Flying High... Ryanair!
Ryanair is an airline that's always in the press, forever causing a scandal because of a new service they now charge money for. Have you traveled with Ryanair before? I can safely say yes, I have traveled with Ryanair three times now. This Irish airline has pioneered the way that budget travel markets itself. Would you choose to save your pennies in order to see the world? I did!
Forget silver service! Cheap fares do not warrant premium in-flight services because Ryanair does it better! They push the sales of refreshments, smokeless cigarettes, newspapers and even phone-cards! Honestly, why would you want to buy a phone-card when your flight is only two hours? What will this airline charge for next? The toilets remain the only free service at the moment, but I dare say that could change in the near future. Could you say that the luck of the Irish has always been with this airline? Calling Dublin Airport its home base and headquarters, this Irish low cost airline flies to some strange places. Well those places only sound strange because I had never heard of them before this cost conscious airline announced their ever-expanding route network. But over the years Ryanair has opened many bases across Europe and North Africa always staying close to their winning formula. Can you guess what is Ryanair's secret? Yes, it's those super quick turnarounds! Lighting fast!
Why fly to the main airport in a city? Ryanair do one better by choosing to use a city's secondary airport to cut costs. Think Scandinavian because Ryanair operates flights to Skavsta Airport which is ninety minutes away from Stockholm city centre, whereas other airlines fly to Arlanda Airport which is only thirty minutes away from the city! Ryanair have had their fingers burnt by advertising airports that aren't strictly the same as the location of the actual arrival airport, I would suggest that manoeuvre probably wasn't the best way to do things? It's never good to tell porkies! But this method certainly pushes down the cost of a standard flight ticket! It's never been a bad thing for me, I have been able to fly out of my local airport in Birmingham on one occasion and then from East Midlands Airport to a primary airport in Poland. Bergerac was the only secondary airport that I have flown into with Ryanair but that was necessary for me. Skavsta or Stockholm its still an airport!
Flying with both Ryanair and Southwest Airlines has hopefully given me a well rounded view on this type of airline. You could say that customer service is not of paramount importance when a ticket is price so low, I learnt this when I traveled with Southwest Airlines. I noticed that Southwest Airlines shares the same 'Low Fare' mantra that Ryanair swears by, taking pit-stop turnarounds and charging a premium for checked baggage. But one difference stands between these budget airlines is their approach to up-selling and customer service. Southwest Airlines cabin crew conduct their in-flight duties with a sunshine smile, I might have been on their first or fifth flight of the day but their nature was always bright. I'm not complaining about Ryanair, believe me they could learn a lesson from their American cousin! But when the times comes for me to travel to America again I will be booking a flight with Southwest Airlines, they are playing the same game! Buckle up, RY! Flying high!
Keep It Ryanair!
Joseph Harrison
Comments
Post a comment