Ryanair - 9

[james170969]

I'm not a huge fan of MOL but in all honesty, Ryanair is the most reliable and punctual airline I've flown with. Since 1995 I think I've only experienced 3 or 4 delays. Or have I just been very lucky?

[Capetonian]

Have Ryanair's customers finally snapped? ? Telegraph Blogs (http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/stevehawkes/100243047/have-ryanairs-customers-finally-snapped/)

Ironically, if Ryanair really is being sincere, and really does mean to change its approach to customers, it's an admission that something has gone wrong. And it could take some time to put things right...........

Whether Ryanair really is turning over a new leaf is yet to be seen. Being obnoxious has worked a treat for years to reinforce the core message of being cheap.
But if Ryanair's customers have got bored and are beginning to head elsewhere, simply being nice may not be enough to win them back.

[Based]

God Capetonian move on would you. You're never going to be a fan of Ryanair no matter what they do, that's fine but why keep wasting energy over it?

[Capetonian]

Do yourself a favour and put me on your ignore list. Don't try to prevent others from expressing their views, nobody forces you to read them .

You're never going to be a fan of Ryanair no matter what they do
Very astute of you to observe that.

[Conspiracy Theories]

Hi guys, not sure if this is correct forum but heard different stories of a particular airline that bumped and american 767 at barcelona and despite being told, the pilot decided to carry on flight and didnt ecen let the 767 know.

Dont want to go too much into the story but can anyone shed some more info?
What happened to pilot?
Is this story even true

[OutsideCAS]

Not recently.....

Accident: Ryanair B738 and American B763 at Barcelona on Apr 14th 2011, both aircraft departed despite ground collision and passenger complaints (http://avherald.com/h?article=45363621)

[Pin Head]

Only Ryanair.

[Agaricus bisporus]

Only years old......yawn.....

[captplaystation]

I am the 1st to criticise my old employer (when justified, and it isn't always) but. . . . FFS , pls chx your info before posting . :rolleyes:

Conspiracy Theories. . . . . . Er, challenged & then proven/disproven, a little late for theories methinks.



BTW, WTF is this doing in "Terms & Endearment" :=

[Journey Man]

A 'group of pilots' week be having a meeting with the press soon. Apparently this is not allowed and Pprune is censoring all commentary. This could be huge given the issues which beset our industry.

[DutchExpat]

No sh@&""t no comment allowed on the event of the 29th on this forum?
That would be very strange as company the meeting is about does not acknowledges the existence of the party that is holding the event mmmmmmm

[Journey Man]

Why the censorship of discussing the upcoming event?

[captplaystation]

Which event ? could I suggest (if required) a re-posting on Jet Blast , or perhaps on "Spotters Corner"/ " Gardening weekly" or indeed any of the other forums used to divert "politically sensitive/Ryanair" issues which beset us from time to time.

[Journey Man]

Whether the company acknowledges the group or not is irrelevant - its a significant milestone for a huge amount of pilots and an impartial pilot forum would recognise that.

[Don_Apron]

Another nail, for free speech.

I would hope said pilots are ready for retirement. If they aren't they may need to be.

As pilots never have and never will stick together, there will always be individuals to replace them.

[Journey Man]

So the group of pilots employed by a company that has redefined the appropriate remuneration of an entire industry in Europe, finally find their feet and it should be in "Gardener's Corner"?

Very glib.

[go around flaps15]

That's rich coming from a Thomson driver. Not exactly whiter than white when it comes to serious incidents.

[Fairdealfrank]

FR losing (or about to lose) market share to U2 by any chance?

[Conspiracy Theories]

Captplaystation......sorry, i wasnt sure were to post but feel free to let moderator know that it shouldnt be in this title.

I was just curious about it and wanted to know if it was rumour or true. Thanks again buddy

[racedo]

FR losing (or about to lose) market share to U2 by any chance?

Define what Market share..............

Reason for asking is EU industry is so vast that trying to define losing market share then you need to define exactly where.

[Fairdealfrank]

Define what Market share..............

Reason for asking is EU industry is so vast that trying to define losing market share then you need to define exactly where.


Was thinking perhaps:
(1) FR pax may be getting hacked off with the unreasonably high extra charges and aggravation on FR, so considering other carriers instead;
(2) the perception of extra charges and aggravation plus bad customer service may be driving new users to choose other carriers instead even if the fare is higher;
(3) U2 going after new types of pax, e.g. business pax rather than just leisure pax.

Mention U2 primarily as the only other comparable carrier in size, number of pax carried and routes/destinations.

Also ask the question because it appears to be a remarkable change of attitude from the top of the FR management.

[racedo]

Also ask the question because it appears to be a remarkable change of attitude from the top of the FR management.

MO'L said 5-6 years ago when he was asked of retirement that when he left FR, assumming it was 2011-13 (ish) they would get someone who was a different person from him and a different direction from him. Realising that doing anything different he would probably be bored out of his brains he did it now.

No idea of the stats for checkin fees etc for forgetting tickets and baggage but have said before on here I doubt it is that significant.

Judging by amount of column inches given to it in media you would assumme 10,000 people a day.........when it becomes more of a hassle than its worth then change it. 99% plus of people now checkin and print at home. Think saving of eliminating desks at every airport and then ask was it worth it.

[racedo]

Was thinking perhaps:
(1) FR pax may be getting hacked off with the unreasonably high extra charges and aggravation on FR, so considering other carriers instead;
(2) the perception of extra charges and aggravation plus bad customer service may be driving new users to choose other carriers instead even if the fare is higher;
(3) U2 going after new types of pax, e.g. business pax rather than just leisure pax.

Think majority of people 99% know how to use the system to minimise cost...........perception of extra cost rather than reality has an impact.

As someone pointed out for August the number of actual cancellations across whole network was in single figures.

Most friends who fly more interested in getting there, when its said they will, no delays at aiports or strikes by staff but customers change.

[EI-A330-300]

Its being a long time since fares for 5.99 were available between Dublin and the UK (MAN and BHX). 50% less than a few weeks ago.

[Fairdealfrank]

On the other hand, if FR is still carrying more pax to/from more places than the others, there's no need to change.

Unless the status quo is likely to change, and conditions in the future ("going forward" in politician-speak) are likely to be less favourable for FR.

[racedo]

On the other hand, if FR is still carrying more pax to/from more places than the others, there's no need to change.

Unless the status quo is likely to change, and conditions in the future ("going forward" in politician-speak) are likely to be less favourable for FR.

US commentator once said "a Shark that stops swimming is same as a Goldfish in a bowl doing the same thing.................i.e. it's just a dead fish."

FR and pretty much every airline changes every single day, some things are small that never register some a bit more but they all change.

Record number of passengers / record profits and a huge 175 aircraft order for the future........changing when you are successful is when you should change.

[Captain Kerthorse]

Hi Folks, any info on an on-going faff with FR6618 off EDI 1425 to Poznan. Was heavily delayed and has has just taxied back to stand again.

[kick the tires]

RYANAIR BOARDING PASS FINE ILLEGAL | Spain | Leader - News, Sport, Spanish Property, Advertising, Classifieds - Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol, Costa Calida, Costa de Almeria, Spain (http://www.theleader.info/article/41173/spain/national/ryanair-boarding-pass-fine-illegal/)

I guess the love affair never really started!

Open the floodgates ......

[Captaintcas]

What Ryanair does is called extortion.
Ryanair are thieves, robbers and conmen all at once looking from a passenger perspective.

[Capetonian]

Careful now, you'll have Ryanair's PR manager (aka Racedo) coming along just now to smack you on the wrist.

[vulcanised]

.......and then offer to tarmac your drive.....

[Bearcat]

Ha ha.....lol

[Duchess_Driver]

Sorry, but you click the button to say you agree to the T's and C's... If you can't be bothered to read them before clicking, or ignore what it says then I'm sorry to say that it's a fair cop.

No problem with RYR but no big fan either but use them. If you play the game then it does what it says on the tin. If you don't enjoy the experience, vote with your feet. However, it seems there are millions who do!

[Sunnyjohn]

I guess the love affair never really started! . . . except that I do not see Spain throwing out Ryanair because they need the tourists. They are fighting Ryanair's internal Spanish flights by undercutting their air fares with their high speed train fares. But they need the flights from elsewhere to bring in the tourists. Ryanair and the Spanish Government are playing a permanent game of double-bluff. And we don't get to hear about the done-deals under the table.

[Capetonian]

If you don't enjoy the experience, vote with your feet. However, it seems there are millions who do!
No, there are millions (80m. a year apparently) who travel with FR because they are dirt cheap (pun intended) and offer service over routes not served by other carriers. That does not mean by any stretch of the imagination that 80 million people a year enjoy it, that would be like saying a million drivers a day enjoy the M25.

Sorry, but you click the button to say you agree to the T's and C's... If you can't be bothered to read them before clicking, or ignore what it says then I'm sorry to say that it's a fair cop.
In theory I agree with you. In practice, when FR extorted £160 from an elderly couple who had printed their boarding passes, but had then folded them across the bar code rendering them, according to the check in person, illegible, then that's not a fair cop.

[racedo]

Careful now, you'll have Ryanair's PR manager (aka Racedo) coming along just now to smack you on the wrist.

As per usual personal digs.....................Cape is true to form.

[davidjohnson6]

In theory, I can draw up a contract with various clauses which essentially amount to extortion if you fail to comply with my requirements. If you then break one of those conditions, I could then demand that you pay me lots of money.

In some cases, it's possible that you wish to keep the whole matter private and are willing to just give me the money so that I go away - but this is only if it's either embarassing for you to disclose the matter publicly, or we have some sort of ongoing commercial relationship.

Alternatively, you might instead claim that the T&C was an unfair contract that breached the laws of the relevant country and challenge my contract in court. While I have no specific knowledge of Spanish law, a country with a well developed legal system usually has some sort of rules governing what form of contracts are and are not valid. It is entirely possible that a judge anywhere in the EU can rule that a "pay 70 euros for boarding card reissue" clause is unfair and void it from the rest of the contract.

With regards to Spain needing Ryanair to bring tourists, this is true. However, it's the executive branch of Govt that needs tourists and holds power by virtue of elections every few years. The judiciary does not campaign for votes, does not hold the purse strings of tax revenues, cannot create new laws and does not have to worry particularly about the economy or unemployment. In an EU democracy, judges and the judiciary typically will not accept much interference from politicians. However much Spain needs Ryanair to boost the economy, a judge will be concerned only with existing laws and the Ryanair contract - to think otherwise suggests democracy in Spain is weaker than it claims

[FRatSTN]

the Recaptcha on the FR website has now gone for individual bookings!!

