The Rising Cost of Budget Airlines
New fees and charges look set to make Ryanair a less enticing prospect for passengers seeking budget travel alternatives
Holidaymakers choosing to book with Ryanair this summer face the prospect of being hit by fees, taxes and charges amounting to around £200 which will unavoidably be tagged onto their travel arrangements.
People looking to take advantage of the number of flight and holiday deals available have often complained that they are being unfairly treated by the extra costs which applied to their holiday bookings by budget airlines. Now the airline, which pioneered the close of all check-in desks and boasts of no surcharges being added to it's prices, is set to anger consumers compulsory charges which are for those to wish to fly with them Ryan Air.
Patrons have always been draw to the attractive prices found online and in the high street, but new policies could mean that advertised rates are doubled as a result.
The Rise of Low Cost Airlines in the UK and Ireland
Founded in 1985 the Irish-based low cost airline came to prominence after the deregulation of the air industry in 1997. With travelers looking to expand their horizons and visit near-by European destinations for weekend breaks or short holidays, the likes of Flybe, Jet2 and Aer Lingus joined Ryan Air in creating 'no frills travel'.
After a rapid expansion, Ryan Air became synonymous with cheap flights and is often associated with prices as low as £9.99 to several of its 153 destinations.
The company is now Europe's largest low cost carrier, and the third largest airline on the continent in terms of passenger numbers (behind Lufthansa and Air France.)
It is the largest in the world in terms of international passengers, and between January and March 2010 figures suggest that around 14.1m people flew using the company's services.
Toilet Fee Approved and Luggage Charges Increase
Dealing with the impact of the global economic crisis, and still smarting from April's Icelandic volcano disruptions, Ryan Air seems determined to maintain its €319 profits by passing extra costs onto its customers.
With the prices of flights available to interested parties averaging at about €32 there has always been a relatively large difference between to cost of the flight and the charges, including fuel and insurance, which make up each deal's final total.
Ryan Air's customers can expect to add around £100 in unspecified taxes, fees and charges to any price they see listed on the company's website, and that's before other newer additions have been taken into account.
Flights booked this summer will incur an extra £5 charge per item as the luggage fee for checking in each bag is raised from £15 to £20 during the months of July and August, something which Ryan Air's Stephen McNamara own described the increase as 'an incentive to travel light'.
Passengers booking online will also be expected to pay a charge of £10 per person for using the convenience of the Internet to make their booking, whilst those paying with a credit card are charged an extra £10 a person for 'administration fees' associated with their booking.
Having caused controversy earlier this year by refusing to pay compensation to travelers who were grounded by the volcanic eruptions in Iceland, Ryanair looks set to make itself even more unpopular with guests using its services.
For the first time on any airline once stepping on board the aircraft there will be a fee to use the toilet as, despite criticism, the company has introduced a £1 or € for using the plane's bathroom.
Increases in Air Travel Could See On-Board Prices Rise Further
It is not only Ryan Air and other budget airliners whose passengers will suffer as a result of shrinking profit margins in the airline industry. US carrier American Airlines has already begun charging flight passengers for the use of extras such as blankets, headphones and eye-masks; items which were previously free.
Executives from the company have even suggested that in the future those wanting meals will see an addition to the price of their ticket, and this could also mean that other companies consider charging a fee to use services such as the personal entertainment systems containing music and movies which are installed on some larger planes. The success of Ryan Air's schemes and how users react to its changes could be vital for the future of our airlines.
Whilst flying with a budget airline is still a cheaper alternative to more renowned carriers travelers are beginning to face up to the reality that the £100 and under deals that were seen at the peek of the flight boom are now rarely achievable.
People looking to take advantage of the number of flight and holiday deals available have often complained that they are being unfairly treated by the extra costs which applied to their holiday bookings by budget airlines. Now the airline, which pioneered the close of all check-in desks and boasts of no surcharges being added to it's prices, is set to anger consumers compulsory charges which are for those to wish to fly with them Ryan Air.
Patrons have always been draw to the attractive prices found online and in the high street, but new policies could mean that advertised rates are doubled as a result.
The Rise of Low Cost Airlines in the UK and Ireland
Founded in 1985 the Irish-based low cost airline came to prominence after the deregulation of the air industry in 1997. With travelers looking to expand their horizons and visit near-by European destinations for weekend breaks or short holidays, the likes of Flybe, Jet2 and Aer Lingus joined Ryan Air in creating 'no frills travel'.
After a rapid expansion, Ryan Air became synonymous with cheap flights and is often associated with prices as low as £9.99 to several of its 153 destinations.
The company is now Europe's largest low cost carrier, and the third largest airline on the continent in terms of passenger numbers (behind Lufthansa and Air France.)
It is the largest in the world in terms of international passengers, and between January and March 2010 figures suggest that around 14.1m people flew using the company's services.
Toilet Fee Approved and Luggage Charges Increase
Dealing with the impact of the global economic crisis, and still smarting from April's Icelandic volcano disruptions, Ryan Air seems determined to maintain its €319 profits by passing extra costs onto its customers.
With the prices of flights available to interested parties averaging at about €32 there has always been a relatively large difference between to cost of the flight and the charges, including fuel and insurance, which make up each deal's final total.
Ryan Air's customers can expect to add around £100 in unspecified taxes, fees and charges to any price they see listed on the company's website, and that's before other newer additions have been taken into account.
Flights booked this summer will incur an extra £5 charge per item as the luggage fee for checking in each bag is raised from £15 to £20 during the months of July and August, something which Ryan Air's Stephen McNamara own described the increase as 'an incentive to travel light'.
Passengers booking online will also be expected to pay a charge of £10 per person for using the convenience of the Internet to make their booking, whilst those paying with a credit card are charged an extra £10 a person for 'administration fees' associated with their booking.
Having caused controversy earlier this year by refusing to pay compensation to travelers who were grounded by the volcanic eruptions in Iceland, Ryanair looks set to make itself even more unpopular with guests using its services.
For the first time on any airline once stepping on board the aircraft there will be a fee to use the toilet as, despite criticism, the company has introduced a £1 or € for using the plane's bathroom.
Increases in Air Travel Could See On-Board Prices Rise Further
It is not only Ryan Air and other budget airliners whose passengers will suffer as a result of shrinking profit margins in the airline industry. US carrier American Airlines has already begun charging flight passengers for the use of extras such as blankets, headphones and eye-masks; items which were previously free.
Executives from the company have even suggested that in the future those wanting meals will see an addition to the price of their ticket, and this could also mean that other companies consider charging a fee to use services such as the personal entertainment systems containing music and movies which are installed on some larger planes. The success of Ryan Air's schemes and how users react to its changes could be vital for the future of our airlines.
Whilst flying with a budget airline is still a cheaper alternative to more renowned carriers travelers are beginning to face up to the reality that the £100 and under deals that were seen at the peek of the flight boom are now rarely achievable.