Ryanair Sleaze

by damnbutter Wed Aug 13, 2003 16:46

At least Aer Lingus staff had a CHOICE (capitalist mantra only works one way eh?) to join a union unlike R.airs baggage handlers. The mentality of Ryanair was captured during this strike by the sight of their scab workers singing and sneering "High Ho, High Ho" at the strikers. O'Leary's genius involves bringing rival companies to their knees by cut throat policies. At the moment this involves cheap-ish fares with the cost all risks (delays, changes etc.) offloaded onto the customer. o'leary would love to enjoy a monopoly and screw the customer. He may be a knight in shining armour to gobshites like Seanin but if he succeeds we will have rip-off fares and a minimal, overworked and underpaid workforce.

by Traveller Sun Aug 10, 2003 12:26

Aer lingus had to lose a lot of unionised staff to become that competitive least we forget

by Lone Gunman Thu Aug 07, 2003 14:05

Ok you flew for a cent flite price. How about Govt tax on airport useage?booking fee? etc etc.
Ok Swine air doesnt get any money from that however it is still out of your pocket.
No no one has been killed YET! But I reckon if it is a cheapie airline saftey HAS to be cut somehere.
Also you have noticed that the other reason for flites to alternative airports is,because, security in aircraft movement[fueling,serviceing ,etc],s alot less stringent.?

I slum it too,but I do like the relative assurance that I will arrive in one piece hopefully as well.After being involved in the flying busisness,I am nerveous about flying with the vomit comet. No I didnt get a olive in my martini, I was DUMB enough to order a sandwich that had more air miles than myself,and pay 10 punts for the privilidge,not to mention compulsory advertiseing by the flying waitresses
to by duty free.
Top of the cheapies for me was Virgin Europe,safe ,clean comfy, free coffee.Flew to where the Punter wanted to go.Pity they quit Ireland

by ollie - katalyzer Wed Aug 06, 2003 18:33

the fact that while, yes, it's good to get around cheeply, no one seems to mention the extreme environmental damage done by air travel.

In any proportional sense, air travel is far far worse, environmentally, than any other way of travelling .

Coupled with this, air fuel isn't taxed ,so this env disaster does nothing to contribute in any way to allievating the problem it causes.

I'm not saying thah one or 2 trips abroad - we do live on an island - are going to destroy the planet, but that's not how planes are used in the main.

For example - In the late 90's, 80% of flights out of Manchester airport were internal domestic flights , mostly done by businessmen going from point a to b. Trains, on the other hand, are far less damagning environmentally, and, taking France as an example, can act as a real alternative to planes.

e.g. u can go from london to nievers (100 miles south-east of paris)in 5 hours, 15 mins...if you think of the actual getting to an airport, trou the various checks, into 'Paris' (or, 1 hour's bus drive from paris with ryanair) and then getting a train anyway ,it would take as long...

So, along with the problems with the environmental effects of air travel, it's also another step towards the end of life outside a few big European cities (this too has serious env consequences)

Also, the flying of food around the globe compounds all of the above....

And we have a shit train service in this country!!
We have thousands of fully functioning train lines which are used for rubble one a month, or even less often - e.g. there is a fully functioning train line from Cork to Sligo. Meanwhile, congestion and house prices go up and up in dublin....

SO all of these things are connected ,and we need to work on a lot of different levels to improve this situation:

SO, to me, it makes sense to -

Use, and promote our crappy public transport system

Fly for a holiday, or one or 2 trips abroad a year, but actually try to use the train abroad, and to get to places via train.

Eat local, seasonal food, especially food which hasn't been flown to my plate.

Not 'the revolution' but more justifiable than any of the alternatives to these three things.

by The Insider Wed Aug 06, 2003 16:52

Try their website if you don't believe me.

And they don't set you down about fifty miles from your destination.

by Gaillimhed Wed Aug 06, 2003 16:02

Exactly how many people have been killed or injured flying Ryanair?

Fair point about the refuelling, but are you in a position to swear that other airlines never bend or break the rules?
as far as i understand some of the larger (expensive) air carriers are dangerously lax on a routine basis.

flew to paris for a cent last year, 50 euro home. didnt crash, plane wasnt filthy, aircrew seemed to be sober and reasonably acquainted with flying aircraft.
Personally i dont mind not getting an olive with my martini if it means there exists a cheap alternative. some of us have to slum it and its nice to have the option.

by Lone gunman Wed Aug 06, 2003 14:03

Your life?It has been an alarming trend to see some real cheapies and how much they cut into saftey measures to bring up the profits.
I have personally seen this with Ryan air in Frankfurt Hahn.Having some experiance of aircraft,I saw two blatant breaches of international law occuring,on two different occasions in 2001. Ryanair boarded passengers on an aircraft that was still being refuelled.Proably still doing this.
Ok they had a fire truck on standby,appx [60 meters away]but this is still illegal. You DO NOT board personel or passengers on a aircraft being refulled.Any US/Uk transport inspector would have a screaming fit if that happened in the States or in a large commerical airport .
I'll look up the FAA ruling and procedure for those who are intrested.Who did I report it to. No one actually,because no one was intrested on the Irish side.As per usual.
So now O'Leary wants to fly transatlantic? No thanks Ill take my chances with Aeroflot.At least you can smoke to your hearts content,drink plenty of vodka,know that your pilots are proably ex combat pilots and know how to handle an emergency.Unlike the Ryanair flight crew who must be all of 21 and have about as many flight hours as their ages. Cheap fares OK.But not possible death by cremation included. Can U imagine how much fun your next of kin would have trying to claim of that arrogant shite O Leary?

by Traveller Wed Aug 06, 2003 13:44

they get me from A to B, i have cause to fly to newcastle a number of times a year.

