Newsstand - A radical fix for airlines: Make flying free

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2006/04/01/8372814/

Michael O'Leary, Chief Executive of Ireland's Ryanair (Research), Europe's most profitable airline, wants to make air travel free. Not free as in free from regulation, but free as in zero cost. By the end of the decade, he promises, "more than half of our passengers will fly free."

Which, with airport passenger charges, government taxes (those that aren't a percentage of the fare), security charges, fuel surcharges, etc., etc., will average out to about $100 per ticket. Might as well charge for it. :)

Thanks sobore for the heads up! Ryanairs CEO Michael O'Leary like to talk about this topic. In very short terms: His business concept looks for earnings on his business partners (eg hotels, rental cars, gaming industry, etc) and not mainly on fares.

Why not make the whole thing POS. Point of Service pricing, or pay as you go. Free tickets, but. .

Remind every pax to bring ten quarters per segment. For the coin operated turnstile to get into the TSA screening area. Bring a dime too, for the mandatory "tip" for the GA's salary to scan your BP. Once on the plane, the captain can come down the aisle with his hat. "Well folks, we need 30,000 gallons to make it to Tokyo, and the guy out there on the fuel truck aint pumping it till he gets $60,000 up front, so give generously." Then he comes down a second time "Thanks for buying us some fuel, but the pilots and FAs don't work for free, we're not pushing back till we collect our $1600."

Free tickets on Nickel and Dime Airlines, the wave of the future. I can't wait. :td: