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Passengers to stand on Ryanair planes?

Published: 06/07/2009 - Filed under: News »

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Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary says the carrier is in talks with Boeing about designing aircraft with standing room, allowing it to squeeze more passenger onboard flights.

Any such move would need approval from aviation authorities, although Chinese carrier Spring Airlines also recently announced it was exploring the possibility. The idea would see standing passengers strapped to stools during take off and landing, allowing Ryanair to fly up to 50 per cent more travellers per flight.

It’s just one of a raft of “announcements” by the low-cost carrier, including the possibility of charging travellers to use the toilet in-flight. One cost cutting measure that is definitely going ahead though is that of the removal of airport check-in desks (see online news May 13).

Ryanair also released a statement today saying that it is now “twice the size of British Airways”, having flown 5.8 million passengers in June, compared to BA’s 2.9 million travellers over the same period, although this does not take into account the length of flights flown or revenue earned per passenger.

For more information visit ryanair.com.

Report by Mark Caswell

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COMMENTS » 

skyguyj - 07/07/2009 02:35

I think Mr. O'Leary is smoking CRACK if he thinks he can pull this off! Pay Toilets were bad enough! Then NO Airport Check-in Desks? Now "Standing Room Only"?

I know most people LOVE a cheap deal, but I now think "most" people will say ENOUGH is ENOUGH to Mr. O'Leary and his cut-rate operation. He's grabbing headlines by "Shock Value" and the travel press (among others) is sucking it up!

It's time to put our collective feet down and say ENOUGH Mr. O'Leary!!! You are losing more customers than you are gaining. People DON'T want to fly with you anymore! Your reputation, your ANTICS and your level of Customer Service (or lack thereof) precedes you. NO discounted airfare is worth being treated like a herd of cattle.

I think your "15 Minutes" are UP!

RichardEnglish - 09/07/2009 09:00

If people are prepared to pay for a grotty product or service then there will always be people around who will gladly supply such a product or service. Don't blame the suppliers of junk food, rubbish beer and grotty flights - the fault lies with those who buy such rubbish.

I choose not to fly with Ryanair as I choose not to buy McD*n*ld's food or B*dw*is*r's ghastly fizzy beer - if others did the same then the suppliers of sub-standard rubbish would have either to improve their offerings or go out of business.

Passepartout56 - 10/07/2009 01:45

Richard English has hit the nail on the head. There is no point in whining about Mr O's latest money making ventures. Hit him where it hurts most and boycott Ryanair totally. I am quite certain the message will have its desired impact but will take time. For the record, I have flown once with Ryanair and vowed never again (and that was in its early days).

Ricjackal - 10/07/2009 18:11

Ding Ding "Plenty of room on top come along please move along the bus !! sorry Plane (heehee) " ......... !!!!!

Mastamoza - 16/07/2009 23:15

I think that the idea is not as bad as people make it look. most ryanair flights last less than 2 hours, some barely one. by bus it would take around 10 hours. you would be sitting at take off and landing and for the rest, a plane is not the worst place to be.

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