Posts Tagged ‘Ryanair’

Ryanair reverses position and adds UK routes

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Last month it was reported that Ryanair was cutting back on routes serving the UK in protest of the government’s proposed increase in the air passenger duty. In fact, they did eliminate several routes out of Stansted. Today Ryanair completely reversed their position and announced that they are opening up 14 brand new routes in and out of Leeds Bradford.

“This is a great vote of confidence in the potential of both the airport and our region from Europe’s largest airline.” said John Parkin, head of Leeds Bradford.

Travelers were able to begin booking flights today on new routes to the Spanish destinations of Ibiza and Malaga. They’re also servicing such popular holiday destinations of Malta, Venice, Pisa, Montpelier, Nantes, Carcaassone, and Murcia, just to name a few.

The opening of the service at Leeds Bradford marks Ryanair’s 34th entry into the European market. They estimate that the move will add over 1000 jobs to the local economy. If their passenger estimates prove to be true, they will pass the one million passenger a year mark by this time next year.

Ryanair is expanding in the face of dwindling demand for air travel. Most airlines have been cutting service in an effort to withstand the recession. The UK has lost close to 140 routes this year as a result of cut backs.

Thanks to www.telegraph.co.uk for the above quote. For more information on this article please visit their website.

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British airline routes drastically reduced

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

In a move to trim costs in the midst of a recession, airlines have completely eliminated more than 140 routes that previously served UK holidaymakers on their way to the mainland.

Most the canceled routes originated at regional airports like Gatwick that has seen 13 routes shut down including the popular flight to Rome. Leeds/Bradford lost six routes and East Midlands lost nine routes including the run to Madrid as well as the hop to Copenhagen.

It looks like a lot more passengers will have to make the trip to London in order to start their holidays abroad.

“We don’t want to get back to 10 or 15 years ago when, if you were able to fly from a regional airport, then it would be hugely expensive – that would be a real shame. But if Ryanair is hurting, you can be sure that everyone else is.” said Simon Evans, of the airline watchdog group Air Transport Users Council (AUC).

Consumers strapped for cash in the recession are taking their holidays closer to home and airline are struggling to survive to fall in demand. Rising taxes and increased fuel costs have also contributed to the cutback.
Ryanair recently eliminated several routes in protest of the government’s plan to raise the air passenger duty.

Thanks to www.telegraph.co.uk for the above quote. For more information on this article please visit their website.

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Ryanair cutting flights at Stansted

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

After the British government announced plans to increase the airline passenger duty, Ryanair warned that it would freeze growth at its nine UK locations in protest.  Now Ryanair is making good on their threat.

Yesterday, the airline announced that they are cutting flights at Stansted by 30%.  Ryanair had previously offered 40 flights a day out of Stansted.  That number will be cut back to only 24.

The airline is laying the blame at the feet of the UK government for increasing the air passenger duty.  Besides the air passenger duty, the airline also complains of high landing fees at Stansted which have been leveled by BAA.  The combination of these two factors is causing Ryanair to move 16 of their aircraft to cheaper airports located in other parts of Europe.

The move is sure to hurt the economy of the area surrounding Stansted Airport.  The airport has enjoyed hosting Ryanair during the past 10 years.  The cutback means loss of local jobs and revenue.

Ryanair has been criticized by passengers recently for all of the little extra charges that pop up when using the airline.  The airline has been raising these fees and cutting costs in all areas in order to survive the economic downturn.

Thanks to www.telegraph.co.uk the above information.  For more information about this article visit their web site.

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Payback time for Ryanair

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Ryanair has become famous for charging extra fees for every little tidbit of service that they provide.  Passengers have long complained about extra charges for everything from airport check-in to using the onboard loo.

Some alert travelers have recently figured out a way to get some of those annoying little fees back from Ryanair by using a form of currency arbitrage. The move involves buying with British pounds, and getting change back in Euros.

Apparently passengers on Ryanair can buy extra food and drink using either Euros or pounds.  Items are priced the same no matter what currency you choose to use, but Ryanair will routinely give back your change in whichever currency you request.

The example being offered up all over the Internet involves a cup of coffee purchased on board.  A passenger buys a cup of coffee costing £3 or €3. It’s up to the passenger to select how to pay for the coffee.

If the passenger pays with a €50 note and requests change in Euros then the passenger will receive €47 in change. No profit there.

On the other hand, if the passenger buys the same cup of coffee and pays with a £50 note and requests change in Euros, Ryanair makes the conversion and returns €54 to the customer resulting in a nice little €7 profit.

Passengers are eager to try out this scheme.  Reportedly, it’s still working.

Thanks to www.dailymail.co.uk for the above story, for more details on this article please visit their website.

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Ryanair add insult to injury

Monday, July 13th, 2009

www.ryanair.com

Ryanair have always been somewhat challenged when it comes to public relations. However, they seem to have been really pushing the boat out in recent months, with their money-saving schemes outraging potential passengers.

Hot on the heels of statements that he planned to charge passengers a pound each time they wanted to use the toilet during flight, Michael O’Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair has just announced that he plans to make passengers stand whilst they soar through the skies. (more…)

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