paging WUN - airlines

It seems the great unwashed agree with you
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2008/11/airlines_vote_results.html

In a survey of 24595

838 said Ryanair was their favourite (compared to 4693[1] for BA)

4669[1] said they would never fly with Ryanair again.

Incidentally 2321 said they wouldn't use BA again so they are obviously a
bit hit & miss.

[1] highest figures in each category

 

So it's not just me, they really are a badly run cattle truck in the
air, twice as bad as BA, who do set the bar low, and they're
handicapped by LHR ffs. Given they lose repeat business, that means
that they must be relying on new customers a lot, and that's not going
to last forever.


Nobody likes hidden charges either, no surprise there.

 

<Has a look at report>

An on-line survey ?

Rather self selecting aren't they? I mean those that want to complain
take the time to complete them and they tend to be the people with very
high expectations. I used to know someone who never, ever, returned
from a holiday without finding something to complain about and trying to
get compensation.

Ryanair also are in the top ten *favourite* airlines list at number 7.

Look, they are a low cost flying bus service serving many destinations
the majors don't. They get a lot of repeat business from what are
effectively monopoly routes. As long as no other carrier is prepared to
offer a competing route they stand a chance of staying in business
(ignoring the credit crunch effect).

By all means don't travel with them. Not that you or WUN would be
wanting to fly to where I do anyway. Less bookings from the jet set
expecting first class service means lower prices as O'Leary drops them
to fill the cattle trucks. Suits me.


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Have you ever worked for a Fiat dealer? I did c1986. That was the speech we
gave customers whenever they rattled off the latest Which? report. Of
course, everything Which? said was true but it didn't stop Fiat selling 3
million Unos.

That twitching, bulging thing on your forehead. Better get it looked at,
eh?

 

BMI Baby are pretty good for a cheap carrier, never used Ryanair but a
few friends have and their experiences have made me use alternatives
(Aer Lingus for example). I know they all do it - but the use of single
tickets for a return flight makes me twitchy. I know somebody that had
his outward Ryanair flight cancelled, so of course couldn't get a refund
on his return flight as it was just another single ticket and he
couldn't get out in time to use it, IYSWIM.

 

Some people still claim that Skoda buyers have 'low expectations'.

Rattle back in pram. I just don't get this one man crusade of WUN's
against budget airlines in general and Ryanair in particular.

PF

 

What crusade? He recommends Easyjet for short haul flights fairly
frequently.

He is little different to other regular posters here. He praises good
customer service and highlights poor customer service. I don't see anything
wrong with that. Vodafone are cunts, btw.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, 72degrees

I have no real beef with low cost airlines in general. It's only Ryanair
and its business practices that I regard as beneath contempt.

 

Oh, fair enough then. I fully support your right to vote with your
feet, or rather not your bum on one of their seats IYSWIM.

So far I have been fortunate not to be on the receiving end of one of
their cock ups or pricing scams. The hidden charges aren't that secret
once you start to actually book a flight. The wheel chair business
was, however, a bit naughty.

Apropos of which SWMBOs mate who came out to visit us in the summer
was full of praise for the ground staff at Limoges who helped to get
him and his wheelchair off the aircaft. Much better than at East
Midlands he said. Not that is anything to do with O'Leary. Does show
that small airports can be good in some ways though.

PF

 

Fair comment. I must have been thinking of the other executive class
only flyers.

Granted. Perhaps Ryanair will end up like the IOMSPC or the Caledonian
lot. Only able to stay in business where they have a monopoly. You get
what you pay for.

Vodafone are cunts, btw.

There again you see, I have never had any trouble with them. As long
as they are partners with SFR I will stay with them.

Needs must when the devil drives.

PF

 

O'Leary is a ****, all round.
I'd like to know if he pockets the airport /passenger tax in the UK and
other countries that he does here, from no-show passengers. The last
year I had the figures for was 2003, in which the Irish non-forwarded
tax money amounted to approx ¤23M. Funnily enough, this year his profits
are reckoned to have plummeted to a mere ¤25M - take away the tax
pocketed and thusly...

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Grimly Curmudgeon

Of course they do. Naturally, if you cancel your flight Ryanair is
obliged to return your tax payment. For which they will charge an
'administration fee'. Oddly, this will be more than the refund that you
are entitled to...

<http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/consumer/article.html?in_article_id=418459&
in_page_id=5>

 

Ryanair & Easyjet both do the same in the UK. I imagine any airline that
operates a no show-no refund policy trousers the cash.

Why is it O'Leary's fault? He sells things and charges the taxes dictated
by law. The law says he only has to pass on the tax if he gets a bum on a
seat. Surely the fault is in the hands of the legislators for writing the
law in a way that allows the practice?

 

I've flown with Ryan Air 7 times this year for not a lot. All bang on
time albeit in an airbourne minicab. Payes yer money takes yer choice.
The only thing I find a bit rich is being charged to pay . . . .

 

heh - that does stick in the craw somewhat, especially as it's per
person, per flight.

 

Surely every other airline will factor in a payment collection overhead
into their ticket price?

I thought you were in the "does the total fee charged to get my arse on a
seat represent good value for money" camp?

 

Oh sure, and I accept the justification that it costs them to process
the transaction. But that is a single cost, no matter how many people
are flying.

Well I am, but I get mildly irked when I think they're just trying to
con me.

 

Fucking fraud, and I look forward to the day when the Taxmen roast his
arse.

 

No flies on them, eh? As would be expected.

 

Well, I thought most card transactions worked on a fixed + x% of the total.
Plus, the airline is likely to average out that overhead per capita.

How are they conning you if they tell you about the charge before you
commit?

Apparently, if you use one particular, obscure card that about 0.00000001%
of the population have then there is no transaction charge. This allows
Ryanair to advertise their 99p fares.

Again, Ryanair are working within the law. Perhaps people should put
pressure on the legislators to tighten the law rather than blame Ryanair
for sharp practice. There again, perhaps the legislators like all the tax
revenue Ryanair generate and the jobs created.