It was supposed to be removed on Friday, but have removed it this evening.

Recaptcha Scrapped On Ryanair.Com (For Individual Bookings) (http://www.ryanair.com/en/news/recaptcha-scrapped-on-ryanair-com-for-individual-bookings)

We can once again start to enjoy using the FR website again, that's until that is changed too in 2 weeks time

[Capetonian]

That's definitely going to convert me into a Ryanair fan!

[5711N0205W]

The removal of the RECAPTCHA security feature will speed up and simplify bookings with Ryanair, and is the latest in a number of significant customer service improvements planned in what is already Europe’s No.1 customer service airline.

Seriously? :ugh::ugh:

[CCFAIRPORT]

3 new routes from KNOCK WEST IRELAND / All Starts April 2014

Eindhoven
Glasgow-Prestwick
Kaunas

Ryanair Announces 3 New Knock Routes From April 2014 (http://www.ryanair.com/ie/news/ryanair-announces-3-new-knock-routes-from-april-2014)

[Skipness One Echo]

but IMO he fell into the trap of believing his own propaganda,
He's actually quoted saying this day would come in Siobhan Creaton's book on Ryanair. he never claimed to believe this was a long term strategy but it would get them so far on the onus that "all publicity is good publicity". That day may well have come, though in fairness it HAS taken them a long way without adding in too many costs like, er basic marketing and something called "customer service".

[Noxegon]

I can't help but notice that the last few press conferences have not featured MOL.

Separately, Knock to Kaunas? Can't wait to see how well that one does!

[racedo]

I can't help but notice that the last few press conferences have not featured MOL.


Get real..................couple of routes from Knock doesn't really warrant MOL does it.

Course benefit at Knock is that he would get home early for wife and kids, bathtime, bedtime stories etc etc................hmm maybe he not daft after all.

Given route lauches at Airports are a frequent occurence then having him at every airport kind of defeats his job when he can send others.

[racedo]

He's actually quoted saying this day would come in Siobhan Creaton's book on Ryanair. he never claimed to believe this was a long term strategy but it would get them so far on the onus that "all publicity is good publicity". That day may well have come, though in fairness it HAS taken them a long way without adding in too many costs like, er basic marketing and something called "customer service".

Many companies spend a fortune on Marketing because they get a consultancy who tells them they should spend a fortune on it. It then becomes a self propogating black hole where are reduction is lambasted as negative. Always feel Marketing Depts are the tail wagging the dog.

[Sober Lark]

I think their marketing department are doing a great job. I especially like their one way auf Wiedersehen fares on selected routes out of Dublin on Dec 15th.

[Noxegon]

Get real..................couple of routes from Knock doesn't really warrant MOL does it.

What, you mean like in 2011, when four routes were announced?

Michael O Leary Launching new services from Ireland West Knock November 2011 - YouTube

Or perhaps in 2009, when only one route was announced?

Liam Scollan And Michael O'Leary Announce Ryanair's New Knock - Luton Route | Keith Heneghan / Phocus (http://keithheneghanphoto.photoshelter.com/image/I0000STRBO_iFlzk)

[j636]

I can't see MOL missing the daa press conference.

[racedo]

You could also think of timing...................

Whats happening on Monday ?

[MANTHRUST]

I'm going shopping with the Mrs.
Is something else happening?

[RAT 5]

He's actually quoted saying this day would come in Siobhan Creaton's book on Ryanair. he never claimed to believe this was a long term strategy but it would get them so far on the onus that "all publicity is good publicity". That day may well have come, though in fairness it HAS taken them a long way without adding in too many costs like, er basic marketing and something called "customer service".

When Airline started the folks at easyjet had the same nervous thoughts. TV wanted controversy, ez wanted publicity. In the end both seemed happy with what they got. They also believed that the easyjet name was in front of 8m people every program, and not all was negative.

RYR has not had TV, but it has had publicity by the truck loads. They believed it would be profitable, overall. I wonder if their publicised reaction to RPG will turn out to be other than negative. The more noise they make against it the more ammunition is given to RPG. It will depend on how RPG handle the PR of their campaign; but this might become a case where 'all publicity is good publicity' might not hold true anymore for RYR.

[apaul]

Allocated seating from 1 February. Surprised about that U-turn.

[brian_dromey]

From the FR results
3. Allocated Seating
Ryanair is pleased to announce in today’s results that it will from 1 Feb 2014 move to fully allocated seating on all Ryanair flights, making the boarding process smoother, and enabling families or other groups to ensure that they sit together. Passengers will still be able to choose our popular reserved seating service (select front row or over-wing seats), or alternatively select seats elsewhere on the aircraft, as long as they check-in more than 24 hours prior to the date of departure. All passengers who don’t wish to pay a small fee (€5) to select their preferred seats will be allocated seats during the 24 hours prior to the date of scheduled departure. This return to allocated seating is Ryanair’s response to the enormous demand from our customers in recent weeks via Ryanair’s “Tell MOL” customer feedback initiative. Ryanair’s decision to launch fully allocated seating is also part of the airline’s commitment to listen to its customers, and improve its industry leading customer service which comprises Europe’s lowest air fares, most on-time flights, fewest lost bags, and fewest customer complaints.

http://www.ryanair.com/doc/investor/2014/q2_2014_result_doc.pdf

A very positive improvement. I hope this leads to a redesign of the boarding process as well, with the middle of the aircraft boarding first, otherwise boarding is going to be a nightmare. Other than the yellow seats FR will now be pretty pleasant.

[Surreyman]

If they also get rid of the recorded audio adverts, I might start using them again.

[Narrow Runway]

Share price falls 11.5% at current time, a drop of around 70 pence per share.

[ayroplain]

All passengers who don’t wish to pay a small fee (€5) to select their preferred seats will be allocated seats during the 24 hours prior to the date of scheduled departure.
If you've checked in online and printed your boarding pass prior to the 24 hours ahead of your flight, when it is time to board how will you know what seat you have been allocated?

[pee]

A convergence case, not the first one (as in biology, psychology, technology, economy or politics).

Waiting for connecting flights now... :8
¨

[Cyrano]

If you've checked in online and printed your boarding pass prior to the 24 hours ahead of your flight, when it is time to board how will you know what seat you have been allocated?

Good question, I've been asking the same thing myself! I have to assume that at the gate they will write the seat number on your boarding pass, or else give you another one. But I can't see how they can do this without considerable extra complexity at boarding. (The promised smartphone boarding passes will already require barcode scanners to be installed at the gates.)

[apaul]

Sounds like a dog's dinner unless you take a computer and printer on your travels.

[jdcg]

Would have been more civilised if you didn't have to pay extra (unless choosing overwing or front row etc). Same goes for EZY of course.

[Cyrano]

Would have been more civilised if you didn't have to pay extra (unless choosing overwing or front row etc). Same goes for EZY of course.

Right, so you are saying "it would have been more civilised if Ryanair had passed up an opportunity to charge for something that people will pay for, and chose to give it away for free instead." :rolleyes:

[apaul]

EasyJet will randomly allocate you a seat 30 days in advance. That's a bit more convenient than Ryanair's 24 hours.

[ssflyer]

The very rushed press release does not make it clear.
So
1. Many pax will have already paid for their flights for 2014, some will also have paid for Priority Boarding. If this is scrapped, by law FR will have to refund them the charge for a "non existent service"
Will they,and how? If it was me in charge I would give them a f&b voucher to use on board rather than refund CC's
2. Similarly, those pax may have prepaid for specific seat/rows together with PB (no option). Do you think that those pax will now be treated as PB or do you think all of the signage indicated the split queue will be scrapped?
SSF

[PAXboy]

With regards to removing the Recaptcha, I do admire their attempted spin (from the FR website)
Ryanair’s Robin Kiely said:

“Ryanair is continually improving our customer service and today’s removal of RECAPTCHA on our Ryanair.com website, will further improve the usability of Ryanair.com for our 81m passengers – and make booking our low-fare flights even easier and quicker!"

Ah yes, nothing like improving the site that you originally made worse. :p

[pee]

EasyJet will randomly allocate you a seat 30 days in advance. That's a bit more convenient than Ryanair's 24 hours.
A bit complicated anyway. The pax will be able to print his/her boarding pass two weeks before the travel without the seat allocated on it? So how the "unallocated" traveller will be able to determine his seat at the airport? Something is missing here.

[brian_dromey]

The new boarding process has yet to be confirmed. I don't think Priority Boarding will go away. easyJet still have Speedy Boarding and assigned seating. The easyJet Speedy Boarding product is actually quite good. For £10 you get priority check-in (great on Ski flights, or early morning flights where there is a lot of checked-in luggage), priority boarding and an exit seat. The Ryanair version is similarly priced.

[LGS6753]

From Travel Mole:

Passengers up, prices down at Ryanair (http://www.travelmole.com/news_feature.php?c=setreg&region=2&m_id=s~T_mdT_Y!&w_id=9431&news_id=2008871)

[eu01]

From the business news we learned today about the second profit-warning given by Ryanair in a short timeRyanair was down by nearly 13% in Dublin after it said its profits for the year to March 31 may dip to as low as 500 million euro (£423.3 million), from the 569 million euro achieved a year earlier.In June 2009 I wrote here:
Despite the drop in demand it has inflicted, the present economical crisis has given Ryanair and its cheap-fares model some additional time. The dramatic drop in fuel prices has made ”free-flights” viable once again, that's what folks are waiting for, presumably. At least for a while it will be possible to continue that way, to break-even next year or so, but in a longer run it's a very short-sighted policy.

(...)This additional time could and should have been used by FR to re-think and re-shape its business model. The "given" time could have been used to create a new approach to customers, to gain some independence from the ”buy because it is cheap” policy.

For many years, Ryanair has rejected any need to create a better brand, to attract other customers than the most sparing and stingy ones. As if it didn't matter that people could buy flights not only due to their cheapness, as if it was unthinkable that somebody could choose Ryanair just to get the most suitable connections with them. Instead, Ryanair has educated many people how NOT to pay for flights, how to AVOID charges, how to be SMARTER than FR want pax to behave.

Well, it's really funny to be able to get something for free from time to time, everybody likes it. But to make it possible, one has to care for those who actually want to PAY, it's not very wise to neglect them.

Thus, while many airlines pray for the end of the economical crisis, I'm not sure if it brings the solution to Ryanair's problems. Once the fuel prices are sky-high once again, FR will not be in a position to offer many free flights without further loss of the profitability. To cope with such a scenario, they should have already introduced some diversification of their offer, should have made in-depth analysis and should have created a different, consumer-centered system. As nothing happened yet, I dare to say FR is losing this relief time brought by the crisis. They simply do not see any need for change, bad for them, I'd say. Now they seem to have noticed the need for changes, eventually. Could have started much earlier, if you ask me.

