What is Digg?110 Comments
- SixSider, on 10/12/2007, -1/+30The fact is that service blows on most airlines, while paying $200 for a ticket. I'll gladly give up baggage check in (carry on is fine for me) and bring my laptop for entertainment and pack my own meal. Heck, I do this now.
- MichaelW2, on 10/12/2007, -1/+28You should also pay attention to the CNN logo.
- XxN3RDC0R3xX, on 10/12/2007, -5/+31RTFA, dumbass.
- Wiggles2, on 10/12/2007, -5/+29YOU MUST WATCH THE ADS. SLEEP IS FORBIDDEN. O.o
- retral, on 10/12/2007, -6/+21Are we going to start seeing huge banners being flown behind 747's at 30k feet? :P
- Chompy, on 10/12/2007, -3/+18I'd prefer a "coffin" arrangement, like they have in those wierd hotels in Japan. Just stack us in like cordwood.
Think about it. You arrive at the airport, swip your e-ticket/CC at an ATM and a coffin sidles up. Slide on in with your luggage, and take a nap as the conveyor wisks you through security checkpoints and all that crap, then loads you into a socket on the plane. If you wanted to get frisky you could even pressurize the things and put parachutes on them in the event of a crash.
At your final destination you could have the coffin drop you off at your car rental counter. - dareiff, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15Umm, check out ryanair.com's website.. It looks, (I have no idea about this company) that they are already offering flights for less than 1 euro, and many are even free. Exclusive of taxes, of course.
Also, it's a magazine, so the April 1st issue hasn't come out yet..
I think it's 100% legit. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+15Michael O'Leary sounds like a business genius if you ask me.
- XxN3RDC0R3xX, on 10/12/2007, -3/+16This isn't an April Fool's joke.
- TimmyGUNZ, on 10/12/2007, -0/+13A lot of airlines charge you if you bring more than 1 or 2 pieces of luggage. Besides, if I knew I could fly for super cheap with most of my costs coming from optional things like amount of luggage, I could pack really light and save money.
Think of how fast our GF's and Wives would be able to pack if they had to pay for each bag! - eadnams, on 10/12/2007, -2/+15Hehe, remember the "Google doing webmail, 1GB per user!" 'april fools joke'? Good times.
- crunk, on 10/12/2007, -4/+16And if things ever did go wrong the name coffin could be even more apt
- bradspry, on 10/12/2007, -2/+13Put a screen in each headrest and blast ads at everyone. I'll click some screens right before I put my headphones on and sleep :-)
- eadnams, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11It was on BBC.co.uk a few days back.
- SoCalChris, on 10/12/2007, -2/+12"Sure, taking to the skies on Ryanair may feel more like riding in a subway car than an airplane"
Every airplane that I've ridden on in the past 5 years has felt like a subway. Actually, I take that back. A subway has far more room than any of the recent flights I've been on. And on a subway, I don't have to worry that the person in front of me is going to lean their seat back into me. - XxN3RDC0R3xX, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Well no ***** it's the same company, IT SAYS THAT IN THE ARTICLE. It's no big secret!
And no, it's not a "scam". - Chompy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9Exactly! If you didn't make it you're already in an approved container, ready to be shipped back home for burial!
- dareiff, on 10/12/2007, -1/+9That is what they said in the article.. Why don't people read before they comment. They charge for refreshments, entertainment, bag handling, etc. Sure it's a ploy, but if you're really good with how you travel, you won't need to do all the stuff they charge for.
READ - TimmyGUNZ, on 10/12/2007, -2/+8I would've been skeptic too if I didn't know it was Ryan Air. I've dealt with them in the past on many occassions and they are amazingly cheap. It makes me so angry to see how cheap it is for one to fly international on a Ryan Air flight compared to what I would pay to fly the same mileage domestically in the US.
- SirVanderhoot, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Even though I think I'm not afraid of small spaces, spending several hours in a 'coffin' would have me being pretty damn claustrophobic. Particularly if it's a flight during the day, when I'm unlikely to sleep.
