does RyanAir seem like an angry, angry company to you?
Jan 24, 2008, 10:04 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: if it's Thursday, this must be Belgium
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Posts: 6,484
does RyanAir seem like an angry, angry company to you?
I have never myself flown with RyanAir (have flown easyJet), but I've read about them with interest over the years because they seem to generate immediate and strong reactions from many people, and for the remarkable success of the low cost phenomenon (like Walmart).
But the main comparison I now come away with, is that this airline seems to be like a person who hates his/her job. I feel as if RyanAir is some sort of surly cashier at the grocery store, who personally hates each customer for coming in and buying something and generating more work that has to be done. Like as soon as someone walks in, they say, "goddamn it, another @#$@! customer".
Do you get this feeling that RyanAir hates life? I mention it now because of the recent news about more baggage charges and check-in fees: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ne...ncl=1126785802
I mean, I know it's about cost cutting and all, but it also seems like they would just rather never have to deal with actual people. I think RyanAir would be happier if pax organized themselves into self-contained pods and they only had to load and transport the pods. But maybe that's true of most airlines at heart...
But the main comparison I now come away with, is that this airline seems to be like a person who hates his/her job. I feel as if RyanAir is some sort of surly cashier at the grocery store, who personally hates each customer for coming in and buying something and generating more work that has to be done. Like as soon as someone walks in, they say, "goddamn it, another @#$@! customer".
Do you get this feeling that RyanAir hates life? I mention it now because of the recent news about more baggage charges and check-in fees: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ne...ncl=1126785802
I mean, I know it's about cost cutting and all, but it also seems like they would just rather never have to deal with actual people. I think RyanAir would be happier if pax organized themselves into self-contained pods and they only had to load and transport the pods. But maybe that's true of most airlines at heart...
Jan 24, 2008, 11:38 am
#4
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: HUY
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Plat Amb, Accor Gold, Marriott Gold, BA Gold, easyJet Flight Club, Global Entry
Posts: 564
To me easyJet and Ryanair are worlds apart. I don't mind flying easyJet as they are in my opinion one of the better low cost airlines.
Ryanair have re-defined the word 'cheap' and 'tacky'. I do fly with Ryanair and don't mind admitting I hate the experience but they are very cheap. I don't ever pay more than £1 plus taxes to fly them however - where fares are more than this I always choose a different carrier. Ryanair finds new lows and exploits them.
As for O'Leary, yes, he is just one angry man, period. He will upset anyone and it just doesn't bother him. I don't even think it stops with profit - I imagine he hates his own family as much as the nuisances that pay to fly his airline.
Ryanair have re-defined the word 'cheap' and 'tacky'. I do fly with Ryanair and don't mind admitting I hate the experience but they are very cheap. I don't ever pay more than £1 plus taxes to fly them however - where fares are more than this I always choose a different carrier. Ryanair finds new lows and exploits them.
As for O'Leary, yes, he is just one angry man, period. He will upset anyone and it just doesn't bother him. I don't even think it stops with profit - I imagine he hates his own family as much as the nuisances that pay to fly his airline.
Jan 25, 2008, 10:45 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,406
I've come across lots of very nice and incredibly helpful and sympathetic Ryanair staff who don't reflect Mr O'Leary's perceived personality in any way.
Before Ryanair and Easyjet came onto the scene I needed to use mainly charter flights and Iberia in order to see friends and family in Europe.
I never noticed a drop in standards when jumping ship to Ryanair flights - quite the contrary, and long 4 hour plus delays and being bumped and having my luggage go missing are now, happily, very much the exception rather than the rule.
I'm not comparing Ryanair with British Airways or BMI as I could never afford to fly with them (or, when I could, their mid-day schedules didn't suit me) - but compared to grueling bus rides and never-ending waits for the Dan-Air flight to depart, flying with Ryanair was a pleasure. And it's been many years since I flew with Iberia, switching to FR feels like a permanent upgrade, and one I'm still tickled pink about having had the opportunity to make.
Sure, I prefer Easyjet to Ryanair (just like I prefer Air Berlin to Easyjet), but I much prefer Ryanair to the surly or undependable airlines and tedious modes of travel which this company replaced in my own life.
Budget travel was once really, really grim - worst part about travelling in Europe now is the security measures. I'm not sure if I think RyanAir would be happier if pax organized themselves into self-contained pods and they only had to load and transport the pods - it's the government authorities who seem to be directing a simmering, seething, resentful, barely contained anger towards their citizens for choosing to travel overseas.
Before Ryanair and Easyjet came onto the scene I needed to use mainly charter flights and Iberia in order to see friends and family in Europe.
I never noticed a drop in standards when jumping ship to Ryanair flights - quite the contrary, and long 4 hour plus delays and being bumped and having my luggage go missing are now, happily, very much the exception rather than the rule.
I'm not comparing Ryanair with British Airways or BMI as I could never afford to fly with them (or, when I could, their mid-day schedules didn't suit me) - but compared to grueling bus rides and never-ending waits for the Dan-Air flight to depart, flying with Ryanair was a pleasure. And it's been many years since I flew with Iberia, switching to FR feels like a permanent upgrade, and one I'm still tickled pink about having had the opportunity to make.
Sure, I prefer Easyjet to Ryanair (just like I prefer Air Berlin to Easyjet), but I much prefer Ryanair to the surly or undependable airlines and tedious modes of travel which this company replaced in my own life.
Budget travel was once really, really grim - worst part about travelling in Europe now is the security measures. I'm not sure if I think RyanAir would be happier if pax organized themselves into self-contained pods and they only had to load and transport the pods - it's the government authorities who seem to be directing a simmering, seething, resentful, barely contained anger towards their citizens for choosing to travel overseas.