[racedo]

Disappointing results................if making €600 million can ever be disappointing.

Bearing in mind Norwegian and Aer Lingus also flagged issue on competition across winter / early spring. It comes to whether consumers are holding back further as the recovery seems further away or reacting against the real inflation they suffering vs what Govt are stating with little or no income increases.

Good news for consumers as price will again become a driver though doubt 1p fares will return :(

[racedo]

Now they seem to have noticed the need for changes, eventually. Could have started much earlier, if you ask me.

Possibly but reckon they made €2 billion plus since then............

[eu01]

Possibly but reckon they made €2 billion plus since then............
Okay, let's try to be more positive. Could have made €4 billion since...;)

In reality, even FR is unable to calculate how many millions might have cost them reCapcha, for example. Not the royalties, just in terms of revenues lost by scaring away some (inpatient) customers. Similarly, it's hard to assess the long-term effects of advertising the 1 euro tickets prices without showing the additional fees and charges. Yes, it's an old way, now the final rate is being shown, but people do remember old things. Once disappointed by finally having to pay for "1 euro ticket" maybe some 30 euro more (several years ago), they still think: Oh, tickets for €20? Let's add the (memorized) €30, it'll be 50 euro one way. Not true anymore, but that's how many pax recall the booking process experienced at the time.

[PAXboy]

eu01... even FR is unable to calculate how many millions might have cost them reCapcha,Except that (when I used it) each image was of a commercial partner. Earlier this year when having to make a booking with FR (as I had to accompany some friends) I saw that I had to type the name of a well known car hire company.

It did not make me cross - it made me laugh at the ingenuity of MoL's people to compel me to read and type the name of a company who must have been giving them money!

My views of FR have not changed. Almost everything they do impressme. There is nothing they can do to persuade me to use them unless friends compel me.

[racedo]

Okay, let's try to be more positive. Could have made €4 billion since...http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/wink2.gif

.

Doubtful because capacity is the ultimate constraint.


.
In reality, even FR is unable to calculate how many millions might have cost them reCapcha, for example. Not the royalties, just in terms of revenues lost by scaring away some (inpatient) customers. Similarly, it's hard to assess the long-term effects of advertising the 1 euro tickets prices without showing the additional fees and charges. Yes, it's an old way, now the final rate is being shown, but people do remember old things. Once disappointed by finally having to pay for "1 euro ticket" maybe some 30 euro more (several years ago), they still think: Oh, tickets for €20? Let's add the (memorized) €30, it'll be 50 euro one way. Not true anymore, but that's how many pax recall the booking process experienced at the time.

If the fare is low enough people will overcome whatever is required to get it.

People give more credence to consumers' intelligence and memory than is evident in reality.

If people were so intelligent and savy then no politician would ever get re-elected.

If consumers were that Intelligent in general then why did so many get taken in by PPI salesmen, timeshares while on holidays, energy company prices, mobile phone contracts etc etc.

[Jamie2k9]

Its simple what will happen, you won't be allowed to check in/print boarding cards before you have a seat number, so pay the costs of wait until 24hrs before departure and receive the seat number.

Priority boarding will be kept also.

[pee]

While there are reasons to believe that FR routes between Scandinavia and Spain are profitable for the carrier, the asymmetry between the Swedes and Spaniards travelling is questioning the soundness of the marketing support given by Swedish tourist board.
Barcelona residents are uninterested in Sweden. At least southern Sweden.

Despite a push by the Kalmar tourist board to draw in more travellers on Ryanair's new flight path between Barcelona Girona and Kalmar, only 300 Spanish tourists have made the trip over the season's 64 flights.

All this despite the fact that even Spain has been in on the game, trying to push Kalmar and the surrounding region as a tourist destination worth visiting.

... But the Spaniards didn't bite.

On average, each flight has had only five Spanish people heading to southern Sweden, a loss of 2,000 kronor ($305) per tourist
From thelocal.se (http://www.thelocal.se/20131105/barcelona-not-interested-in-southern-sweden)

To support or not, that's the question. Who should, for what and for whom. Not the only case, apparently (e.g Lappeenranta / tourism to/from Russia).

[lexoncd]

People give more credence to consumers' intelligence and memory than is evident in reality.

I think most business leaders now are aware of the "Ratner" incident and in more recent times looking at the Starbucks tax issue and re thinking their strategy.

Reality is if Ryanair had it right then why change?

The fact is that when you look at a fare rightly or wrongly many people are subconsciously add £50 or so to cover "extras"

The approach to eu261 delays and assistance is laughable despite charging a levy of €2.50 equal to in excess of £160 million a year. Worse still the reality that so few flights are delayed or cancelled is lost in the media and the public again think "Oh no what if it happened to me"

The boarding scrum has its advantages for the airline but not if you're a family of four on a longer flight to Tenerife.

The website and Captcha.... enough said

etc etc

But looking at the changes they've already announced and Imagine if Ryanair said Ok from now on.. any flight that is cancelled we will automatically hand out £50 pre paid cashline cards...No quibbles no questions and follow through on other changes that in the words of MOL "P**S people off" then I think they will keep their loyal fly at the lowest price passengers but retain and grow that segment of the market that is attracted to the likes of Easyjet, Jet2, Norwegian

[Sober Lark]

A school of wildly excited Sardines in a frenzy grab the bait of a low fare. However, when they arrive at the gate they like to be treated as Salmon. Customer expectation is a very tight line to walk.

[Rufust90]

Is anybody else having difficulty booking tickets with ryanair since they changed the website? I tried twice today on two different computers and it froze up each time half way through the booking. Its really annoying. :mad:

[McBruce]

Strategic lawsuit against public participation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_lawsuit_against_public_participation)

[Sober Lark]

Which approach is more effective?

Ryanair's getting a person to retract the statement or the unmentionable Middle Eastern Airline on here that won't even let its name be mentioned?

[Rufust90]

I tried booking again this morning using a different browser and it froze on the paymnent page :ugh:, now I don't know whether I've been charged or not or if the sale has gone through. I havent received an email saying its gone through but is there any way to find out for sure without having to ring a premium rate number?
I might be going out on a limb here but I think I preferred the old website.

[racedo]

I have had more than my fair share of disagreements with ASFKAP over the last number of years on here, reading what he has now posted I sadly see nobody winning in it.

Good luck Peter in whatever you do.

[pee]

@Rufust90.
Did you try Manage My Booking (https://www.bookryanair.com/SkySales/Booking.aspx?culture=en-gb&lc=en-gb#ManageBooking)?

[LGS6753]

'Ryanair took pleasure in irritating customers' - Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/10443357/Ryanair-took-pleasure-in-irritating-customers.html)

[Noxegon]

Ryanair denies 'harsh' treatment of senior pilot - Independent.ie (http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/ryanair-denies-harsh-treatment-of-senior-pilot-29745822.html)

Michael O?Leary urged pilot to withdraw his resignation - Independent.ie (http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/michael-oleary-urged-pilot-to-withdraw-his-resignation-29748170.html)

[racedo]

Ryanair denies 'harsh' treatment of senior pilot - Independent.ie (http://apicdn.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=1e857e7500cdd32403f752206c297a3d&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pprune.org%2Fairlines-airports-routes%2F496656-ryanair-9-a-81.html&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.ie%2Firish-news%2Fcourts%2Fryanair-denies-harsh-treatment-of-senior-pilot-29745822.html&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pprune.org%2Fairlines-airports-routes-85%2F)

Michael O?Leary urged pilot to withdraw his resignation - Independent.ie (http://apicdn.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=1e857e7500cdd32403f752206c297a3d&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pprune.org%2Fairlines-airports-routes%2F496656-ryanair-9-a-81.html&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.independent.ie%2Fbusiness%2Firish%2Fmic hael-oleary-urged-pilot-to-withdraw-his-resignation-29748170.html&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pprune.org%2Fairlines-airports-routes-85%2F)


Difficult one because understand reaction of being transferred from France to Lithuania. Not requesting a base sounds like a faux pas and something you would expect someone to do or check on. Especially when rest of colleagues would have been doing it. Did he not talk with any colleagues ?

Getting CEO asking you not to resign, while not explicity saying it because that brings its own issues, there appears to be a suggestion that he would be out of Kaunas within 3-4 months. No written guarantees but take somebody at their word.

It doesn't sound like Pilot was someone that Ryanair had any desire to lose but more like a series of screwups that could probably have worked out for him had he stayed.

[davidjohnson6]

If a High Court judge can publicly criticise MOL for lying to a Govt minister, why should an employee rely on a verbal assurance ?

Judge criticises Michael O'Leary for lying - RTÉ News (http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0326/129233-ryanair/)

[Hangar6]

In all fairness no one ever has accused MOL of telling the truth and I think it
Unwise on this forum to make such unfair and baseless statements

However there is a commitment going forward .....:oh:

[racedo]

If a High Court judge can publicly criticise MOL for lying to a Govt minister, why should an employee rely on a verbal assurance ?


Well Pilot had a previous grievance and met MOL, relying on what has been already stated and not questioned by his side.
Clearly it had been resolved, assume he wouldn't have been still there if still unhappy with result and MOL wrote to him so it would suggest no bad feeling on his part.
No reason for CEO to have written to him and said it if was never going to happen..........don't write anything at all if planning to do nothing.

[LBIA]

Ryanair just reported news of a big announcement from Dublin shortly.

[lfc84]

9 new Dublin routes: Almeria Bari Basel Bucharest Chania Comiso Lisbon Marrakesh & Prague and additional flights on 8 existing services from April

[pee]

^^ Prague? Didn't they stop flying to Prague?

[RAT 5]

"and when it's on the auto scan scales ( bar code reader) if it's over weight it prints you an invoce to go and pay at the ticket desk or soon to be introduced at bag drop, no people no arguments "

And also no human discretion! What irks me about this future is who's to say the accuracy of the airline scales? How often are they checked; what is the tolerance? I use my scales at home- same questions. If the agents are taking a slice of the excess baggage, or if the airline is adding this significant amount to their profits, then discretion will be as rare as a truthful politician. With the drive towards hand baggage only travel this is a minefield. In my local baggage shop there is a list of airline's weight and size allowances. There are very few standard IATA (now why is that?) and the spectrum is so varied. Some have 7kgs, some 5kgs some 10kgs and some unlimited weight only size. All sell single tickets. Way out with one, way back with another. What a nightmare.
That little discretion over 1.5kgs is a customer service thing and best served y a human. I once tried to argue the toss over 2kgs on a 20kg baggage allowance on the basis of a 10% tolerance in the scales. It was like talking to a martian, but charm worked. The computer said 22kgs so that is what is was. Then I started the rummaging and rearranging. Out came some stuff, back on the scales, 20kgs, then the stuff went back in. Only a sensible human could have allowed that.
In this world there is already enough dealing with electronic voices and virtual customer service agents, voice menus that go on for minutes that take you to another R2 D2 type person. Please: no more.

