers who have checked in and gone through security for flight.

[lfc84]

The cabin crew are the people who check your boarding card at the gate so don't expect a gate agent. Ryanair won't pay for one. Not a criticism, it usually works OK but I'm afraid them's the breaks!

An airport based member of staff will always be present at the Gate as otherwise who hands across the details as to number of passengers who have checked in and gone through security for flight.

unless the gate agent had a sex change or a face and body transplant, then i can confirm that in my experiences the gate agent was NOT cabin crew :}

[FR-]

Hmm no gate agent? And Fr dont pay for gate agents. Oh really . . . I do love it when people come on here and comment about Ryanair who actually have no idea what so ever. Dublin has the dispatcher and cabin crew and other ramp agents/dispatchers. But all other airports have gate staff.

[Dinis1970]

Looks like you do not fly a lot around!
In all airports I have flown with Ryanair (and it were quite some, outside England), there is always a gate agent working for the respective RYR Handling Agent at the respective airport!

[lfc84]

Its quite simple....the gate was displayed on the screens in LPA. The inbound aircraft hadn't arrived. Nonetheless, people queued at the gate.

No gate agent anywhere to be seen until the aircraft was just about to arrive on stand (90 mins late).

We then departed through the same gate that everyone had queued at.

Gate agent wasn't cabin crew.

[airnoc]

Hi Any news on a new base in europe seem that he still reducing the number of aircrafts in Ireland http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/infopop/icons/icon9.gif

[Jamie2k9]

Last Jan Ryanair announced cuts to there DUB based a/c and routes. They said that there would only be 15 bases aircraft for summer 2010 but they had 18 based. Ryanair's bark is worse than there bite. In regards to there winter cuts at DUB the main reason for these cuts is because of new European bases opening. A number of routes which were operated by DUB bases a/c last winter are not this winter because of a number of new bases and cuts to UK bases.

Leeds/Bradford - Mainly Leeds a/c this winter. (no base winter 09)
Birmingham - Mainly Birmingham a/c this winter (mostly DUB a/c winter 09)
Edinburgh - Mainly Edinburgh a/c this winter (mostly DUB a/c winter 09)
Bristol - All Bristol a/c this winter (all DUB a/c winter 09)
Faro - All Faro a/c this winter (no base winter 09)
Kaunas - All Kaunas a/c this winter (no base winter 09)
Alicante - Mainly Alicante a/c this winter (all DUB a/c winter 09)
Stockholm - All Stockholm a/c this winter (all DUB a/c winter 09)
Brussels - More Brussels a/c this winter (some DUB a/c winter 09)
Glasgow - All Glasgow a/c this winter (some DUB a/c winter 09)

[eu01]

Looks as if a batch of new routes is about to be announced tomorrow (22.09.). FR organizes simultaneous press conferences in Spain, Italy, Poland (where else?). Besides, in Dublin will be held the annual general meeting of Ryanair Holdings (the same day).

[Jamie2k9]

Bydgoszcz Airport in Poland have been in talks with Ryanair about new routes to Italy and Spain. It may even be a base in Krakow which is long overdue.

Ryanair want to open a base Lamezia Airport in Italy. People in the area have been trying to stop it.

Palma in Spain possible new base.

[GnRdL]

In Spain should be announced a new route between BVA-SDR.

AMPL Santander contará con una conexión de Ryanair con París - 20minutos.es (http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/820127/0/)

[james170969]

I wonder if the routes to and from Ostend will be announced tomorrow.

[GnRdL]

Beauvais (BVA) - Santander (SDR) + Beauvais (BVA) - Krakow (KRK)?

[markch2000]

Here is my view on Ryanair over the next couple of years....

With the recession ending those who had shifted from legacy carriers to LCC are going to start moving back.

Obviously Ryanair would not want that, so they are going to move into "larger" airports, such as the recent move to Barcelona El Prat.

This will allow them to more directly compete with the legacy carriers on the same routes. This will mean those comparing Ryanair with BA or even easyJet are going to consider sticking with Ryanair based on cost whereas before the additional cost of getting to a more remote airport would have been a large negative factor for Ryanair.

I can also see discussions about Aer Lingus in press conferences today after their decision to stop their LCC services and focus on full service again. Surely the decision to move back to full service is showing weakness within the airline, and may allow Ryanair to prove to the EU that buying them out would benefit the Irish and European population

[pee]

Beauvais (BVA) - Santander (SDR) + Beauvais (BVA) - Krakow (KRK)?
Beauvais (BVA) - Göteborg (GSE) as well

[F14]

Interesting thoughts, but recession hasn't started yet in the UK and the Republic of Ireland still has a long way to go. Remember £200,000,000,000 of funny money was printed to win an election and kick the can further down the road.

Aer Lingus has dropped LCC because it couldn't compete against the Ryanair cost base, even after a small amount of restructuring and general blood letting. Also Ryanair is a very large share holder in Aer Lingus and therefore both companies would benefit from having different customer types.

Today is the AGM, so hopefully some news later on the strategic direction of Ryanair. Lots of mixed messages in the press recently, I think the one that has most credibility is the need to buy more aircraft and the expansion in new markets (Morocco, Cyprus, Greece and Turkey).

edited due to incorrect reference

[Stevek]

Interesting thoughts, but recession hasn't started yet in the UK and in Eire still has a long way to go. Remember £200,000,000,000 of funny money was printed to win an election and kick the can further down the road.

Just to let you know its spelt Éire not Eire. As well as that since you comments are written in English not Irish the correct name of the country is Ireland. :rolleyes:

Not much to report from the AGM. In 2011 an expected 10%-15% growth to EUR350 million to EUR375 million. Passengers numbers should grow at about the same rate. O'Leary thinks that the issue of a CEO will become more important as growth continues to slow.

A document has been sent to the Irish Government detailing how to fix the tourism crisis. The usual suggestions about DAA and the travel tax were discussed as well. You'd think the government would listen as extra 20 aircraft and 6m passengers over five years would be attracted to the country.

He also discussed the German travel tax, admitting that aircraft will be moved to airports where this tax does not exist.

[F14]

Sorry Steve I stand corrected on the Eire point.

[pee]

Just to let you know its spelt Éire not Eire.
Remember, we are in the Ryanair thread right now. Just try to enter a simple Finnish name like Äijö or Hämäläinen to FR booking system. Even worse, try Polish or Czech names with their ś ć ż ź ł š č and so on. The system probably won't accept them. So, what are we talking about here.

[Stevek]

Remember, we are in the Ryanair thread right now. Just try to enter a simple Finnish name like Äijö or Hämäläinen to FR booking system. Even worse, try Polish or Czech names with their ś ć ż ź ł š č and so on. The system probably won't accept them. So, what are we talking about here.

We don't refer to Germany as Deutschland, Hungary as Magyar or Finland as Sumoi and so on; because the thread is in English. So why refer to Ireland as Eire, which isn't even the correct spelling. Éire is the official name of the country in Irish and Ireland is the official name in English.