- TokenUser, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Ryanair have to make the flights free ... did noone else see this story?
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2006/0330/84433106HM1RYANAIRDERRY.html
No need for Irish jokes when they do this sort of thing. - BitSlash, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6okay come on people, it's like the world stops on april fools or something
maybe you'd like an older article?
http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2005-11-02-ryanair-no-airfare_x.htm
grow up people.
anyway, I think that it's a pretty neat concept; the airlines have been using the same strategy since the invention of the airplane. We will see if it pays off... - jimio, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Airlines have NOT being doing this sort of thing for a long time!
Until recently the European airline market was closed shop, and the big carriers rigged prices to force out new companies.
Just flying to Spain from the UK was hundreds of pounds!
But I must say prices have fallen a long way very fast!!! - fabioromeu, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6And i think it's no brainer that airplane maintenance shouldn't be cut down. No (sane) company want to be saw as "our airplanes crash a little more than the others but, hey, it's cheap!"
- pauliewoll, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5The story's genuine - it's old news in fact.
Ryanair's policy is to sell on price, price, price, and apparently there's no shortage of customers willing to be treated like dirt for a few hours for the sake of saving money. They fly more people across Europe than British Airways carries worldwide, so *they* now call themselves "the world's favorite airline" which really pisses BA off.
They boast of their "#1 ranking for customer service". Why? Because everybody knows you only ever complain to them once - there's just no point. "Read our terms and conditions if you don't like them you can f**k off to BA or KLM-Air France and pay ten times as much" is the standard tone.
O'Leary once said in response to a customer complaint (paraphrase), "Get real - we fly your nasty family across Europe for ten bucks apiece, and you have the temerity to complain about the coffee being cold??"
Their "#1 on-time performance" is because they fly to one-shack runways long distances away from the "listed" destination. Lufthansa took them to the German courts for trying to brand a former RAF airbase in the middle of nowhere as "Dusseldorf" despite being 70km away (Ryanair won). Their idea of "Frankfurt, Germany" is an old USAF base at Hahn, 120km away. "Barcelona, Spain" is actually Girona, 100km north. They recently suggested Prestwick, Scotland, as an arrival airport for visitors to London. That's a 6-hour ride by train.
They are rabidly anti-union, cabin staff pay for their own uniforms, hell, even the office staff aren't allowed to charge their cellphones at work, in order to keep electricity costs down. They boast of their average salaries being the highest in the industry. That's because most of their minimum-wage or commission-only people aren't employed by them - they're agency, and it's the pilots' salaries that skew the figures upwards.
They are the airline of last, last, last resort, and they're dragging standards of service down to the lowest across the whole European airline industry.
You pay peanuts, you get monkeys. Google for "dispatches ryanair" for some links to a recent behind-the-scenes documentary from the UK and the comment it generated. - JasonPrini, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Are there no European Digg users!?!
Flying in Europe is super cheap, cheaper than the bus in a lot of cases. - BritOverseas, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4This is absolutely legit, take it from a European.
They are not the only airline in Europe that do this, EasyJet do it too. You can fly pretty much anywhere in Europe (about the size of the contiguous 48) for about $100, sometimes much less. The only caveat is that you book at least one week in advance and don't expect ANY kind of luxuries. - Botond, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5RyanAir and EasyJet have been offering close to nothing flights (only have to pay tax) all over Europe for years. Take my word, IT SUCKS ASS. They setup the 737's to maximum passenger capacity and besides being extremely cramped, the seats are PLASTIC and its very uncomfortable. They charge for any sort of food or drink, and the flight attendants are *****. They wouldn't allow me to sleep during takeoff (wtf?) and im a commercial pilot...
The whole catch is, is that you fly to random unpopulated airports. So instead of flying you to main capitals they fly you to little cities about an hour or 2 away. Kind of like wanting to fly to Los Angeles but having to land in Bakersfield or San Juan Capistrano. - sk1d, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4I travelled through europe last year and in most cases it was cheaper to fly ryanair or easyjet than take the train.