[boyzinblue]

So FR did no new deal with Kerry or Cork?

[Fairdealfrank]

Despite all the bad publicity, the punters keep buying. Perhaps there is some truth in the old adage that there's no such thing as bad publicity.

Continued use of the FR services in such large numbers must suggest a certain level of satisfaction (or money's worth), and carrying so many millions of pax around Europe implies that not all are first timers.

[kocall]

Is this a first for Ryanair - to fly Switzerland? :D

[CCFAIRPORT]

NEW FR airport Bucharest-Otopeni

Return of Basel and Prague

And 9 new routes from Dublin

Dublin - Almeria
Dublin - Bari
Dublin - Basel
Dublin - Bucharest
Dublin - Chania
Dublin - Comiso
Dublin - Lisbon
Dublin - Marrakesh
Dublin - Prague

[munrobagger]

How common is it for FR to run out of food or drink ?.This happened to a relative on FR6653 AGP-EDI on Tuesday and I have read about it on forums elsewhere . Are planes provisioned at the start of te round trip or at turnround . I have never heard of this on any other carrier ? Perhaps it's a cost saving measure to reduce waste .
Are FR pilots ever instructed to reduce speed to save fuel on last rotation of the day - this flight always used to be early but rarely recently .

[farci]

...And also no human discretion! What irks me about this future is who's to say the accuracy of the airline scales?......and from the good ol' USof A:

Luggage scales: Flying too heavy | The Economist (http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulliver/2013/11/luggage-scales?fsrc=rss)

[fivejuliet]

munrobagger, not rare for a route such as that to run out of food, esp. on last rotation of the day.

[840]

On the subject of luggage scales, I had my bag (with the exact same contents) weighed in DUB and EDI and it came out 0.6kg heavier in EDI.

So they are definitely not that accurate.

It didn't cost me because I was under the limit both times, but it has still made me doubt the readings ever since.

[Capetonian]

Interesting point about the accuracy of scales at airports because I once weighed myself on four adjacent luggage scales and the results were in the range 65-75 kilos. My correct weight clothed at the times was 68, so more or less midrange, but a 10kg variation is worrying.

[LGS6753]

If a charge is levied on the basis of the reading of scales (in the UK at least), those scales have to be calibrated. A complaint to the local trading standards department should bring swift results.
A transaction based on uncalibrated or inaccurate scales could amount to fraud - it's that serious!

[RAT 5]

If a charge is levied on the basis of the reading of scales (in the UK at least), those scales have to be calibrated. A complaint to the local trading standards department should bring swift results.
A transaction based on uncalibrated or inaccurate scales could amount to fraud - it's that serious!

Easy to say, difficult to do. You're at the checkin and a flight to catch. Pay up or go home. You comeback many days later and make your complaint. Evidence? The scales have been at it for many days. How can you prove the point in the past? And how many will bother?

Speed cameras have a buffer. I wonder what the XAA's airport authorities or IATA will say is the standard for scales? I was once told by a checkin lass in Italy that the baggage weight, checked passenger etc. and her name all went into the computer. If the baggage showed over weight (how much?) and there was no corresponding charge, then she had to pay it. No shuffle room; hence the off-load and re-load option if common sense is alive and well that day.

And: I know this is a question to blow in the wind; but will anyone please tell me a good reason why various airlines slice 5cm off the IATA standard cabin bag? Not only that, but 5cm from different lxbxh dimensions. Some allow the full whack; then some 5cm less on width and some on breadth. No wonder there is rage BEFORE the gate. How to make an easy job difficult. And in this day of LoCo single tickets is an unnecessary pain. OK in one direction and not in the other. Grannies must be having heart attacks. Me too. And don't start on the ONE piece only rule being so different between airlines and airports. It's a nightmare. Go by train or ferry.

[confused atco]

Are FR pilots ever instructed to reduce speed to save fuel on last rotation of the day - this flight always used to be early but rarely recently .
Yes.
All sectors not just the last one.

[Sober Lark]

Do I understand you correctly? You are complaining because you expect your flight to arrive ahead of its timetabled time?

Regarding bag weight - I'm sure you could always ask for an overweight bag to be reweighed at another scales. If it is still over weight be prepared to pay or take out some items.

[EI-BUD]

Is this a first for Ryanair - to fly Switzerland?

Kocall, not a first , Ryanair did fly routes to Basel before including ALC and DUB plus a few others....

[Jamie2k9]

Ryanair could be about to fly from one of Europe's busiest airports soon.

[Stevek]

Any hints? :p

[LAX_LHR]

I'm going to put a punt on the airport being Amsterdam.

I'm sure I've seen something written in the past where Ryanair expressed interest in flying to AMS.

Also, Paris is already served via Beauvais/Vatry, Frankfurt via Hahn, Munich via Memminghem, Madrid in its own right and I very much doubt he has got hold of LHR slots!

The issue he will face at AMS however is KLM's dominance, especially on UK routes, and the already quite set in saturation of low cost carriers, namely Easyjet, Transavia and for the UK, flybe and Jet2.

[Jorik]

Ryanair has requested slots at AMS. The documents are here: Stichting Airport Coordination Netherlands - Night slot availability AMS S14 (http://www.slotcoordination.nl/page.asp?tc=allocation-s14). A few days ago, we saw FR flightnrs on the list, but they're not anymore. Besides that, we all know that there is a huge difference is requesting slots, receiving slots and actually using them.

[EI-A330-300]

Ryanair are hiring crew for AMS so it will most likely happen.

AviationJobs.Me Cabin Crew: Cabin Crew Ryanair Amsterdam Netherlands (http://cabincrew.aviationjobs.me/2013/11/cabin-crew-ryanair-amsterdam-netherlands.html)

[davidjohnson6]

Is Lelystad anywhere near capable of hosting a base with maybe 5 737s ? How long would it take to get into a sufficiently capable state ? Scanning the web, it looks to be at least 5 years from being ready to host a FR base, but opinions from someone more familiar with the airport would be welcome.

There was talk a while ago of Ryanair seeking slots at Rotterdam - did anything come of this ?

[vkid]

seems to be a new website. big improvement imo

[sunday8pm]

So AMS routes to and from the UK, any guesses? Are we assuming pretty much every big FR base STN, MAN, EMA, BRS, LPL etc as a given?

[Jorik]

The development of Lelystad to a commercial airport is going to take years and years, even though the government has chosen Lelystad to take over some of the European traffic from AMS. There is very little interest from Dutch airlines like Transavia and Arkefly though...

Besides that, we are the Netherlands you know, each objection is taken way to serious and delays the process terribly. Each municipality surrounding Lelystad has objected to the proposed approach routes. The development is going to happen, but the question is when...

Very surprised with the recruitment advertisement for the supposed AMS base. We have the so called lowcost gates M/H, where EasyJet (and sometimes Norwegian, Transavia, Jet2 etc) arrives. Definitely where Ryanair would start operations as well, but it would be very surprised to start with a base. Things like DUB-AMS, STN-AMS etc could work, 'cause they'll always be cheaper than EZY.

[elle may clampit]

See the Moroccan Govt are to introduce a €9 air tax on departing passengers from April 2014.

So if Ryanair logic regarding the recent depressive impact of a €3 Govt tax on development from DUB carries thru that should see the Marrakesh route announced yesterday dumped before it even starts, surely??

Hope not....

[sunday8pm]

Can ANR still take 737's?

[Jorik]

Ryanair requested slot for the following destinations from AMS:
BGY, BHX, BLQ, BVA, CIA, DUB, EDI, EMA, FEZ, KRK, LIS, LPL, MAD, OPO, STN, TSF and WMI

They are not on the slotlist anymore though..:confused:

[Ramper1]

New website........very similar to the easyJet website.......hmmmmmmm

[The SSK]

Can ANR still take 737's?

I don't think the runway has shortened.
Was always marginal though, I have been on a 737 that diverted from there to BRU in blustery but by no means severe conditions.

[Falcon666]

Ramper1

Your not kidding, just substitute blue for orange and that's it.
Signs of playing catch up I think!

[RAT 5]

See the Moroccan Govt are to introduce a €9 air tax on departing passengers from April 2014.
So if Ryanair logic regarding the recent depressive impact of a €3 Govt tax on development from DUB carries thru that should see the Marrakesh route announced yesterday dumped before it even starts, surely??


Is MAK not a base? If so what is the future? Regarding AMS and the LOCo terminal, I wonder if there is any space. If RYR park on stand at night and can get away at 06.30 then the stand will be free for the early morning arrival. Fitting in the daytime schedules will be a nightmare as there are only about 7 stands and they are very busy with the other LoCo's. Any hiccup in timings and the whole daily on time performance would crash. MOL would be apoplectic. RWY slots are few and I don't see RYR putting up with all the mess of AMS. I know they do MAD & LGW, but were they following ez, and does it really work of them?

It's also curious that they advertise for cabin crew before the advertise for the pilots; or is the thinking that they just post the pilots where and when they want them, no questions asked. I thought the same was true for cabin crew. Curious.

[Rufust90]

@Rufust90.
Did you try Manage My Booking?

Sorry for the delay getting back to you Pee, I've been away.
No I didn't have time to try that, I just contacted my credit card company who confirmed I hadn't been charged and then I just bought the flights with another carrier. I just wasn't sure if the problem was with my computer or theirs so thats why I was asking.
I see they have a new website now so I'll try again next time I'm looking for tickets.

[737aviator]

Didn't that rumour circulate this time last year too, along with an image of a letter from the Irish embassy requesting the overflight permissions?

[FR8364]

A base in Thessaloniki [SKG] will be announced in the coming weeks ;)

Regards.

[eu01]

Returning to Basel, Ryanair will soon announce a second route to the Euro-Airport (in addition to Dublin, already known).

[smythonthehill]

I see Ryanair now have Amsterdam on the interview city application form on Crewlink.ie, sounds like there is some truth in the base there afterall:

http://www.crewlink.ie/en/recruitment-days

[dohouch]

Well like him or hate him, I do both, He never bored us with Business speak.

