Ryanair has today launched a business class service targetting the 25 per cent of its passengers who are corporate travellers.
The "Business Plus" fare provides fast-track security, priority boarding, premium seats, flexibility on ticket changes, and a 20kg checked-in bag allowance.
Prices start at £59.99 and tickets are available to book now.
Following the lead of Easyjet, Ryanair has gradually been adapting its practices to better target business travellers, including allocated seating (see news, February 3).
Kenny Jacobs, Ryanair's chief marketing officer, said: "Businesses are becoming smarter with their travel and over 25 per cent of our customers already travel on business, choosing Ryanair for our low fares, industry-leading punctuality and the largest route network in Europe.
"We now offer even more business routes, connecting Europe's major cities with additional flights and improved schedules, ensuring great savings for businesses of all sizes.
"Our commitment to the improvement of our customer experience under our 'Always Getting Better' programme continues, following the introduction of allocated seating, a free second carry-on bag, reduced fees, a new website, a brand new app with mobile boarding passes, and our dedicated family service, Ryanair Family Extra.
"This launch of Ryanair Business Plus, combined with our new groups and corporate service, and partnership with Travelport GDS – with a second GDS partner to be announced soon – will make business travel with Ryanair ever simpler, as we continue to offer so much more than just the lowest fares."
Speaking to Business Traveller in July, Lesley Kane, Ryanair's head of corporate sales, said the airline's focus on corporate travellers is to enable it to meet its aim of carrying up to 112 million passengers by 2019 (see news, July 2).
She said the new business product has been developed as a result of feedback from corporate customers, with the flexible ticket allowing travellers to change their flight without paying fees, or boarding an earlier aircraft, if available.
Graham Smith
