Ryanair and refuseniks

[didds]

"O’Leary said that travellers vowing never to fly Ryanair again will almost certainly return to the airline because its prices are lower. “Our booking engine is full of passengers who have sworn they will never fly with us again,” he said."


DAK how Ryanair know that people who have claimed never to fly with them again, actually have done?

didds

[Slarti]

Don't see how they can know.

If you say you'll never fly with Ryanair again, unless to write to them and tell them, they won't know.


I did say I'd never use them again and then did use them, but that was because they were the only airline going from Gatwick to Dublin when I needed to. Other than that I have paid more than their headline price to avoid using them.

Slarti

[vrdiver]

I guess there's a scale from "never, ever" through to "I'll actively choose Ryanair as my preferred carrier".

I suspect a lot of the "never, ever again" flyers end up on the "needs must" list, but I wonder how many bookings try to go elsewhere first, even paying a small premium just to avoid Ryanair, if there's a similar flight available elsewhere?

[swill453]

This is just the latest. It is sucessful, it has got people here talking about them. And that is exactly the result OL wants.

Normally I'd agree, but this seems a little different. Especially since it seems to be a cover-up for a shortage of pilots, or the disgruntlement of Ryanair pilots.

By the time the dust settles I'd say either Ryanair won't exist in its current form, or O'Leary will be gone (which is the same thing I suppose).

Scott.

[Gaggsy]

I also think this is different. Prior to this latest debacle, regardless of how you felt about Ryanair, you at least had a pretty good chance of getting to your destination. The grumbles/jokes about having to pay extra for baggage/using the toilet/emergency oxygen/take your pick - could be overlooked because at the end of the day you saved money, still got to your destination and only had to endure the pain for a few hours.

Now they are cancelling flights and O'Leary is still openly sneering at his customers. It's gone beyond a joke.

Remember Gerald Ratner?

I think this is O'Leary's 'we're crap' moment.

[vrdiver]

I also think this is different... Now they are cancelling flights and O'Leary is still openly sneering at his customers. It's gone beyond a joke.

Because Ryanair is "point-to-point" it's very hard to get compensation for associated losses without a decent travel insurance package (e.g. lost hotel costs, missed connection etc). Even then, it's not always clear cut.

For people wanting a few days away without hassle, spending an extra £20 on an Easyjet flight that actually includes a pilot might seem to be a better choice from now on.

We'll see how long people's memories are...

[dspp]

I fly EasyJet most weeks.

I only ever fly Ryanair if there is no alternative at a reasonable price to that destination, or to a nearby destination. I used to have to use Ryanair to a particular destination once and came to the conclusion that they were worth actively avoiding. I end up on Ryanair about once every two or three years these days.

There are pilots' organisations out there (Ryanair are allergic to unions) in various EU countries actively organising to hold Ryanair to account for past promises. It is worth reading the PPRUNE thread on this http://www.pprune.org/terms-endearment/ ... ts-13.html .

In addition of course O'Leary is (rightly imho) concerned about the Brexit issues he has raised. Plus Norwegian are apparently luring pilots away, and I am sure they are not alone. But there is a counter-argument that this is a Machiavellian move by O'Leary to position Ryanair to swoop on Air Berlin. Who knows ?

regards, dspp

[melonfool]

I also think this is different... Now they are cancelling flights and O'Leary is still openly sneering at his customers. It's gone beyond a joke.

Because Ryanair is "point-to-point" it's very hard to get compensation for associated losses without a decent travel insurance package (e.g. lost hotel costs, missed connection etc). Even then, it's not always clear cut.

For people wanting a few days away without hassle, spending an extra £20 on an Easyjet flight that actually includes a pilot might seem to be a better choice from now on.

We'll see how long people's memories are...

I can see it now, on the billboard - "Ryannair flights, 50p", small print "plus £220 pilot surcharge"



Mel

[Slarti]

I am extremely happy to say I have not and never will use them. I'd rather not go somewhere than use them.

Sometimes, when it is business, you just have to grit your teeth and lump it.

But if there was an alternative I always use it.

Slarti

[UncleEbenezer]

DAK how Ryanair know that people who have claimed never to fly with them again, actually have done?

didds

That's relatively easy in the era of social media.

Person posts "never again". Person then posts about getting a bargain for their subsequent hols.

I've been known to fly with easyjet or norwegian, but I've always drawn the line at an airline that makes a whole business model out of securing subsidies from corrupt local officials and politicians, and noisily throwing his toys out of the pram any time they come under threat.

[swill453]

That's relatively easy in the era of social media.

Person posts "never again". Person then posts about getting a bargain for their subsequent hols.

It's even easier just to make it up, because it's a good soundbyte. Who can prove him wrong?

Scott.

[Slarti]

I am extremely happy to say I have not and never will use them. I'd rather not go somewhere than use them.