Click Here Michael O'Leary to step back from spotlight in Ryanair revamp (http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/nov/21/ryanair-michael-oleary-retreat-spotlight)

O'Leary will remain chief executive but remove himself from public frontline after deciding his image is weighing down airline

The Ryanair boss, who has been the face of the budget airline for almost 20 years of extraordinary growth, has decided to remove himself from the public frontline over the next year, admitting: "I'm getting in the way."

Charge of €70 to quote this post

[pee]

Ryanair will commence flying from Dublin to both St. Petersburg and Moscow, probably starting end March already. That's what the Russian press announced today and what seems to be confirmed by the publication on Rosaviatsia web site (http://www.favt.ru/favt_new/sites/default/files/15-4-788.pdf).

[Jack1985]

RYANAIR OPENS 3 NEW ROME DOMESTIC ROUTES, & ALLOCATES 6 AIRCRAFT TO A ROME FIUMICINO BASE RISING TO 12 BASED AIRCRAFT IN SEPT 2014

Ryanair Opens 3 New Rome Domestic Routes, Allocates 6 Aircraft? (http://www.ryanair.com/ie/news/ryanair-opens-3-new-rome-domestic-routes-and-allocates-6-aircraft-to-a-rome-fiumicino-base-rising-to-12-based-aircraft-in-sept-2014)

[The SSK]

The fact that they can't spell Zaventem does not inspire confidence.
(not getting at you Jack, it's the press release that's wrong)

[EI-BUD]

Interesting, FR will commencing flying from FCO on domestic routes in DEC but the flights not yet in the booking engine!!! Maybe I got that wrong?

Things certainly hotting up, as Vueling basing 8 aircraft, easyJet watching on as the other 2 LOCO's come in on strength. Interesting to note the change of language of FR, offering to co-operate with AZ...

[davidjohnson6]

Why would FR move aircraft from Ciampino to Fiumicino ? Are they perhaps being coerced into doing so by either airport management or local Govt ?

Interesting to see routes being announced today for a start date less than a month away - do FR know something about Alitalia being more vulnerable than has been discussed in the press ?

[Tom!]

Apparently the move is to free up space for international routes in CIA.

[peppo_8787]

New bases Catania, Lamezia and Palermo

[racedo]

Why would FR move aircraft from Ciampino to Fiumicino ? Are they perhaps being coerced into doing so by either airport management or local Govt ?

Interesting to see routes being announced today for a start date less than a month away - do FR know something about Alitalia being more vulnerable than has been discussed in the press ?

Pertinent questions DJ as per usual...............

Lots of attempts to shut CIA.........

Alitalia is alledgedly vulnerable so offering a get out may have some comeback elsewhere. If they went TU just before Christmas then limited number of carriers who could step in with aircraft.

Sense that there will be some leased aircraft arriving as peak travel months of July / August there are no spare aircraft, doubt that this has been done without a contingency plan.

[pee]

Interesting to note the change of language of FR, offering to co-operate with AZ...
Er, to co-operate?
[Ryanair fares] will be more than one third cheaper than Alitalia’s lowest fares on these domestic routes which currently start at €75 one way.

Ryanair also confirmed that it will increase these daily frequencies if Alitalia cuts back.
They will be co-operating with Vueling and others to get rid of AZ, I guess, or at least to dwindle their presence in... Italy. Well, Alitalia probably deserve it, as they weren't able to make any profit in spite of the massive camouflage support and politically-driven cash reinforcements. But let's face it, the distinct hypocrisy here.


Now an other issue. While this hasty enlargement is easy to perform right now, in the beginning of winter, how many cuts in the already announced 2014 summer timetable must be made to accommodate all these new routes?

[toledoashley]

With both Vueling and Ryanair moving in on AZ, you have to wonder what EZY will do. They take pride in the fact they have FCO-LIN, and the base in Naples for Spring 14, I wonder what their position is if AZ fails?

[Jack1985]

The fact that they can't spell Zaventem does not inspire confidence

Not sure if you've seen the belly of EI-EXF but similar issue. ;)

[FKB-Freak]

Are routes from Karlsruhe planned to Catania or Palermo?

[MARKEYD]

Are Ryanair planning to operate from Bournemouth to Wraclaw again next summer ?

Nothing yet bookable but all the other routes are for sale from BOH although an exact mirror image for this year at the moment

Loads on the WRO route seemed to be quite high around the 85% load mid summer

[Anansis]

I think this is what EI-BUD was referring to:

Yahoo News UK & Ireland - Latest World News & UK News Headlines (http://uk.news.yahoo.com/alitalia-rebuffs-ryanair-collaboration-offer-195227675--finance.html)

The article suggests that Ryanair has offered to feed Alitalia's long haul network with its short haul flights. If this was a sincere offer then it would suggest an interesting change in direction from Ryanair.

[eu01]

...but why would Ryanair offer such connecting flights with an other partner constantly rejecting any ideas of implementing connecting flights within its own network?

[racedo]

...but why would Ryanair offer such connecting flights with an other partner constantly rejecting any ideas of implementing connecting flights within its own network?

Key to success is always be flexible to what ever an opportunity comes around, now two ways to success are waiting for the opportunity to come to you or going out and making it.

[davidjohnson6]

I would have very great difficulty in believing this was a sincere offer at normal co-operation between 2 airlines.

It's a bit like a tobacco company offering to sponsor sports events for children as long as they take place in an arena covered in cigarette adverts.

It is in Ryanair's interest to keep Alitalia alive but on a life support system. Still alive so Ryanair can claim they don't have a monopoly in Italy, but too weak to challenge Ryanair in any meaningful way. If you've ever seen a film of adult killer whales playing with baby seals, you'll know what I mean

[racedo]

Good Analogy.....................but always expect the unexpected:E

[EI-BUD]

So it would seem that given FR dipping its toe in the at BRU (BRU-FCO) and base at FCO and rumours of AMS, we can expect big shift of business orientated routes to city primary airports.... Me thinks a lot of primary airport will appear progressively....

[racedo]

So it would seem that given FR dipping its toe in the at BRU (BRU-FCO) and base at FCO and rumours of AMS, we can expect big shift of business orientated routes to city primary airports.... Me thinks a lot of primary airport will appear progressively....

Yeah going to be bad after all when they do that it means the claims of never flying to big airport from detractors goes away...........

[fivejuliet]

BRU base confirmed. Significant enough too, 3 rotations a day to BCN for example
Ryanair Announces Brussels Zaventem Base From Feb 2014 (http://www.ryanair.com/en/news/ryanair-announces-brussels-zaventem-base-from-feb-2014)

[STNflyer]

I make it 6 rotations a day between BCN - BRU.

I note the press release states 62nd base, no other bases have been officially announced but do we know where the other 3 are?

[Tom!]

Looks to be aimed at Jetairfly (TUI) routes rather than the national carrier Brussels Airlines. I would have expected a flight to MAN for the business travellers from SNBA.

[insuindi]

Not sure about Jetairfly, but the new FR BRU routes certainl have a near perfect match with Vueling's routes!

[Tom!]

Yes, stop vueling before they even started their new flights it appears

[The SSK]

The announcement came as a total surprise to Brussels Airport, who were not aware of FR's plans (read: no slots have been applied for)

[ATC Watcher]

Press conference of MOL "just now announcing a move to Brussels Zaventem , with routes competing with SN Brussels airlines ( like 4x a day to Barcelona ) and stating ": at half the price of Brussels airlines and if they lower their prices, we'll go lower than them."

Sounds like an attack on SN and a Strategy change for RYR

[insuindi]

I am at a loss - how does that work then with the airport unaware and no slots applied for?

[racedo]

Alitalia rebuffs Ryanair collaboration offer - RTÉ News (http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2013/1127/489379-alitalia-ryanair/)

""At hub airports in all developed countries, cooperation is avoided between hub carriers and low-cost airlines. It is not by chance that low-cost airlines find space and operate in small airports dozens of kilometres from the cities," it said."

These all the airports that Alitalia operate from as well :E

[racedo]

The announcement came as a total surprise to Brussels Airport, who were not aware of FR's plans (read: no slots have been applied for)

Has the Airport publicly stated this or has someone at the airport just stated it..............

[Cyrano]

I am at a loss - how does that work then with the airport unaware and no slots applied for?

I imagine that slots have been applied for today!

One can conclude that Ryanair does not have a particularly heavily discounted deal - clearly they rate the opportunity to go head-to-head with an expanding Vueling as being worth paying relatively high charges for.

[pee]

"Brussels Airport Company et Ryanair n'ont jamais été en contact à ce sujet et cette décision de la compagnie low-cost n'a fait l'objet d'aucune négociation avec l'aéroport", souligne mardi Brussels Airport dans un communiqué.
"Brussels Airport Company and Ryanair have never been in contact concerning this decision and the low-cost airline didn't carry out any negotiations with the airport", said Brussels Airport Tuesday in a statement.

Moreover, BRU as a business (and euro-bureaucrat) airport, could have been targeted by FR as such. Instead, we see destinations like Alicante, Ibiza, Malaga... :ugh:

[insuindi]

@pee

The route selection quite clearly was driven by Vueling's choice of routes. 1:1 copy of their BRU network pretty much.

SLOT COORDINATION BELGIUM

If someone can enlighten me, how Ryanair can get the necessary slots at BRU, when the airport so far completely unaware, that would be handy. Is slot coordination in Belgium secretive so an airport wouldn't know? I cannot imagine that Ryanair would first announce routes and frequency, and then try to get the slots retrospectively for it...?!

[Tom!]

All done via https://www.online-coordination.com/default.aspx
Looks like plenty of runway slots available, no data about terminal availability though.

[EI-DAC]

BLQ-AHO new italian domestic route, daily effective S14.

[eu01]

(about the Alitalia offer)
I would have very great difficulty in believing this was a sincere offer at normal co-operation between 2 airlines.The Italian press has no doubts:
Ryanair, l’ultima provocazione di O’Leary su AlitaliaDo I have to translate?

Next question:
While this hasty enlargement is easy to perform right now, in the beginning of winter, how many cuts in the already announced 2014 summer timetable must be made to accommodate all these new routes? No idea, but quite a few, I guess. Inevitably, some changes and cancellations TBA (implicating: new angry customers).

[Schorschi]

DELETED
DELETED

[Cyrano]

I cannot imagine that Ryanair would first announce routes and frequency, and then try to get the slots retrospectively for it...?!

I fear you will have to stretch the capabilities of your imagination! ;)

[davidjohnson6]

I seem to recall that when Malev ceased flying, Ryanair announced a large number of new routes at Budapest, applying for access to the airport runway at almost the same time as the routes were being announced.

[racedo]

As slots appear to be freely available then application probably not as big an issue as it is at LHR.

[anna_list]

This attempt to obliterate Vueling's expansion from Rome and Brussels before it has even started is interesting. Does Ryanair really see Vueling as a serious threat that must be countered? The recent announcements suggest so. If Vueling had not recently been taken over by IAG would we be seeing the same reaction?

The other interesting question (which others asked at the time of the DUB / STN announcements) is where the aircraft are going to come from. The plans are for:
6 aircraft at Rome FCO
4 at Brussels BRU
2 at Catania
2 at Palermo
1 at Lamezia
2(?) new aircraft for the additional 700,000 passengers at Dublin
1 new aircraft for the extra Shannon flights
4 or 5(?) extra aircraft for the additional 1.3 million passengers at Stansted

This means that an additional 22-23 aircraft will be required for next summer.

Ryanair's new deliveries don't start until October 2014 and there are no others on order before them (at least not that have been announced). According to the latest investor presentation, the fleet size at the end of FY14 (March 14) will be 300, down from 303 for summer 2013. The projections are for growth to 308 by March 2015.

So either Ryanair need to get their hands on 20 additional aircraft very quickly, or existing bases are going to start losing aircraft, routes or frequencies. By my reckoning, 7 to 8% of all flights would need to be 'churned' to provide the level of capacity required for the new routes. If this is the case, we can expect widespread cuts to existing services. I wonder which airport contracts are up for renewal over the next few months?

[racedo]

Ryanair's new deliveries don't start until October 2014 and there are no others on order before them (at least not that have been announced). According to the latest investor presentation, the fleet size at the end of FY14 (March 14) will be 300, down from 303 for summer 2013. The projections are for growth to 308 by March 2015.

So either Ryanair need to get their hands on 20 additional aircraft very quickly, or existing bases are going to start losing aircraft, routes or frequencies. By my reckoning, 7 to 8% of all flights would need to be 'churned' to provide the level of capacity required for the new routes. If this is the case, we can expect widespread cuts to existing services. I wonder which airport contracts are up for renewal over the next few months?

Think I have commented on it before here that least 7-8 frames available from lease co's now at Snn and probably a few more readily available if reqd.

Also Avolon Lease co has worked with FR previously and they have 14 on order, no idea of delivery time or whether allocated to customers.

Also possibly Boeing may be of assistance to one of its biggest customers.

[CheekyVisual]

I hope the ever optimistic mr racedo is right but I have a sneaking suspicion that Anna_list has got it prettying spot on. Any base at an airport up for a new contract this winter is staring down the barrel of this announcement. I refer you to the goings on at BRS last winter as a precedent. Far more likely over capacity, under performance or rising costs have been identified and those aircraft redeployed. But those cuts won't get the big announcement.

[EI-BUD]

If Vueling had not recently been taken over by IAG would we be seeing the same
reaction?

I think if Vueling had not been taken over by IAG, FR's response would be higher impact than what we have seen to date.

A war between Ryanair and Vueling could well be in easyJet's interest, as at this time easyJet management are watching with caution what the competing low costs airlines are planning. easyJet have been especially interested in what Vueling have been up to re Rome, and Norwegian in LGW and FR at STN. FR chasing Vueling out of town in respective markets would mean that easyJet have ultimately got FR to compete with rather than Vueling, which is a much closer match to them in terms of service etc

[racedo]

I hope the ever optimistic mr racedo is right but I have a sneaking suspicion that Anna_list has got it prettying spot on. Any base at an airport up for a new contract this winter is staring down the barrel of this announcement. I refer you to the goings on at BRS last winter as a precedent. Far more likely over capacity, under performance or rising costs have been identified and those aircraft redeployed. But those cuts won't get the big announcement.

To be fair I did flag up airframe availability in post 1665. Anna is generally spot on.

But doubt that this has happened without a plan.

[racedo]

A war between Ryanair and Vueling could well be in easyJet's interest, as at this time easyJet management are watching with caution what the competing low costs airlines are planning. easyJet have been especially interested in what Vueling have been up to re Rome, and Norwegian in LGW and FR at STN. FR chasing Vueling out of town in respective markets would mean that easyJet have ultimately got FR to compete with rather than Vueling, which is a much closer match to them in terms of service etc

It may come down to who has the most cash and a willingness to sustain losses.

Oil prices have dropped because of Iran issue so that could have a sizeable impact in coming months.

[insuindi]

Regarding the fleet: I have noticed that some routes from regional airport e.g. BRE that I would usually use are yet to become bookable for summer 2014... I'd hope that's not where the planes come from.

[pee]

^^ I'd hope that's not where the planes come from.
I bet they are. E.g. TMP - PMI used to be bookable for several weeks, but a few days ago the route just disappeared. And indeed, there still exist some glitches in the system. Like BGY - TMP - BGY bookable one-way only. How many weeks will it take to amass half of the FR fleet in Tampere ;)?

[anna_list]

Hi all,

Racedo, I agree that I would expect Ryanair to have a plan, although it might be a rather hastily assembled one. It's quite likely that the details of the plan (crews, slots, aircraft etc.) will be sorted out shortly. However, MO'L talked in the last couple of investor calls about the likelihood of the need for churn in order to 'finance' new routes. In addition, Ryanair has never before been in this position of needing to find an additional 20+ aircraft for the next season. If they do source more aircraft it will change the short term fleet and revenue projections, so I would expect a stock exchange announcement.

Churning routes (replacing the worst performers with new ones) is a good thing for an airline's financial performance. Easyjet's recent investor presentations have drawn attention to the fact that they have benefitted from it, and Ryanair have traditionally culled around 10% of their routes. But I can't help thinking that replacing poor performers by chasing Vueling around Europe's major airports may not be the best long term strategy.

On the other hand, churn isn't such a great thing for customers that happen to be booked on a route that gets reduced or cut. If Ryanair go down this path then anyone booking a flight at the moment could expect a 7-8% chance of their flight being 'churned'. (I'm being slightly unfair, since routes aren't churned at random: the worst performers are chosen, but customers are unlikely to book on this basis).

A number of summer routes that have been on sale in previous years from the end of March onwards are only on sale from June onwards this year (e.g. Dublin - Tallinn, Girona - Brindisi, Prestwick - Pisa, Palma - Krakow etc). This is new, but I can't see how it helps the problem over the peak summer period.

I'll be interested to see how the plan turns out. MO'L works in mysterious ways...

Hi EI-BUD,
Good point. I thought it strange that Norwegian's Gatwick and Spanish expansion didn't trigger a reaction from Ryanair, but that Vueling's Rome and Brussels plans were immediately attacked.

[peppo_8787]

Apparently Ryanair has again requested slot in Copenhagen.

Someone is able to see which destinations?

[boyzinblue]

Does anyone know why Palermo, Catania and Lamezia have not officially been announced as bases? Rome Fiumicino is also not showing as a base on the route map.

[jdcg]

The new guy who does the red squares hasn't paid for his
training yet

[j636]

Surprised this hasn't being posted before now but FR said they would consider putting money into Airitialia if asked.

UPDATE 1-Ryanair has not offered to take part in Alitalia cash call | Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/03/alitalia-ryanair-idUSL5N0JI3I420131203)

[Cyrano]

Surprised this hasn't being posted before now but FR said they would consider putting money into Airitialia if asked.

UPDATE 1-Ryanair has not offered to take part in Alitalia cash call | Reuters (http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/03/alitalia-ryanair-idUSL5N0JI3I420131203)

The airline is called Alitalia, not Airitialia. This is (as usual) not a serious offer by Ryanair, just an (apparently successful) ploy to get more publicity.

[racedo]

They never said they would put in money

Speaking at a news conference in Rome, Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary said if his airline were asked to join Alitalia's cash call currently earmarked only for shareholders "we would evaluate" the possibility.

Can't be accused of saying No, Can't be accused of saying Yes.................

Nobody in their right mind would give an unlimited and unqualified answer......... well nobody that wasn't an Italian politician.

[davidjohnson6]

There is zero chance that Alitalia would agree to issue or sell shares direct to a FR controlled company and MOL knows it. Aer Lingus have already had plenty of trouble from FR as a shareholder.
I doubt even AF-KL would have wanted to sell their rights to FR

As Cyrano says, it's a pure publicity scheme in the same way as all the earlier talk about charging to use the toilet or having to stand for the duration of a flight for a cheaper fare.

If MOL really wants FR to present a more mature image, then it's sometimes best to know when to keep quiet.

[racedo]

But if he had not answered a Journos questions then he would be accused of being evasive and there was some fact in the matter.

Stating they would evaluate means exactly that...................no decision on anything just a pass.

[caja]

Michael O'Leary annonced today at Catania a new base and 7 new routes, also in Comiso annonced 4 new routes.
Fonts:
Ryanair Apre 7 Nuove Rotte Da Catania (http://www.ryanair.com/it/novita/ryanair-apre-7-nuove-rotte-da-catania)

Ryanair Apre 4 Nuove Rotte Da Comiso Per Dublino, Francoforte? (http://www.ryanair.com/it/novita/ryanair-apre-4-nuove-rotte-da-comiso-per-dublino-francoforte-hahn-kaunas-e-pisa)

[ron day]

Unsure if this is new or not (and seems unlikely to me) but hey

Wort.lu - Could Ryanair be coming to Luxembourg soon? (http://www.wort.lu/en/view/could-ryanair-be-coming-to-luxembourg-soon-529efc3fe4b0a66dbd89acb1)

[racedo]

Ryanair November Traffic Grows 6% To 5.2m Customers

LOAD FACTOR UP 1% TO 81% ON LOWER AIR FARES


Ryanair, Europe’s favourite low fares airline, today (4 Dec) released customer and load factor statistics for November as follows:


Traffic grew by 6% to over 5m customers.
Load factor increased 1% to 81%.
Annual traffic to end November rose 2% to 81.2m customers.


Nov 12
Nov 13
Change
Yr to Nov 13
Customers
4.9M
5.2M
+6%
81.2M (+2%)
Load Factor
80%
81%
+1%
83%

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

Passenger numbers up 6% in Nov

[racedo]

Ryanair Launches Allocated Seating On All Flights From 1 Feb (http://www.ryanair.com/en/news/ryanair-launches-allocated-seating-on-all-flights-from-1-feb)

All allocated seating from February 1st.

[apaul]

Strange that Ryanair considers the back two rows 'premium seats'. They are usually considered the worst in the plane, but maybe some passengers will be so desparate to get off a Ryanair plane a few seconds earlier they will stump up an extra £10.

[Sober Lark]

Some seats can be called premium seating and any seat can be called premium. Nothing strange at all. Smoked Irish Salmon isn't the same as Irish Smoked Salmon etc.

