Ryanair polls passengers: would you stand for a free flight?

Ryanair's recent idea to do away with conventional seats on aircraft and replace them with "vertical" seats, where passengers fly standing up secured by a lap belt, is gaining traction.

The Irish airline has now published a poll on its website asking users to vote whether they would stand on short flights if it meant travelling free of charge or paying 50 per cent less than a seated passenger.

Now Ryanair plans to do away with seats on aircraft

Following last week's announcement by Chinese carrier Spring Airlines that it is looking into operating flights with standing-room-only cabins, Michael O'Leary, the Ryanair CEO, has repitched his idea for passengers to fly standing up, secured by a seat belt.

Ryanair pledges to axe check-in luggage

People travelling with Ryanair will soon have to lug their suitcases through airport security, as the carrier has confirmed plans to scrap all check-in facilities.

The coach-style handling policy, which could be introduced as soon as next year, will see passengers haul their luggage right up to the tarmac beside the cargo hold.

Ryanair cuts flights from Dublin and Shannon

Ryanair has reduced the number of winter flights it operates from Dublin and Shannon airports, amid warnings that further cutbacks could be made.

The low-cost carrier will remove one plane from each of the two Irish bases during the season, axing 44 flights per week from Dublin and 36 at Shannon.

It blamed the decision on the government's continued support for Air Passenger Duty (APD), which according to Ryanair has dampened passenger demand.

Ryanair to shut down website for 10 hours

Essential maintenance work will close Ryanair's website for ten hours next week, making it impossible for passengers to check in online.

People due to travel on Thursday June 25 should print their boarding passes extra early, as the down-time will run from 7pm the previous evening to 5am in the morning.

Anyone with an early morning flight who fails to check in online by 6pm on Wednesday will be charged a £40 "boarding pass re-issue fee" at the airport.

Ryanair's toilet tax moves step closer to reality

Michael O'Leary, the chief executive of Ryanair, appears to be making good on his promise to charge passengers for using onboard toilets.

The controversial boss has a longstanding reputation for levity, prompting many to question the seriousness with which he raised the subject in February.

But after announcing the carrier's first ever annual loss earlier this week, Mr O'Leary now says that £1 coin slots on airplane toilets will become a reality.

Ryanair makes check-in surcharge mandatory

Ryanair has announced that from May 20 it will charge passengers a £10 surcharge on return flights simply for printing out their electronic boarding pass.

The low-cost carrier is rolling out the mandatory fee at the same time as it abolishes airport check-in desks, which it had claimed were driving up its expenses.

Ryanair adds new Norway connection

Ryanair is to begin operating a brand new summer connection between Edinburgh Airport and the Norwegian city of Haugesund, the BBC reports.

The low-cost carrier will start the new service this July, boosting its overall number of links from the Scottish capital to 29 – up from seven a year ago.

Ryanair threatens to axe Dusseldorf route

Ryanair is threatening to pull one of its key German links from Manchester, citing concerns about plans to curb operating hours at Dusseldorf-Weeze Airport.

The low-cost carrier has stopped accepting bookings on the route, and says it may shut down the German base altogether if officials don't overturn their decision.

Ryanair mulls over new 'hefty' tax

Ryanair is mulling over the idea of a ‘fat tax’ after inviting its passengers to take part in an online poll that could decide what its next discretionary charge will be.

Making light of its reputation for levying fees, the airline has asked customers to vote on its next surcharge - with a cash prize on offer for the best idea.

Ryanair switches summer flights from Pau

Low-cost carrier Ryanair has confirmed that it will be diverting its flights from Pau, the capital of the Bearn region in France, to Lourdes for two weeks during the peak summer period.

The switch will take place between July 27 and August 9, and is intended to allow Pau Airport to upgrade its landing systems to cope with adverse weather conditions.

Ryanair confirms toilet charge

It seems the criticism received from key consumer groups (as reported by Cheapflights) has done little to deter Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, from going ahead with the on-board toilet charge of £1.

Ryanair unveils new Midland routes

Ryanair has announced plans to begin two new summer routes from East Midlands Airport to destinations in Spain.

The budget airline will begin to operate three-times-weekly services to Barcelona Reus and Palma from the regional airport in July, when it will also drop its current schedule to Paris Beauvais to accommodate the changes.

Ryanair unveils Bavarian service

Ryanair has announced that it will begin operating a service between London Stansted Airport and the Bavarian region of Germany from April 2009.

The budget airline will offer passengers the opportunity to travel to Memmingen Airport from the UK's third busiest airport, which is approximately 100 kilometres west of the city of Munich.

Ryanair cuts Dublin routes

Ryanair has announced that it will be cutting four schedules from Dublin Airport in July 2009.

The budget airline will cease operating flights to Basel, Doncaster, Oporto and Teesside from Ireland's busiest airport, in response to falling passenger demand and the government's decision to increase air traffic control charges by 12 per cent.

Ryanair calls for CAA dismissal

Ryanair has urged the government to consider sacking the UK's specialist aviation regulator, following the announcement of plans to modernise the supervision of British airports.

The budget airline has called for the dismissal of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for failing to ensure that passenger and airport users' best interests are at the centre of its decisions.

Ryanair returns to Newquay Airport

Ryanair has resumed services between Newquay Cornwall Airport and London Stansted Airport after a three month absence of flights on the route.

The budget airline relaunched daily services on the domestic schedule last week for the first time since the closure of the south-west based airport, which was forced to gain a Civil Aviation Authority licence late last year.

Cornwall County Council's Andrew Mitchell believes that this commencement demonstrates the "bright" future of the airport.

Ryanair plans to 'rescue tourism'

Ryanair has created a plan of action which it feels will do a lot to help the tourism industry in Ireland.

