Bad Ryanair

Hey man don’t get me wrong..I don’t begrudge you or anyone else making good use of the LoCos and those fares while they last. I enjoyed a 20yr aviation career along with the perk of staff travel fares while doing so, although on many occasions I used bucket shops for great fares on well known carriers which sometimes worked out better than staff travel deals. I don’t think that the demise of LoCos will stop people flying again as you suggest, people have got used to the idea these days and I think that in the post LoCo era the legacy left to the established carriers will be fare levels that will be keyed to the demand that, by and large, will still be there. I still think that these fares are on the whole unsustainable. The new, and in my view, overdue passenger protection regimes and the inevitable coming increases in fuel prices will bring about a major re-adjustment in so called LoCo fares. As a good friend who still holds a senior position in a major LoCo airline once said to me “If the King of Saudi Arabia gets out of bed the wrong side tomorrow then we are all f+*#-*!” Is that a long lasting and sensible foundation for this great industry to stand on? Personally I don’t think so.

I’ve got to say that, although I agree with you on many points stated above about Ryanair’s boss, I cannot see the low cost bubble simply bursting and disappearing completely.

I think the airline industry would be in a much worse state if the low cost boys were to go now, as the travelling public are now aware that it can be done and will then grudge paying over the odds for air fares and an expensive paid-for-whether-you-use-it-or-not onboard service. People will just stop travelling by air again. If Ryanair and easyJet were to disappear from the UK market, do you think BA and bmi would be keeping their prices so low? Me thinks not!! Gone are the days of mandatory Saturday night stays and rip-off full fare last minute fares.

Like myself, these people have travelled by low cost airline just because they could now afford to pay the fares on offer. In the 4 years that I have worked for Monarch, I have never once travelled stand-by on any airline because it was just as cheap – if not cheaper – to travel with a low cost jobby and living between Luton and Stansted, I was spoilt for choice. By the end of this year, I will have travelled on 20 round trips with low cost airlines since January. I would certainly not have done that at the pre-low-cost-airline fares.

I think low cost will be here to stay as long as airlines themselves are flying – demand is there and plenty of it at that. Well, at least I hope so – I’ve got a few more cities in Europe still to see!!

Thanks Purser/Hand….I did’nt know about the car ploy or the CV situation. Mike 1087 make the most of the LoCo scene, I don’t see it lasting my friend. I rest my case!

Disgusting ……

IF62M

Well said IF62M, agree with you totally.

I still say MOL is a shark, what astute businessman registers his car as a taxi purely so he can use bus/taxi lanes in rush hour traffic. He appears to have nothing but contempt for his customers as he has proved time and time again and the way he treats his crews is incredible. Pilots sending theirs CV’s to FR have to pay before they are even looked at, cabin crew have to pay for their own training and uniform…..no thanks.

Purser

Taxes on airline tickets…

Erm…… I started a new thread instead of replying to this thread! sorry!!!!

Hmm, non-refund of airport taxes does sound a bit sharp.

I don’t agree with comments about Michael O’Leary being a “shark”, just a very focused businessman (though there are similarities between the two perhaps?).

Have flown with Ryanair on five return flights now and each time they got me from A to B reliably and incredibly cheaply. Having checked their web site I knew what the onward transport options were to where I was going. Their customer service onto and on the plane is best described as robust but again they did the job required of them.

Thanks to the Ryanair’s, Easyjet’s, Buzz’s and Go’s of this world I can now visit places which 15 years ago I could not afford to do. Air Europe was good while it lasted but the “full service carriers” soon put paid to them.

Like any service provider Ryanair is only as good as my last experience with them, so far they have fully met my expectations.

Does anyone know what the law is regarding taxes refunds. I have booked two tickets Man-Lgw return with opodo. They are cheap fares but I know I wont be using them. When I enquired about a refund of the taxes Opodo kind of brushed over that and just said the fare was non-refundable ! ? I am pursuing it as taxes theses day often make up quite a lot of the fare.

Carl

I agree 110% ! 🙂

I still stand by my own beliefs on the LoCo system which I have held for many years. Its all based on a “floor of glass”such as unrealistic and unsustainable cheap fuel prices, unfair and anti-competative user rates and subsidies at airports (including Stansted!) why should these same “sweet deals” landing and airport user fees offered to RYR and others not apply to full service carriers? ie Strasbourg! The so called commitment to”serving our customers” much touted by Ryanair did’nt last long once the subsidy had gone did it? I also doubt very much that these carriers pay a realistic rate for the aircraft that they operate, but that may turn out to be a long term problem for the manufacturers to face. The LoCo sectors mentality that somehow they should be exempt from the same consumer protection laws at last being implemented by the EU on behalf of the passenger beggars belief! This is long overdue. As I have said in earlier postings, when the day comes that the likes of Ryanair, Easyjet etc are competing on an equal playing field to the full service carriers AND delivering the same consistant standards of service that they do, along with the same long haul operations that our full service airlines provide then my hat will go off to them. Sadly I don’t see me raising that hat anytime soon

If Low Cost carriers are going to behave in such a way, I cannot see low cost transport overtaking the larger, “real” carriers such as British Airways for example.

If I was ever going to fly low cost, it’d definitely be easyJet. Ryanair crack me up with their destinations… Barcelona-Girona especially! 🙂

Oh BTW , FR cancelled his Strasbourg route and opened a new one just next to it but in Germany !!!!

The reason is that FR was sentenced by a French court since they are asking for money to the airports they are serving. It’s against the law in this country. Strange strategy indeed !!!

Originally posted by purser
I agree, a huge rip off, Michael O’leary is a shark!!!!

Whilst they continue to offer stupidly low fares they will have passengers to treat badly, customer service is a concept unknown to Ryanair. I have flown with them once, never again.

Purser

I won’t say “never again” but I would be “over cautious”

I agree, a huge rip off, Michael O’leary is a shark!!!!

Whilst they continue to offer stupidly low fares they will have passengers to treat badly, customer service is a concept unknown to Ryanair. I have flown with them once, never again.

Purser