Ryanair Is To Make Passengers Stand. Options

[bluebird121]

This is the link:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelne...gers-stand.html

Ryanair is considering proposals to make some of its customers stand during flights.


Michael O'Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair, plans to make some passengers stand
The low-cost airline would charge passengers less on "bar stools" with seat belts around their waists.

Michael O'Leary, the chief executive, has already held talks with US plane manufacturer Boeing about designing an aircraft with standing room.


Ryanair to improve clarity over 'hidden charges'
Ryanair may charge £1 for lavatory use
Ryanair considers 'fat tax' for obese air passengers
Michael O'Leary's publicity stunts
Ryanair's latest plan stools not seats for passengers
Ryanair's 'lose loos' strategy typifies its win, win focus on low faresHe is now seeking approval from the Irish Aviation Authority before ordering a new fleet of carriers, according to The Sun.

A Ryanair spokesman told the newspaper: "If they approve it, we'll be doing it."

Mr O'Leary is reported to have got the idea from the Chinese airline Spring, which has put forward similar plans. It estimates space could be made for up to 50 per cent more passengers and costs could be cut by 20 per cent.

It is not the first time Ryanair has come up with a controversial proposal for cutting costs. Earlier this year Mr O'Leary suggested passengers could be charged £1 to use the on-board lavatories.

In an interview on BBC television he said that the low-cost airline was looking at the possibility of installing a coin slot on the lavatory door so that "people might actually have to spend a pound to spend a penny."

Mr O'Leary also considered introducing a "fat tax" for overweight passengers.

So it goes on. Who sits and thinks up all these hair brained schemes? Does Ryanair need lots of publicity by being controversial?. If so they are going the right way about it .!
I for one would never ever fly on a plane where I had to stand. What happens during turbulence?.. How are you strapped in? What happens if there is an emergency? How do you get past all these folk standing? No way can this work.

[dash8q300]

Absolute crap. There is just no way this is going to happen. I can't believe people still fly with this 'airline'. I hate flying with these types of airlines as it just takes the joy and nostalgia out of air travel.

Dash,

[Kilrah]

Interestingly - if the survey is legitimate - I saw in the paper today that their survey showed 60% of people answering would agree to have a "standing seat" if it was free...

[rjb4000]

It said there was a seatbelt… I would do it, especially if it were free!

[karlhurst_380]

Oh whyever not! What a great laugh it'd be!

Nobody cares how bad Ryanair might be on service, people will keep coming back whenever they put up £1 seat sales. In fact, I've just booked myself on three of their flights, I even get a seat too! bargain!

The industry needs airlines like Ryanair purely for stiff competition, so the passenger gets a good deal. Look at airlines like BA, the measures they're taking to save money, Ryanair are announcing record profits. What can you say.

Edit: As controversial as they may be, they have a very good safety record.

[karlhurst_380]

This is worth a few laughs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymLWycAPZaQ

Michael, really doesn't care. People stand up on other forms of transport every day, aviation is one of the safest right, whats the difference?!

[bluebird121]

You would have to be secured in some way surely. You cannot have the scenario of sudden turbulance and folk falling over the seated passengers. Injuries must occur!
I guess in an emergency the folk standing could be first out of the plane.!

[dash8q300]

I can not believe some of you are actually agreeing to this! Would you not mind turning aviation into a flying bus service? Pilots salaries are already suffering terribly because of such strong competition among airlines. People are just way too greedy these days, they are obsessed in getting the lowest price even if it means sacrificing safety and enjoyment. And then comes the complaining because of the poor service. Sorry, but I just don't understand why anyone would want this!?


Dash,


BTW, that video of O'Leary is just disturbing.

Reason for edit: spelling

[ChillSpiller]

Somehow I can relate to what you are saying and the trend you are foreseeing if this no seat thing will pass. In the end I do somehow hope that not every airline would go and copy it. But then again I wouldn't even bother if there is only one pax seat left in that plane - as long as it is mine. On short legs (1-2hrs) I wouldn't really bother standing though. At least it would be worth a try.
And on a sidenote I don't really believe in those stories either. They can't just lock the toilets. If I hadn't or wouldn't want to spend money for the toilets I'd simply pee somewhere else. They just have to fullfill ones urgest needs. Every restaurant and public building over here is obligated to have restrooms. Somehow you always hear those weird ideas from Ryanair.

[rjb4000]

Every restaurant and public building over here is obligated to have restrooms. Somehow you always hear those weird ideas from Ryanair.