Jan 25, 2008, 1:05 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: UK
Posts: 181
Hear hear
I've come across lots of very nice and incredibly helpful and sympathetic Ryanair staff who don't reflect Mr O'Leary's perceived personality in any way.
Before Ryanair and Easyjet came onto the scene I needed to use mainly charter flights and Iberia in order to see friends and family in Europe.
I never noticed a drop in standards when jumping ship to Ryanair flights - quite the contrary, and long 4 hour plus delays and being bumped and having my luggage go missing are now, happily, very much the exception rather than the rule.
I'm not comparing Ryanair with British Airways or BMI as I could never afford to fly with them (or, when I could, their mid-day schedules didn't suit me) - but compared to grueling bus rides and never-ending waits for the Dan-Air flight to depart, flying with Ryanair was a pleasure. And it's been many years since I flew with Iberia, switching to FR feels like a permanent upgrade, and one I'm still tickled pink about having had the opportunity to make.
Sure, I prefer Easyjet to Ryanair (just like I prefer Air Berlin to Easyjet), but I much prefer Ryanair to the surly or undependable airlines and tedious modes of travel which this company replaced in my own life.
Budget travel was once really, really grim - worst part about travelling in Europe now is the security measures. I'm not sure if I think RyanAir would be happier if pax organized themselves into self-contained pods and they only had to load and transport the pods - it's the government authorities who seem to be directing a simmering, seething, resentful, barely contained anger towards their citizens for choosing to travel overseas.
Before Ryanair and Easyjet came onto the scene I needed to use mainly charter flights and Iberia in order to see friends and family in Europe.
I never noticed a drop in standards when jumping ship to Ryanair flights - quite the contrary, and long 4 hour plus delays and being bumped and having my luggage go missing are now, happily, very much the exception rather than the rule.
I'm not comparing Ryanair with British Airways or BMI as I could never afford to fly with them (or, when I could, their mid-day schedules didn't suit me) - but compared to grueling bus rides and never-ending waits for the Dan-Air flight to depart, flying with Ryanair was a pleasure. And it's been many years since I flew with Iberia, switching to FR feels like a permanent upgrade, and one I'm still tickled pink about having had the opportunity to make.
Sure, I prefer Easyjet to Ryanair (just like I prefer Air Berlin to Easyjet), but I much prefer Ryanair to the surly or undependable airlines and tedious modes of travel which this company replaced in my own life.
Budget travel was once really, really grim - worst part about travelling in Europe now is the security measures. I'm not sure if I think RyanAir would be happier if pax organized themselves into self-contained pods and they only had to load and transport the pods - it's the government authorities who seem to be directing a simmering, seething, resentful, barely contained anger towards their citizens for choosing to travel overseas.
Jan 26, 2008, 6:27 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Malaga, Spain
Posts: 1,077
Do you get this feeling that RyanAir hates life? I mention it now because of the recent news about more baggage charges and check-in fees: http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ne...ncl=1126785802
I mean, I know it's about cost cutting and all, but it also seems like they would just rather never have to deal with actual people....
I mean, I know it's about cost cutting and all, but it also seems like they would just rather never have to deal with actual people....
Ryanair is hoist with its own ' no fuel supplements' petard so has to keep increasing the ancillary fees.
When people's disposable income shrinks (this year?) there may be more awareness of the total cost of a Ryanair bargain fare stimulated by fare comparison websites
Feb 5, 2008, 7:49 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: NYC
Programs: UA 1K!, NWA PE
Posts: 243
[QUOTE=neilyork;9127619]To me easyJet and Ryanair are worlds apart. I don't mind flying easyJet as they are in my opinion one of the better low cost airlines.
Ryanair have re-defined the word 'cheap' and 'tacky'. I do fly with Ryanair and don't mind admitting I hate the experience but they are very cheap. I don't ever pay more than £1 plus taxes to fly them however - where fares are more than this I always choose a different carrier. Ryanair finds new lows and exploits them.
As for O'Leary, yes, he is just one angry man, period. He will upset anyone and it just doesn't bother him. I don't even think it stops with profit - I imagine he hates his own family as much as the nuisances that pay to fly his airline.[/QUOTE
I agree - Easyjet is much better. Ryan is saying you pay nothing you get nothing.
Ryanair have re-defined the word 'cheap' and 'tacky'. I do fly with Ryanair and don't mind admitting I hate the experience but they are very cheap. I don't ever pay more than £1 plus taxes to fly them however - where fares are more than this I always choose a different carrier. Ryanair finds new lows and exploits them.
As for O'Leary, yes, he is just one angry man, period. He will upset anyone and it just doesn't bother him. I don't even think it stops with profit - I imagine he hates his own family as much as the nuisances that pay to fly his airline.[/QUOTE
I agree - Easyjet is much better. Ryan is saying you pay nothing you get nothing.
Feb 6, 2008, 10:20 am
#10
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 7,605
Feb 6, 2008, 10:40 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 18,406
I also saw this
http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/...252926,00.html
Sounds just as much like angry, angry passengers to me. The so called psychology expert had a bit of an axe to grind.
Did you see the band members on TV? Most of their criticism was for the busy body 'lecturer' who was the real terrorist in their experience of their ordeal.
Hopefully, if he is indeed at a University, he is getting ribbed rotten there.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/...252926,00.html
Sounds just as much like angry, angry passengers to me. The so called psychology expert had a bit of an axe to grind.
Did you see the band members on TV? Most of their criticism was for the busy body 'lecturer' who was the real terrorist in their experience of their ordeal.
Hopefully, if he is indeed at a University, he is getting ribbed rotten there.
Last edited by LapLap; Feb 6, 2008 at 10:48 am