[racedo]

Racy Ryanair calendar banned in Spain - Independent.ie (http://www.independent.ie/world-news/europe/racy-ryanair-calendar-banned-in-spain-29826739.html)

Judge seeking a name.

Wonder when she will ban other calendars and lads mags.

[racedo]

Ryanair pay ?50k in damages to injured child - Independent.ie (http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/ryanair-pay-50k-in-damages-to-injured-child-29826730.html)

Perils of overstuffing luggage into overheads.

[TSR2]

Perils of overstuffing luggage into overheads

I am amazed there have not been far more claims against a lot of airlines.

[davidjohnson6]

If Ryanair want to be seen as a not-so-nasty airline, is it really necessary to sell a calendar of women in skimpy beachwear ? Makes for eye candy but it all seems a little bit grubby and seedy

[racedo]

If Ryanair want to be seen as a not-so-nasty airline, is it really necessary to sell a calendar of women in skimpy beachwear ? Makes for eye candy but it all seems a little bit grubby and seedy

Voluntary and raises €100k a year for charities...............

[ayroplain]

If Ryanair want to be seen as a not-so-nasty airline, is it really necessary to sell a calendar of women in skimpy beachwear ? Makes for eye candy but it all seems a little bit grubby and seedy
Really!!! - grubby and seedy? Some people seem to use any excuse to have a go at FR. What exactly is wrong with photos of women in skimpy beachwear? Women in skimpy beachwear have been photographed since photography began. Women in skimpy beachwear will continue to be photographed into the foreseeable future. I haven't read any Spanish newspapers or magazines but would have little doubt that photos of women in skimpy beachwear feature therein.

Who even remotely cares what that Spanish woman judge thinks? She should be stood down and retrained to make non-PC judgments. Was she upset because there were no men in skimpy beachwear? If so, I might oblige her but she should be warned that it won't be a pretty sight:).

[pee]

Ayroplain, I agree with you. Note please that I dare to express that opinion even living here in Finland, the country with even more egalitarian feminist-centered approach.

But now the news from Slovakia:Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair could open one of its regional centres at Bratislava’s M.R. Štefánik Airport (BTS) next year, Ryanair General Director Michael O’Leary said Tuesday during a meeting with Slovak Ambassador to Ireland Dušan Matulay in Dublin. “The base could be built next September at the earliest... when the company should have new planes,” the Foreign and European Affairs Ministry told TASR newswire. The new base should bring a larger volume of flights and passengers as well as new destinations. Matulay was, according to the ministry, also interested if Ryanair plans to fly to other Slovak cities such as Košice and Poprad in connection with the Slovak presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2016, which will be associated with more traffic throughout Slovakia.
Source: The Slovak Spectator (http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/52349/10/ryanair_might_open_regional_hub_in_bratislava.html).

[racedo]

Note please that I dare to express that opinion even living here in Finland, the country with even more egalitarian feminist-centered approach.

The nations that gave the world Vikings, feminised :ugh:

[Crazy Voyager]

Actually I would say the vikings were not from Finland but from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and parts of North Germany. One hint to this can be found in the Finnish language which is completely different from Swedish/Norwegian/Danish. The last 3 have similarities and speakers of one can often understand and have a basic conversation with someone of the other, however Finnish has almost no common ground with the other scandinavian languages at all.

[pee]

^^ The Finnish language has assimilated some Swedish words, but apart from that it's a completely different language, true. Nevertheless there are many similarities regardless of the language, like... the feminism we were talking about.

Okay, while in Finland and talking about Ryanair...

The ugliest Finnish terminal, Tampere Pirkkala 2 will finally be rebuilt and renovated. Reluctantly and after very long lasting negotiations the modest € 3 million has been granted and works will start in 2014. Kind of shame, but better late than never.

LPP airport (Lappeenranta) makes efforts to become privatised in order to triple the amount of flights as "St. Petersburg West". Hard talks ahead.

[racedo]

Actually I would say the vikings were not from Finland but from Denmark, Norway, Sweden and parts of North Germany. One hint to this can be found in the Finnish language which is completely different from Swedish/Norwegian/Danish. The last 3 have similarities and speakers of one can often understand and have a basic conversation with someone of the other, however Finnish has almost no common ground with the other scandinavian languages at all.

So you suggesting they really West Russian...................or perhaps the Lost Tribe of Santa's helpers ?

[pee]

^^ It's an off-topic apparently, but Finnish doesn't belong to Slavic language group (ne govorim po Russki). Finnish has much in common with Estonian and both belong to the same group as Hungarian, albeit with no common words with the latter one.

[The SSK]

I only know one word in Finnish
Saippuakauppias
Or, if you reverse the order of the letters
Saippuakauppias
:)

[maggot738]

How the hell does a thread about Ryanair end up discussing the Vikings and the Finnish language? Come on Mods! This thread should be closed and consigned to the bowels of the archives. A new thread can always be opened when there is some real news to post.

[Sober Lark]

Perhaps children shouldn't be seated under overhead bins?

In 2010 they had a 10kg limit now everyone wants a higher carry on limit. Seems to me you can't win.

[racedo]

Perhaps children shouldn't be seated under overhead bins?

In 2010 they had a 10kg limit now everyone wants a higher carry on limit. Seems to me you can't win.

Its a difficult one but was once absued when travelling on a US flight becasue I wouldn't help a lady who dragged her bags on to put it in o/head...............they looked heavy. Asked if she would cover my hospital bills if hurt my back.

2 other passengers lifted it but really was ott and F/A said too heavy has to go below to outrage.
Captain got involved as heard the lady swearing and suggested she take another flight. Hate to think what would have happened if it had come down.

Maybe time for electronic locks that only open after landing when plane has shut down.

[CCFAIRPORT]

NEW ROUTE

Bremen (BRE) to Béziers Cap d'Agde (BZR)

Twice a week (Thursady and Sunday)

Ryanair annonce une route Béziers Cap d?Agde ? Brême | Air Journal (http://www.air-journal.fr/2013-12-12-ryanair-annonce-une-route-beziers-cap-dagde-breme-592589.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook)

[davidjohnson6]

Do Ryanair now have effectively complete control of Beziers as sole scheduled airline or does Beziers have other substantial income streams ?

Update - should have made clear that Flybe have dropped their Southampton-Beziers route

[CCFAIRPORT]

Only ryanair during winter season at BZR airport ! In summer flight to Southampton with Flybe ! But I think RYANAIR have complete control !

[ub2]

Bristol base back to 4 based units end of march

[FRatSTN]

Well it seems Liverpool has gone down from 6 to 4 a/c from what I can tell from the new schedules. Maybe Bristol is where they have gone to then.

I'm pleased to say that East Midlands is still at 8 a/c in August 2014.

And Stansted's increases are here now too.

[davidjohnson6]

I'm trying to work out whether a summer seasonal route that ran in summer 2013 will return in 2014. I note that trying to make a booking returns the standard 'full/not yet loaded' message. Trying to find something under flight timetable on the FR website returns an 'undefined' message.

I don't really want to go into details of individual routes so as to keep it general. I also know wikipedia is unreliable, FR tend not to actively publicise if a route is being suspended, and not putting a route on sale until late can be a negotiation tactic for more marketing support.

So at what point can one make a definitive call on routes operating or not for S14 ?

[FR8364]

According to RYR, at the begining lf 2014, the SS14 schedule will be completed. Several cuts in Spain network so far.

Regards.

[racedo]

Do Ryanair now have effectively complete control of Beziers as sole scheduled airline or does Beziers have other substantial income streams ?

Update - should have made clear that Flybe have dropped their Southampton-Beziers route

DJ

Its a gorgeous little airport.

There are some flights particularly in summer to Orly and some to Italy.

[boyzinblue]

I read this week that FR want to cut back their operations at Baden-Baden, blaming it on the German government air tax. Funny then that they announced SNN to Berlin and Memmingen and now the 2 new routes from Bremen.

[jdcg]

More likely because they've expanded at Strasbourg

[boyzinblue]

FR to cut routes from Leipzig with only London confirmed to continue. Magdeburg-Cochstedt is also being dropped for Summer 2014. Funny that FR can not establish themselves in central Germany.

[racedo]

FR to cut routes from Leipzig with only London confirmed to continue. Magdeburg-Cochstedt is also being dropped for Summer 2014. Funny that FR can not establish themselves in central Germany.

Is it that or is it lack of airframes and a need to use them elsewhere more profitably ?

[boyzinblue]

FR have confirmed that cuts are a result of lack of airframes for 2014. They had load factors of 87% out of Magdeburg which is above the overall average (I now load factor is not a profit indication) but FR had no competion here and had a large catchment area. Maybe they'll go to Hanover or Kassel instead, if they get the deal they want.

[racedo]

FR have confirmed that cuts are a result of lack of airframes for 2014. They had load factors of 87% out of Magdeburg which is above the overall average (I now load factor is not a profit indication) but FR had no competion here and had a large catchment area. Maybe they'll go to Hanover or Kassel instead, if they get the deal they want.

Difficult one..
Route may be profitable but if can replace it with 4 sectors instead of 2 then can understand the reason but routes come and go all the time.

[racedo]

Ryanair names one of two replacements for outgoing COO Cawley - Independent.ie (http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/ryanair-names-one-of-two-replacements-for-outgoing-coo-cawley-29834214.html)

David O'Brien promoted to one of 2 roles to replace Michael Cawley.

[eu01]

After Germany, an other wave of reductions has been noticed in Sweden (by thelocal.se (http://www.thelocal.se/20131214/ryanair-slashes-sweden-routes))
Irish low cost airline Ryanair has cut several routes from Swedish airports, including Gothenburg, Nyköping and Västerås.
Karlstad, Växjö , Kalmar and Ängelholm are locations also hit by the slew of withdrawals.

According to a report in the local Värmlands Folkblad daily the only Swedish airports to escape the cut-backs are Malmö, Jönköping and Skellefteå.

The airline will leave Karlstad airport entirely after cutting its route to Barcelona.

"Very sad , but we hope they can come back in 2015," airport manager Peter Landmark told Värmlands Folkblad.

Some 23 flights a week will be removed from schedules out of Skavsta Airport in Nyköping, the airline's main gateway to Stockholm. Six major destinations including Frankfurt, Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Berlin disappear completely, according to local media reports.

