Category Archives: Ryanair

Ryanair announced that it will cancel 13 upcoming flights to Budapest to protest what it deems “stupid” requirements that its crews get off their plane and go through immigration on flights with 25 minute turnarounds at Budapest’s airport.

For once, CEO Michael O’Leary isn’t making a spectacle for no reason: Hungary’s requirement that Ryanair crews (and only Ryanair crews) disembark and clear customs on flights arriving in Budapest from Ireland and the UK, even if the plane is turning around and departing again, is completely ridiculous and unique to Budapest’s airport.

The move appears to be a protectionist measure by the Hungarian government, likely as they consider re-launching a flag carrier following the demise of Malev.

A Swedish man is demanding an apology from Ryanair after he had a heart attack on a Sweden-bound Ryanair flight over the weekend and, according to the man’s family, the airline was ill-equipped to handle the emergency.

According to the passenger’s family he complained of feeling ill during the flight, then lost consciousness. He was revived and the flight crew was called over. In response, they offered to sell the man a sandwich and some water (nothing like a sandwich to take the edge off a heart attack). I don’t know why the passenger’s family assumed flight attendants would know how to treat a heart attack, nor do I know why, if the man told flight attendants that he was having a heart attack, they offered him a sandwich. I’m not a doctor, but I’ve seen enough TV to know that a sandwich is generally not part of the treatment for a heart attack. At least not in the US.

For its part Ryanair said it offered to divert the flight so the man could get medical attention, but for whatever reason the passenger’s family insisted on continuing to Skavsta.

The man is recovering in a local hospital.

Ryanair is not happy about a European rule that requires airlines to pay compensation to passengers for flight cancelations, even in cases of force majeure.  Last year the carrier had to pay more than 100 million Euro related to this rule, primarily due to volcano-related cancellations.  Ryanair, obviously, is not going to pay that quietly, so they’re turning to passengers to make up the lost revenue:  The airline will now levy a 2 Euro charge on every passenger to cover costs related to the rule.

Or, you can just look at it as a 2 Euro pre-cancellation fee.  Whichever you prefer.

You are likely aware of Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary’s occasional pronouncements about his staff, not least of which was a recent suggestion that a 737 only needs one pilot, while a trained flight attendant could help out in a pinch.  Whatever.

In response, a Ryanair pilot sent a letter to the Financial Times suggesting that the CEO of the company be replaced with a  “probationary cabin crew member currently earning about €13,200 net a year”.  There ya go.

In response, the airline has transferred the pilot, an American named Morgan Fischer, from his cushy base in Marseilles, France, to the hinterlands of Kaunas, Lithuania.  After his base was closed, other pilots were offered spots in Spain, France and Italy.  However, the pilot believes that because of the letter he wrote he was only offered a spot in Lithuania.  In response Fischer quit, saying he would rather return to the US and work for an American company.

And that is why you don’t say mean things about your boss in the newspaper.

You may read an article today about Ryanair offering standing room seating on its flights for 5 pounds.  That article, along with any article that mentions Ryanair charging for toilets, is, how shall I say, crap.  Perhaps you may remember the initial brouhaha over standing seating in planes.   This will never be approved.  Well maybe not never.  But likely never (though there are roller coasters where you can stand up while being strapped in, so maybe it’s not insane).

Anyway, you won’t see Ryanair installing these.

Happy 4th of July.