An Open letter to RYANAIR

peterbaker

budgetflyer wrote:

There has to be a trade off . Hands up who wants to go back to the old ways-NOT ME

Exactly, a trade off. Aviation is still a complex business. We have a great deal to thank BA for in bringing British Aviation safely to the 21st century. They didn't change fast enough when the equipment became so reliable, and sharp business practice became the norm. In a way it wasn't their fault. Excellence continued to be expected from them in ALL their old ways.

I don't like the fact that a lone non-British sharp-minded finance whizz controls the biggest airline operator in the UK and receives huge amounts in UK tax subsidies through aviation fuel which might not be being ploughed back into aviation safety in quite the same way as BA used them in the old days.

O'Leary complains in big letters daubed on one or more of his aircraft flying to France "Dites Non a la Surcharge de Kerosene Air France" (or similar phrase) which is a big complaint against action taken to redress the balance on this very subject in France.

I disagree with Air France's actions to dismantle some of Ryanair's local airport contracts whereby the airport pays him rather than the other way round. So long us this is not corruption and is sponsored by the local business community/tourist industry I think this is a great O'Leary idea.

I have already said I worry about some of the other changes which push the aircraft turnaround safety parameters to new limits, and I worry about the quality of ground staff and cabin crews. The staff turnover figures for both these areas are horrendous I think because few good people enjoy aviation from the standpoint of a Ryanair ground contract employee or Ryanair cabin crew member.

So yes, a trade-off is what we want. I'd like to see better quality employees, and a bit better customer service please. I understand the demand for cheap flights. I am part of it. But I wouldn't mind paying another £10 if I could see real improvement. I would like to see regulated improvement not market driven improvement. The broken seat that d_d mentioned is disgraceful in aviation. A Boeing 737 is not a bus. You might see missing cushions and grafitti on buses but when was the last time you saw a broken seat that lets you fall backwards on one? How on earth does this sky europe outfit scrape an existence with aircraft in that condition? By customer apathy, not customer demand thats for sure.

We are not stuck with just two extreme choices of what we've got or what we had 10 years ago. We can demand something in between or even on a higher level than both. Let's not forget that whether it is BA or Ryanair or Sky Europe, they are doing what they do with taxpayers subsidies and therefore they should be accountable, and they should have standards worthy of being called British.

budgetflyer

peterbaker wrote:

I don't like the fact that a lone non-British sharp-minded finance whizz controls the biggest airline operator in the UK and receives huge amounts in UK tax subsidies through aviation fuel which might not be being ploughed back into aviation safety in quite the same way as BA used them in the old days.

RYANAIR have recently announced they are buying 150+ new 737's so THEY ARE investing in safety and efficiency.

Is your argument about safety? If you are concerned about their safety,why do you fly with them?Its obvious you will pull every trick in the book to get what you want and that is COMPENSATION.
Safety is not an issue as you would have been quite happy for the flight to have landed at a snow bound airport as long as it didn't put you out of your schedule.
You are a bit like the disabled passenger who took Ryanair to court.You want the cheap flight and then start winging when they dont give the "extras" regular airlines include. With regard to the wheelchair, it was STANSTED AIRPORT who charged him, he then asked Ryanair to compensate him. His ticket was £10 and he wanted Ryanair to give him £20 for the wheelchair.

Woby_Tide

budgetflyer wrote:

You want the cheap flight and then start winging when they dont give the "extras" regular airlines include. With regard to the wheelchair, it was STANSTED AIRPORT who charged him, he then asked Ryanair to compensate him. His ticket was £10 and he wanted Ryanair to give him £20 for the wheelchair.

Stansted had to provide the wheelchair as Ryanair didn't provide one in the first place you mean?

Denis_UK

I've just suffered a Ryanair stitch up Booked return flight to Murcia on Good Friday, got no acknowledgement, thinking the deal had not gone through I re-booked on Monday,I got both flights confirmed on Tuesday. Ryanair do not refund for flights,not even the taxes,if I get my credit card company to block it,I will be banned from Ryanair for life. I might get a travel credit to use in the future.anybody had one of these from Ryanair,how much will it cost me?

mystic_trev

Surely you must have got a booking ref for the first flight?

I had to cancel my flights to Granada at Easter as the girlie friend broke her leg! (how selfish can you get!) There was no point in using the re-booking system as it costs £20 per flight per person - and as I'd only paid £38 for each return flight I'd have been shooting myself in the foot (or maybe the girlfriends other leg?!) I use Ryanair on a regular basis, so I really do get value for money. I do find it rather amusing that Ryanair have such bad customer relations and yet get so many returning Customers. But really it's a case of being "it does what it says on the tin"