"It is very sad news for all of us. We are trying to manage it as best we can," said Skavsta CEO Dot Gade Kulovuori to Södermanlands Nyheter.
As we see, the question asked here a month ago...
how many cuts in the already announced 2014 summer timetable must be made to accommodate all these new routes?...got answered already. Now the question is: were these routes indeed so under-performing and will the new Italian, Belgian and Irish routes close to or equal the profitability of those slashed ones? If it's the profitability issue addressed here, it's OK, even if some loyal partners are being stood up right now. However, if the move was just one more politically-accentuated game on the European chess board of airports, it will not do much good, I'm afraid.

[FR8364]

Several cuts also in Spain. Airports affected include VLC, SCQ, SVQ, SDR, TFS, LPA, FUE, MAD, ALC & PMI. Some of these bases will see reductions on its number of aircrafts based (ie VLC, MAD...)

Regards.

[ssflyer]

I have already booked 4 sectors to/from GRO to BHX for 2014. Now I see the exact flights are "unavailable" but my bookings still exist under "Manage my Booking"
I assume FR are messing around with schedules and the next thing I will get is an email that my flights have been cancelled/changed and what do I want to do about it?

[MARKEYD]

Noticed that Pisa is not bookable from Bournemouth next summer having already been put on sale 2 x week

Also Wroclaw is not bookable as well but has been like that for some time

There is still gaps on Tuesday with the Bournemouth based aircraft to maybe operate something , otherwise its the same as last summer with extra flights to Malaga and Lanzarote in July and August again

[AMS flyer]

It seems that the MST base will be dropped as per April 2014. According to a local forum crew has been informed about the closure last Friday.

7 routes out of MST will remain, the other 8 routes (BVE, DUB, STN, AGP, BGQ, PSA, TSF and TFS) will be terminated.

[No RYR for me]

I absolutely love this training video for the new "customer friendly" Ryanair :D

Probably posted before but can't stop laughing seeing it again and again Michael O'Leary's 'nicer' airline - The Mario Rosenstock Show | RTÉ TWO - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNUJ_td7eJc&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DUNUJ_td7eJc&app=desktop)

:p

[Aluminium shuffler]

Very good!

As much as I welcome the new ethos, I hope it's actually a lesson learned and not just a short term stunt.

[CCFAIRPORT]

It seems that the MST base will be dropped as per April 2014. According to a local forum crew has been informed about the closure last Friday.

7 routes out of MST will remain, the other 8 routes (BVE, DUB, STN, AGP, BGQ, PSA, TSF and TFS) will be terminated.


It s confirmed FR will close Maastricht base next april

[pee]

According to a report in the local Värmlands Folkblad daily the only Swedish airports to escape the cut-backs are Malmö, Jönköping and Skellefteå.
Nope. Jönköping will be ditched altogether, despite the existing three-years agreement. The reason: shortage of aircraft. Sure, spreading themselves too thin obviously.

[GnRdL]

At Alicante Airport:

Dropped:
ALC-BUD (2w)
ALC-AGH (2w)
ALC-MMX (2w)
ALC-SCQ (5w)
ALC-AAR? (2w seasonal)
ALC-LDY? (2w seasonal)

And several cuts in other routes:

Belgium:
ALC-CRL (9w => 4w)

Denmark:
ALC-BLL (4w => 3w)

Germany:
ALC-FMM (3w => 2w)
ALC-NUE (3w => 2w)

Ireland:
ALC-KIR (2w => 1w)
ALC-NOC (2w => 1w)

Italy:
ALC-BLQ (2w seasonal)

Norway:
ALC-RYG (6w => 5w)

Sweden:
ALC-GSE (5w => 4w)

United Kingdom:
ALC-BHX (9w => 8w)
ALC-EDI (5w => 4w)
ALC-PIK (7w => 5w)
ALC-LBA (5w => 4w)
ALC-LPL (9w => 7w)
ALC-STN (14w => 12w)

[GayFriendly]

"Customer friendly Ryanair", people please get real! Making a song and a dance about "new" and "improved" customer service practices that were actually the norm in the airline industry of the past shows just how stupid FR think the fare paying public are.


Pulling flights left, right and centre also does nothing to add to the customer service experience either, especially if you are like me already booked on a now pulled route and are waiting for inevitable alternative flight or refund we don't really give a damn email. All it does show is that FR clearly over expanded, flew what were obviously a lot of marginal routes and are now making the customer pay the price for that landing them with the inconvenience of having to make new travel plans.


Loads of airlines pull routes and/or reduce frequencies but I don't remember any on the scale currently being announced by FR

[insuindi]

HHN (Frankfurt Hahn) base reduced from 9 to 6 aircraft for summer.

These cuts are of unprecedented scale... are ALL of these planes needed for the new bases or can we expect some yet unknown base?

[racedo]

These cuts are of unprecedented scale... are ALL of these planes needed for the new bases or can we expect some yet unknown base?

Seems to be an expectation that some Airline will no longer be flying when money runs out.

What number of weekly flight reductions will be applicable at Hahn?

[Hangar6]

Mmmm good point , it's a long list
AZ TP LOT Flybe , my money is on AZ

[racedo]

Mmmm good point , it's a long list
AZ TP LOT Flybe , my money is on AZ

I would get out of making suggestions like that about betting on it.

Remember Paddy Power debacle when they ran a book of which airline would fail next............:ooh:

[pee]

my money is on AZ
Except if Etihad decided to acquire full control over AZ, it would mean Ryanair's miscalculation.

[boyzinblue]

Hahn airport reckon with 300.000 fewer passengers as a result of the reduction from 9 to 6.It is strange that FR start a customer care offensive a few weeks ago and since then they are pulling routes everywhere. Yes, pull routes if they are unprofitable but then why release them for sale p*ssing off customers who have then to make alternative arrangements. Did FR get their whole fleet management wrong?

[The SSK]

Except if Etihad decided to acquire full control over AZ, it would mean Ryanair's miscalculation.

Etihad can't acquire more than 49% of AZ or indeed any EU airline. Otherwise they would cease to be a Community Carrier and lose their access to the Single Market.

[racedo]

Except if Etihad decided to acquire full control over AZ, it would mean Ryanair's miscalculation.

Non EU airline cannot gain control of EU airline.

[racedo]

Hahn airport reckon with 300.000 fewer passengers as a result of the reduction from 9 to 6.It is strange that FR start a customer care offensive a few weeks ago and since then they are pulling routes everywhere. Yes, pull routes if they are unprofitable but then why release them for sale p*ssing off customers who have then to make alternative arrangements. Did FR get their whole fleet management wrong?

Ryanair know what their forward booking stats are very well and % booking for flights in summer is I believe tiny.

Its why they claim each quarter they have little visibility more than 2 months ahead because people only book 2 months ahead.

Its not that they got fleet wrong its that significant opportunities are arising that they intend to grasp now because waiting for new aircraft to arrive will be too late.

[davidjohnson6]

While Etihad may well inject a big slug of capital into Alitalia (yes, still staying under the 49.9% cap on ownership), I would be hesitant to say Alitalia will disappear in 2014 - they've survived somehow through so many twists and turns, that I have this sneaky feeling they'll find some sort of escape route again...

[pee]

they have little visibility more than 2 months ahead because people only book 2 months ahead
People only book 2 months ahead, because FR did change its former rule "the earlier you book the less your ticket will cost you" and tries to keep fares as high as possible up to 2½ months before the travel date. Somewhat vicious circle?

PS. Etihad will not get full control over Alitalia, true. Its financial presence would however reinforce the Italian carrier, enabling them to survive the price war, if necessary.

[racedo]

PS. Etihad will not get full control over Alitalia, true. Its financial presence would however reinforce the Italian carrier, enabling them to survive the price war, if necessary.

Price is not the issue with Alitalia, its over manning and inefficiency that is the issue together with continual political interference which causes the overmanning and inefficiency.

[The SSK]

To be fair, there's also the geographical/economic/political paradox that the money is in one place and the political institutions in another - which of course gives rise to the political interference, overmanning and inefficiency you describe.

[pee]

Many FR connections will disappear from the Moroccan route map, probably as much as 30. The official reason: new air tax in this country. The tax will come into force on April 1 amounting to €9 / departing pax.

[racedo]

Pee

Has route changes been confirmed ?

[eu01]

From Aviation's week article (http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_12_16_2013_p16-644359.xml&p=1):
Opinion: Irish Airline Revises Master Plan
In a dramatic about-face, Ryanair will establish a “base” at Brussels-Zaventem airport in February. This is a sharp departure from the low-cost carrier's usual strategy to only serve secondary airports
...
For years, the airline's CEO, Michael O'Leary, has decried certain aspects of European hubs and major provincial airports. He criticizes their excessive fees and time-consuming, lengthy taxiway runs that make quick ground turnarounds difficult or fiscally undesirable. Ryanair's Boeing 737-800s usually remain no longer than 25 min. at the gate in order to log higher daily use, a goal achievable by serving secondary airports, avoiding the busy ones. In addition, continental Europe's secondary airports are largely under-utilized and local authorities are usually willing to absorb some of a newcomer's airport charges in order to attract more traffic.
...
Can Ryanair implement a genuine strategic reorientation by adapting its economic model to new realities or by seizing short-term opportunities? Serving Zaventem and Fiumicino involves an all-new marketing strategy and an acceptance of major airports' higher costs. But the move could help the airline garner a bigger share in the business travel market, with the benefit of higher yields. Indeed, the Belgo-Italian laboratory could forge the Ryanair of the future.
Sincerely, I'm not sure if that's the way to go. An opportunity? Certainly yes, it's something worth trying. How many risks involved? Quite a few, I guess. Was the old strategy wrong? Not necessarily. Ryanair has been cherished in many places as very valued customer, maybe the only opportunity for numerous small airports to develop or even to keep running at all. For these big ones, Ryanair is sometimes an intruder, an unwanted nuisance. A couple of weeks I read the interview with Zaventem Airport managing director, less than content and somewhat offended by Ryanair's decision to "invade" the place. A totally different approach.

That's a big decision, probably triggered by the slight decrease in pax numbers and profitability. Was it necessary? The most important change needed to influence these numbers is the change of carrier's attitude towards passengers. Trying to address this issue right now, very awkwardly so far. An other issue is an urgent need for the diversification of the offer for small airports. After years of flying from XXX to, say, STN and Hahn, the local customers became bored with the offer, they want more comprehensive offer, more destinations, why not things like... connecting flights? If MOL wanted something revolutionary, maybe he needed something else, not necessarily bigger airports.

Fine, now the machinery became activated, let´s wait for the results.
_____
Concerning Morocco. Don't know pee's sources, what I found in the news is the article in French: Nouvelle taxe aérienne: Ryanair supprime une trentaine ligne entre le Maroc et l’Europe (http://www.yabiladi.com/articles/details/21859/nouvelle-taxe-aerienne-ryanair-supprime.html).