I'm guessing that Ryanair doesn't serve food, so that would preclude them from being considered a restaurant, and their airplanes are definitely not public places - so what's forcing them to keep the bathrooms available? If you get on a subway car you don't expect there to be a bathroom. =P

[karlhurst_380]

I'm guessing that Ryanair doesn't serve food, so that would preclude them from being considered a restaurant, and their airplanes are definitely not public places - so what's forcing them to keep the bathrooms available? If you get on a subway car you don't expect there to be a bathroom. =P

They do have a BoB service available, but its just light bites and drinks.

In response to previous posts, Ryanair are responding to a huge market demand in Europe, MO'L himself said "Europeans will crawl bollock naked over broken glass for low fares"... and its not far from truth.

Ryanair's product is an airbourne bus service, you get on it, it gets you there, you get off it again, no fuss, no frills. In return you get in most cases a ridiculously low fare. Its one of the few airlines in this climate that's coming away laughing at its figures, Ryanair could not give a crap about its service, people just don't care for it at a quid a go.

If the standing idea gets certified, then I'm sure it'd go down very well! people on a budget will love it.

I use the mentality: Why pay £40 extra for a cuppa and a bag of birdseed with BA when for £15 I can have a few drinks and a meal at the airport before I go, make do without on my two hour flight from Gatwick to Prague.

The only airlines that are suffering are the ones offering the crap noone cares for.

[karlhurst_380]

People are just way too greedy these days, they are obsessed in getting the lowest price even if it means sacraficing safety and enjoyment. And then comes the complaining because of the poor service. Sorry, but I just don't understand why annyone would want this!?

Ryanair have a fantastic safety record... it'd cost far too much to cut corners!

And greed? I don't have a lot of money to spend on my flight, Ryanair are at the top of my list of airlines to go with whenever I want to fly somewhere.

Somehow you always hear those weird ideas from Ryanair.

Free PR. Only happens on "quiet news days". Mr O'Leary knows what he's doing.

[Moderators merge posts if you feel necessary, cheers]

[ChillSpiller]

I'm guessing that Ryanair doesn't serve food, so that would preclude them from being considered a restaurant, and their airplanes are definitely not public places - so what's forcing them to keep the bathrooms available? If you get on a subway car you don't expect there to be a bathroom. =P

Ok, my comparison was a bit weak... trains, metros, travel buses, almost anything that has a longer ride has a free toilet on board. Subway cars might not have a toilet, but each subway station should at least have one. If you are brave enough to use it would be another question. But I do think that for the reason of not being able to decide where else to go on a plane they simply have to fullfill your needs. Bathrooms have to be for free! Besides Ryanair does serve food, you only have to pay extra for it.
But then again Karl is absolutely right. It's hopefully all about PR.

[732air cadet]

Free PR. Only happens on "quiet news days". Mr O'Leary knows what he's doing.

My thoughts exactly Karl, he's just putting pointless news out to gain more attention than what he's already got. Blatantly not going to happen, just typical media hype. More attention means more booking, which in turn means profit. That's all MO'L will be wanting.

[bluebird121]

In these days of keen competition, the cheapest airline is going to win, no matter what.(although I have said where I draw the line in a previous post) .I do not think they will ever let passengers stand.
I have flown on Ryanair from Edinburgh to Dublin. As it was a short flight I regarded it as a means to an end, which I think many folk do on cheap flights. It was a good flight and the crew were very pleasant as were the Captain and First Officer.
I wonder though what Ryanair will think of next.? Is this all a huge publicity stunt?

[karlhurst_380]

I wonder though what Ryanair will think of next.? Is this all a huge publicity stunt?

In most cases, you're bang on. Apparently Airbus has told an Asian airline that it would be safe to do so, and its up to the authorities to give the go ahead. If Ryanair can, I am very much sure they will, although at present Ryanair operate all 737-800's.

[tripleseven]

I'm guessing that Ryanair doesn't serve food, so that would preclude them from being considered a restaurant, and their airplanes are definitely not public places - so what's forcing them to keep the bathrooms available? If you get on a subway car you don't expect there to be a bathroom. =P

Of course...how is one able to predict when they are going to need the bathroom?, and since there are no stops in-flight...I would think a bathroom to be more of a logical necessity.

I am nonetheless amazed at the broadscale costcutting going on in this field (thanks southwest airlines you cheap moth--------s). Why don't we just eliminate pilots too that way we can put human lives into the deftly capable hands of computers all in the name of saving money.

We just keep making the rich richer don't we?

[ChillSpiller]

We just keep making the rich richer don't we?

Getting philosphic, huh? I hate to say it but indeed I guess you are right. In order to get us normal folks richer we have to look out for our money and take the "best quality" for the lowest price. Eventually this will make for a big grin in someone elses face. Unfortunately thats the way our capitalistic system works. Some day we'll all figure out that it just doesn't work out right.