Ryanair to cut most draconian fees
Ryanair announced today that it is continuing its charm offensive launched a year ago following the appointment of marketing boss Kenny Jacobs by reducing some of its most draconian fees.
Its unpopular airport check-in fee, which Jacobs insisted was paid by only 0.5% of customers, will drop from €70 to €45, and its missed departure charge will be reduced from €110 to €99.
The airline will also allow customers to cancel a flight within 24 hours of booking in future, but they will have to pay a fee of €15.
A new €5 Hold the Fare charge will also be introduced for customers who would like to reserve a seat for 24 hours before committing to the purchase.
Jacobs said the changes were part of the Always Getting Better initiative he launched last year to try to woo more customers.
He said the airline had spent the past 18 months working its way through a ‘bucket list of things that pissed people off’ to further improve its customer service.
Further steps being introduced by the airline this year include more transparency on fares, new insurance products (and amending its website so this isn’t automatically selected for customers), new apps for ios and Android users, improved inflight menus, new (less yellow) aircraft interiors and slimmer seats on new aircraft which will give passengers more space – and also increase capacity.
Since launching the Always Getting Better initiative last year, the airline is anticipating its passenger numbers will rise to over 100 million this year. In February, traffic was up 29% year on year to 5.8 million and load factors were 11% higher.
Controversial boss Michael O’Leary said today: "If I had known that being nicer to customers would have been so profitable, I would have been nicer many years before Kenny came on board."
O’Leary said he wanted to turn the airline into a travel retailer, specialising in flights. He said it would use the new Ryanair app to sell more products to customers, especially events at destinations.
Admitting that it had lagged behind other travel companies in terms of digital and data developments, it said it was starting to gather more information on customers via its MyRyanair product, which would be used to offer passengers a more personalised service.
It is also planning to use more customer reviews on its website, which will be shared via social media, and it is looking at retail partnerships to offer passengers more value.
Ryanair announced today that it has bought three additional Boeing 737s for delivery in early 2016, which will help it meet its target of 160 million customers a year by 2024. The three new aircraft are valued at $280 million.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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