joshwex90

What it is
FR is planning on introducing a class for business travelers, though I wouldn't refer to it as "Business Class."

They're terming it "Business Plus" and fares will start at €69.99.

Basically, includes free changes day of the flight (up to 40 minutes before departure), priority boarding, "premium seats" (at the front of the plane or exit rows instead of paying £15), 1X20 kg checked bag, and FastTrack security where available.

My take
As much as O'Leary has said otherwise in the past, I'm surprised it took this long. U2 has done well with the combination of business travel and LCC approach, and in America, we're seeing airlines like WN and B6 move to attract more business travel.

However, if FR treats business pax like vermin, I can't see travel departments justifying sending their employees on FR.

Sources
Ryanair introduces 'business class' - The Telegraph
Ryanair launches business service - The Guardian
Ryanair launches ‘business class’ as it aims for corporate market - The Financial Times

DrBenO

Probably OT (despite the mention of BA), so please feel free to remove if so, but this just made me laugh quite considerably.

redtailshark

^ This is a great idea and I'm going to use it in the upcoming year. There are some countries on the FR service list e.g. Italy where same-day change to any airport will be very valuable. Exit row room on the FR738 is no worse than Club Europe on BA, in fact, better room than some configs.

@:-) It would also be nice if the Biz fare offered the same-day option of changing departure airport e.g. STN for LTN or LGW.

WN Business Select fares work well for some US domestic travelers for the same reasons. I've used these before from time to time and have been satisfied. The FR value package looks to be modeled closely on WN's product.

lifetimeblue

Another Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...ess-class.html

Edit: just missed the point of the first article

DrBenO

Thanks for the actual story lifetimeblue! The link I put in was from the DailyMash (UK version of The Onion).

DrBenO

^

LTN Phobia

This thread has been moved from the BA forum to here as it is more relevant to the European Budget Airlines forum.

LTN Phobia
Moderator: BA forum

DrBenO

Boo- it was a nice story mocking Ryanair in favour of BA! But, fair enough.

flyertalker00156

Will never work. Their business model is based on cheap seats, if they start adding business seats or whatever it will go against the model...

telabadmanwot

I CHOOSE TO FLY RYANAIR. Not because it is a good product/service, (its average) I CHOOSE TO FLY RYANAIR because it treats its staff so strictly they NEVER strike. So many times I had NEEDED to be somewhere and BA/Aer Lingus/Lufthansa has Effed me up by letting their crews go on strike. If I NEED to be somewhere on time, I choose ryanair, I have been doing this for nearly 20 years and they dont let me down.

What has actually peed me off about Ryanair, is their sneaky raised fares, I used to be able to fly for next to nothing, presumably as a cretin subsidised my flight by forgetting to print their boarding card or turning up late and expecting a hand job and the plane to wait for them. What I miss about the old Ryanair is the really low fares.

The 7am Ryanair flights are already packed with business men and women, PACKED. They are now being offered a service that says, Look Here... This is For you.

@Alexis Go and read the proposed fare. It is not a typical business service. It doesn't contradict its business model at all, it is adding (perceived) value to its current service and even renaming some aspects that it charges for individually, priority boarding/leg room seats, fare flexibility. Not lie flat seats and less meat on the plane hahaha

It will be VERY VERY successful, and hopefully, will bring back the ULTRA low fares in the regular seats, I used to book by the bucket load. (I am increasingly booking full fare carriers as Ryanair have inched up their prices close to full fare carriers over the last 4 years... Bad Move Ryanair, I buy your shite on the plane, Aer Lingus gives it to me for 'Free').

joshwex90

How exactly will this negatively impact them? They are getting more money per ticket. What's bad?

Yachtman

You must have read something that I haven't read, because it appears to me that the seats remain the same, you simply get to choose the more preferable seats such as bulkhead/exit.

Other low cost airlines elsewhere have offered similar packages, and it surprises me how long it's taken for Ryanair to catch up and create a bundle of add ons.
Pay an extra £15-£20 for lounge access and you have a reasonably pleasant service.

I will laugh out loud at the first person to declare that they 'travel business class' referring to Ryanair...

LondonElite

They're not adding business seats. It's the same ones, just sold for a higher price, plus some bells and whistles that you previously had to pay for.

Mizter T

It's not really a 'business class', it's a 'business fare'.

shuly

Flexibility has a cost. If they allow changes up to 40 minutes before the flight, more seats will go empty. Of course, airlines business models are extremely complicated, this is just one factor.

Shuly