Aer Lingus/BA Option: €300 and 1 hour 20 minute propellor plane journey

Ryanair Option: €50 and 45 minute jet plane journey

Which am I going to choose, Ryanair workers arent force at gun point to work there (Unlike the air crews of the PDRK aircrews are :) )

Ryanair are popular because they are cheap, bloated unions lead to bloated companies, look at Aer Lingus in 2000/2001. A new leaner Aer Lingus has emerged and save the country the embarassment of losing its flag carrier

Ryanair have changed European air travel for ever. How were all the protestors who were planning to come her in October before that meeting was cancelled 36 hour ferry from France or by R*&^£$r?

by df Wed Aug 06, 2003 13:00

Can people not understand that boycotts are extremely limited. The only really effective action that can be taken that will have a lasting effect is strike action by Ryanair workers. Calling for a boycott should have this goal in mind.

by dick branston Wed Aug 06, 2003 12:21

Although it seems many people here are frequent flyers to places like Germany; Spain; Sweden and Italy - it is only natural that ryanair will do better on these short routes.

I find Cathay Pacific are really great to fly with and are far superior to Ryanair. Although others here focus on shorthaul travel, its only when you fly across the globe between sticky situationism in places like Geneva, Vancouver or Marrakech that you can really tell the difference between todays airlines.
If your looking for good customer service; excellent vegetarian food with fine organic wines; sumptuous departure lounges with VIP/SWP check-in/out and fast airport connections and internet access - I would look no further than Emirates Airlines or perhaps Cathay.Really wicked airlines with everything for todays hectic revolutionary lifestyle - and of course, not american!

...So lets forget about ryanair and start championing those airlines who really deliver what we want:

e.g. Dublin-Davos-Dublin [Skynet 1599] and Dublin-Evian-Marrakech-Monrovia-Dublin [Anarchair 3699].

by Seáinín Tue Aug 05, 2003 23:02

and they're flocking to Ryanair and other lo-cost airlines. As always you people are against the grain.

I flew to Munich for £30 return recently, not bad. Put's these places in reach of the ordinary Joe Soap.

As for Unions, don't we have enough examples in the past to convince you? Saying that, I wouldn't work for M O'Leary, he's appaling.

by simon Tue Aug 05, 2003 20:31

ryanair flights are always to difficult to access airports (i.e. always require large bus/train or taxi fares after flight).
- ryanair gates are always at the furthest point in the airport from the check-in desks // fine if your a healthy young lad like myself .
-ryanair planes are always messy and dirty.
-if you missed a flight your in trouble. under no circumstance of lateness whether it be a death/bomb etc will ryanair resit you on another flight. They will also take some landing charges that you paid but dont technically belong to Ryanair. Yet they can keep you waiting a few hours with no explanation or complementary drink etc.
-they only operate in the cheapest/most lucritave airports thus creating an impression of cheapness etc. but I reckon if they had the broader operational costs of the other airlines it would be a different kettle of fish.
- oh yea - they have no union and lie in their advertising

I have had countless problems with Ryanir actually every time ive flown with Lieanair there has been a problem of some description. No problems with any other operator ive ever flown with.. Air Lingus/Lufthansa/BA/ even Aeroflot.

Just getting that off my chest....

by The Insider Tue Aug 05, 2003 19:26

There's nothing to say a Unionised Ryanair wouldn't be able to do the same thing.

Don't believe Michael O'Leary's crappy lies

by El Capitan Tue Aug 05, 2003 18:49

In my previous job I travelled extensively by air. In my experience the only thing cheaper about Ryanair is if you book months in advance on a special offer (this is esentially because these flights are paid for by the equivalent of a marketing budget, in lieu of advertising).

Otherwise they are every bit as expensive as Aer Lingus and Co. Ryanair has gotten the reputation for getting up early ...............

by Glen Moran Tue Aug 05, 2003 18:41

Seems to be the "excuse" for haughey being touted around by FF these days. Sure he was agreat fella, did loads for the country... wha? criminal you say?... sure he was a great fella, did loads for the country...

by Seáinín Tue Aug 05, 2003 18:21

They have revolutionised ir travel in Europe. BA, Air Fungus and all the other state-run unionised companies were ripping people off for years. Charging over £350 to fly to the continent when it can be done profitably for £60 return.

Ryanair have made air travel ceaper than the bus.

by The Insider Tue Aug 05, 2003 18:14

And other Anti-Union groups too!

There's been many calls for people who fly to use unionised companies - eg Aer Lingus, but a mass boycott has never been organised. So time to do it, methinks!

by eoin Tue Aug 05, 2003 18:06

what do you expect? did you think that mr. o'leary found a copy of socialist worker in the back seat of his taxi one day and woke up to the brave new word of workers rights and fair trade?