What they do is .99euros to get there and 20 or 30 to fly back so it's not as cheap as you think but much cheaper than anything here in north america.
also, most of the flights are about an hour, europe is damn small copmared to canada. here, a one hour flight will get you nowhere.
and if you must fly one of the two, fly easyjet, the seats are more comfortable, they fly into more major airports, and ryanair pilots seem to have kind of contest to see who can get to cruising altitude the fastest, once they begin to take off you're thrown back in your seat like you're on a rocket.
but like someone else said, if you travel light, bring a snack and your own headphones and a book you don't have to buy anything else they're selling on the flight.
just be careful for when the french strike, got caught in the middle of that once and you're ***** out of luck when that happens - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Okay. I'm looking at the Calendar. Today is March 31st. What's your point?
- spect3r, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4This wouldn't work in a place like Canada. We don't have the amount of flyers a place like Europe has. My experience has been, when in Europe, it's cheaper to fly - than to do anything.. from a tourists perspective at least. I mean, we flew from Alghero Italy to Rome and then to Paris for Under $200 (CDN).
Of course we ended up in small, remote airports; but it still got us close!
In Canada, you have to pay through the nose because airlines cant make the money off of the whole... 24.. people that fly. So everyone drives. And on and on it goes in a circle.
This is just another reason why I believe the transportation system in Europe far exceeds anything in North America. Canada, at least. I can't speak for inter-state flights in America. From what I've heard; it can also get pricey. - master_of_fm, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4yeah hear in the US all of the airlines will think "hey look what Ryan Air is doing, lets do that to we can charge for every little thing, but forget the free airfare thing, the shareholders need bigger dividends"
- jimio, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3www.ryanair.com
it true, they have been doing 'free' flights for a while. Still have to pay Airport tax mind! - sinfony, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Having actually flown on Ryanair several times last year, I can tell you that it isn't fake. Honestly, it's hardly different from flying coach on United or Southwest. They play ads on the speakers while you're sitting down, and they offer several products during the flight, but they don't bother you in any way. If you've got headphones on or you're asleep, they just leave you alone.
The only problem with Ryanair is that it can be hard to get where you want to go for cheap. For instance, I flew to Paris from Edinburgh for about fifty bucks round trip, but I had to go through Dublin first because the fare was cheaper that way. Not a big deal if you're trying to get around cheaply, but sort of a pain. - odaen, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4So what about if you need to go to the lavatory, they gonna fit you with a catheter.
What *could* work is a system like in 5th element where you can get out if needed, but to use the toilet costs money. What I don't like the idea of is the possible lack of air, being unable to scratch my nose, and the fact that the guy layed underneath me is probabaly enjoying the experience more than he should. - mentacoff, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5I've gotten 5 of those free ipods.
The actual article though talks more about advertising and cutting back on amenities to save money for the average user, which sounds nice. I'd like to see more airlines in America being innovative and trying stuff like this. - eadnams, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Ad's too, interesting to see web marketing ideas moving into the real world to make more than just websites free...
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Ryanair have been doing this sort of thing for years, they are the role model for all no-frills arilines throughout the world at the moment.
- Botond, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3You would NEVER find plastic seats on any US carrier. That alone puts RyanAir in a completely different category from any US carriers coach seat.
- roundy, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I think the Ryanair concept will work well for business people flying short hops. For most flights in the continental US under 2-3 hours, not have any drinks or food is no problem. Not have any seatback pockets is no big deal either. And if your just doing the same day-2 day business trip, no check-in is no big deal. My regular flight is LA-Chicago (about 4 hours). I'd have no problem doing this flight with no food/drinks, if I can consistently get a $100 RT ticket. Heck, I'd fly just for fun at that price.