Sometimes, when it is business, you just have to grit your teeth and lump it.

But if there was an alternative I always use it.

Slarti

Sorry, but I don't. And I'd I agree with you about alternatives. I'd always prefer to book on a proper carrier that flies to a proper airport destination and if it means driving an hour or two to get where I want to be, then that's fine too. Easyjet? Yes, not so bad really, but I always pay for the extra legroom seats and the speedy boarding.

When you finish work at one client at 16:00 and the nearest airport is Gatwick, which just about gives you time for a coffee before boarding to fly to Dublin on the last flight of the day and a couple of hours drive would mean flying to Belfast, hire a car and drive to Dublin, and then do it the other way round, that just wouldn't make sense.

I consider Gatwick and Dublin to be proper airports and the long term loss of earnings for not attending would have been substantial, so I gritted my teeth and lumped it.

Slarti

[Lootman]

When you finish work at one client at 16:00 and the nearest airport is Gatwick, which just about gives you time for a coffee before boarding to fly to Dublin on the last flight of the day and a couple of hours drive would mean flying to Belfast, hire a car and drive to Dublin, and then do it the other way round, that just wouldn't make sense.

I consider Gatwick and Dublin to be proper airports and the long term loss of earnings for not attending would have been substantial, so I gritted my teeth and lumped it.

I have to agree with Fred here. I would quite simply never get myself into a position where my only choice of travel was to use Ryanair. I would change my work plans, play plans, location and timing to avoid it.

I have stayed overnight at airports rather than fly with an airline I do not like or trust. There is always an alternative.

To the original question, I have never flown Ryanair or EasyJet and never will. It's that simple. In the last decade I have flown with these airlines:

Virgin Atlantic
Virgin America
Aer Lingus
Swiss
Air New Zealand
Finnair
JAL
BA
American
Alaskan

They took me everywhere I wanted to go.

[vrdiver]

When you finish work at one client at 16:00 and the nearest airport is Gatwick, which just about gives you time for a coffee before boarding to fly to Dublin on the last flight of the day and a couple of hours drive would mean flying to Belfast, hire a car and drive to Dublin, and then do it the other way round, that just wouldn't make sense.

I consider Gatwick and Dublin to be proper airports and the long term loss of earnings for not attending would have been substantial, so I gritted my teeth and lumped it.

Slarti

But what happens if your flight is cancelled because of the lack of a pilot?

The issue with Ryanair is that they have effectively declared that they are unreliable and won't waste money to fix the problem. For a business meeting, saying "I booked Ryanair but they let me down" will now be met with unforgiving "you idiot" looks, rather than sympathy for a fellow road warrior.

Ditto missing a friend's wedding, holiday or generally anything. I'm expecting If you don't care about getting there, fly Ryanair to be painted on the tailfin of each aircraft.

[dspp]

Easyjet is better than BA these days. Seriously, I mean it. Don't compare Easyjet with Ryanair.

Recently a friend and I flew 3h on Easyjet. He is BA Gold so no stranger to the options out there. He was actually pretty impressed.

regards,
dspp

[Lootman]

EasyJet v BA? I take EJ every time. I always buy the speedy boarding and extra leg room. In my opinion, BA are now so bad, I actually question their long term future.

For short-haul, in Economy, you may be correct. But Easyjet isn't an option for long-haul or premium classes, which is where most of my flying is.

I am BA Silver, so locked in to some extent. BA's Club World product is inferior to many non-US airlines. And since BA makes most of its money on its North American routes, their other routes have no doubt suffered. But BA CW is still a solid product and BA F on a 747 or A-380 is probably the best way to fly the Atlantic non-stop.

However it is BA's non-stop route structure, business-friendly timetables and domination at Heathrow that gives it an edge.

[didds]

Person posts "never again". Person then posts about getting a bargain for their subsequent hols.

But unless everybody that does this has shonky FB security settings, how would ryanair ever see these posts?

And Ryanair employ people solely to scour the internet looking for this?

That doesn't seem likely to me ... surely not?

didds

[didds]

EasyJet v BA? I take EJ every time. I always buy the speedy boarding and extra leg room. In my opinion, BA are now so bad, I actually question their long term future.

BA were pretty poor back in the very early 90s. I used to fly FRA-LON-FRA quite a bit as I lived in (initially West) Germany at the time. The quality of service from Lufthansa was immensely superior, for the same price.




didds

[didds]

For short-haul, in Economy, you may be correct. But Easyjet isn't an option for long-haul or premium classes, which is where most of my flying is.
.

Does Ryanair cover long haul as well ? (I wouldn't know)

didds

[didds]

Dublin? I take the ferry.

£80 or under train and ferry return from any station in the UK AIUI.

https://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/SailRail/

didds