However, I have to say that sometimes I'm willing to pay for less hassle. And the biggest hassle is not the amenties, it's the hunting for cheap tickets. Even on Southwest, trying to find the lowest price ticket is a pain. Ticket prices change day by day and week by week. Flying Monday on Week 1 is not the same price as flying Monday on Week 2, etc. If an airline would just have consistent prices all the time, I'm there. Just tell me that LA-Chicago RT is $250 ALL THE TIME/ANY FLIGHT/ANY SEAT and I'll fly that airline ALL THE TIME. I really hate the hassle of hunting every day on multiple websites for the lowest price ticket. Everything else (food, enterntainment, etc.) I could take or leave. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -8/+11They probably don't have crippling unions to contend with either. I swear, the labor unions in the US are bringing down American manufacturing and services.
- TimmyGUNZ, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2The airlines are going to have to do something if they plan to stay in long-term. With cheaper airlines like Jet Blue and Song popping up offering cheaper travel to the most popular destiations, larger airlines are really feeling it. Just look at how many of them file for bankruptcy.
I think it's a great idea if it can be worked out right. I don't think we'll ever see "free" flights in the Continental US, but if we allowed airplanes to become blanketed with ads on the inside, like the subways and buses in major cities, there's no reason that the operating costs could be offset by ad money instead of ticket prices, thus allowing an airline to flourish like never before by charging very minimal prices. (i.e. $25 NYC - Miami) - andreo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I could go for cost structure like this. If I want soda or snacks then I pay, if I want to carry a ton of luggage then I pay for each bag (especially if it meant that my bags would actually make it onto the same flight). But if I'm just doing a weekend trip from Des Moines to Chicago (45 min flight) I won't have to shell out 200 bucks to do it.
A $50 ticket would sure make me fly a bit more instead of driving the 5 hours.
Also some of the things that airlines do are just beyond me. I remember a flight from Detroit to Toronto (about 30 min) and they start pulling out the snack cart. They barley had time to serve everyone before the plane was making it's decent. What a waste of money that was. - master_of_fm, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4that would be funny if the put little electric buzzers in the seats so that if you dozed off you would get a shock in the ass so you didnt miss the ads being display.
- speel, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Provide all 100% free flights and just put google ads all over xD.
- superstewy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2When I traveled Europe a couple years ago I got a flight from Milan to Paris for 12 Euros on EasyJet. It was way cheaper than taking a train. Sure you get 0 luxuries but I'd rather that than a $200 ticket.
- moylan, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2they have a bad reputation. people will still use them however as they are so cheap. i saw a few months back that it was cheaper to go from dublin to cork using ryanair than it was to take the train. insane.
however;
too many blind people on one flight were told to get off
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/essex/4446612.stm
misleading advertising
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/4312393.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3088311.stm
charging disabled person for use of a wheelchair
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4112791.stm
i think it will be easy to recognise the people who travel for free on these flights. they'll be the ones flapping :-) - chrstphrbrwn, on 04/15/2009, -0/+2RyanAir is great on the wallet, but is a horrible flying experience, overall. Think Southwest Airlines, but with no A, B, or C boarding groups and trying to form a queue with Germans and Italians (my experience flying round trip from Treviso to Hahn). Its definitely not a family-friendly airline, at least for those with infants and toddlers, as they do not allow you to mount car seats or carriers -- they must be carried on your lap with some lame excuse for a tandem safety belt. The amount of contests and advertising, while annoying, is bearable -- isn't that what headphones are for? ;)
I'd say its great for business or people without children. For those with children, it sucks. :( - Quarks, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I know, charter flights are great for the average Joe who wants to fly from London to Rome - £2,89 at the moment - (or another popular destination) and doesn't need service (it's only a couple of hours).
It's not hard to believe that i can be 'free', the costs come from additional stuff anyway (airport taxes, luggage, etc). - geekee, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3In the US we will eventually be able to fly free as well. Here's how it goes.
1. airlines charge fairs lower than the amount needed to cover expenses, and therefore lose money
2. airlines declare bakruptcy.
3. govt. bails out airlines using taxpayer dollars.
So airlines will keep charging less to be competitve until the price goes to zero, and taxpayers are funding all air travel. -
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