The airline presented its suggestions to the Tourism Renewal Group yesterday (March 5) in a meeting at Dublin Castle. Ryanair had "six specific measures" that it suggested could help to boost tourism by as much as 20 per cent by 2011 if they were put in place.

These included the removal of the ten euro travel tax, getting rid of the Dublin Airport Metro and closing the Aviation Regulator's office.

Removing Ryanair check-in desks could cut fares

Low-cost airline Ryanair could reduce fares for its passengers if it decided to get rid of check-in desks.

That is the opinion of the Air Transport Users Council (AUC), which has asserted that the carrier's decision to have online check-in will help to cut costs.

As such, this could well lead to a reduction in airfares "in the long-run", suggested James Fremantle, industry affairs manager from the AUC.

Ryanair welcomes 'tourist tax' suggestion

Irish airline Ryanair has voiced its support for the idea that certain airports in the country should not have to pay tourist tax.

In a statement, the carrier said that "small peripheral airports" should not have to pay the tax.

Additionally, Ryanair suggested that those Irish airports which have suffered as a result of poor passenger numbers in the last few months should not have to pay the tax either.

Ryanair ponders toilet fee

Ryanair is considering charging passengers £1 to use toilets on-board its flights. The dramatic cost-cutting exercise was suggested by the low-cost airline's chief executive earlier today (February 27), who insisted that it would not inconvenience travellers.

Michael O'Leary claimed that Ryanair was determined to make air travel more affordable and that this could lead to the budget carrier introducing coin slots on lavatory cubicle doors.

Ryanair to close check-ins

Ryanair has detailed plans to close all of its airport check-in desks by 2010 and instead encourage passengers to use its online services.

The budget airline hopes to reduce costs in a difficult financial climate by prioritising internet check-ins and introducing bag drops, where customers will be able to drop off their luggage.

Ryanair introduces mobile phones

Ryanair has become Europe's first airline to launch an in-flight mobile phone service across its fleet.

Passengers using the carrier will now be able to receive and send voice messages, text messages and emails on their mobile phones at 30,000 feet.

The cost of calls will vary between £1.50 and £2.60 per minute depending on international roaming rates, while text messages will be billed at 50 pence.

Ryanair cuts Liverpool flights

Ryanair has announced that it will be axing ten routes from Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

Citing an increase in Air Passenger Duty (APD) and the decline of the sterling, the budget carrier will no longer serve ten destinations from the regional airport, including Paris, Budapest, Valencia, Faro and Lodz.

Ryanair cuts Dublin schedule

Ryanair has announced the suspension of a number of summer services from Dublin International Airport.

Citing the Irish government's decision to introduce a £10 tourist tax from March 30 2009, the low-cost airline will be reducing its flights from the airport by 18 per cent.

This cutback will affect services to Barcelona Airport, Leeds Bradford Airport and Manchester Airport and will equate to a loss in passenger numbers of 150,000 per month.

Ryanair adds Durham flights

Ryanair has given Durham Tees Valley Airport a welcome boost by announcing a series of new summer flights that will depart from the airport.

The low-cost airline will operate an additional ten flights a week from the north-east regional airport, including six services to Alicante and Girona and four to Dublin.

Ryanair criticises CAA

Ryanair has criticised the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for its "hopeless" regulation of BAA's operations at London Stansted Airport.

The budget airline, which was giving evidence at a CAA hearing on price proposals for the airport, claimed that the regulatory body's "light touch" had ensured that passenger numbers had fallen and prices doubled at the regional aviation hub.

ACI slams Ryanair's baggage rule

A trade body for European airports has suggested that Ryanair's latest baggage restrictions will harm their members' revenue.

The Airports Council International (ACI) said the low-cost airline's rule, which limits passengers to one piece of hand luggage, is "short sighted".

Travellers who exceed Ryanair's ten kilogram one-bag restriction will be charged £30, which the ACI claimed will "discourage" duty free purchases at airports.

Liverpool adds Ibiza route

Ryanair has disclosed that it will begin operating a service from Liverpool John Lennon Airport to Ibiza from the end of next month.

The budget airline is offering passengers in the north-west the opportunity to travel on its three-times a week service to the Spanish party-destination from March 30 2009 for just £32 one-way.

Specifically, flights will be operated on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, joining 40 other routes that Ryanair currently schedules from Liverpool Airport.

Ryanair cuts Polish services

Ryanair will suspend its services to a number of popular destinations in Poland from March 2009.

That is according to the Polish Press Agency, which reported that the budget airline will halt flights to Gdansk, Katowice, Lodz, Poznan, Szczecin and Wroclaw.

This will affect connectivity to the eastern European country from Bristol Airport, Liverpool Airport, East Midlands Airport, Birmingham Airport, London Luton Airport and Bournemouth Airport.

Ryanair unveils four new routes

Ryanair has announced that it will be introducing four new routes from London Luton Airport and Bournemouth Airport.

The budget airline has revealed that it will now be offering passengers services from Bournemouth to the Portuguese city of Faro and Reus in Barcelona from March 31, 2009.

In addition, Ryanair disclosed that flights from both Bournemouth Airport and Luton Airport to the French city of Limoges will commence from April 2 and May 3 respectively.

Ryanair has Aer Lingus bid rejected

The Irish government has rejected Ryanair's latest bid for its domestic rival Aer Lingus.

Citing concerns that the £701 million deal would reduce competition in the Irish aviation market, Ireland's transport minister, Noel Dempsey, also claimed that the offer "greatly undervalued" the airline.

The Irish government is a shareholder in Aer Lingus and currently owns 25 per cent of the international carrier.

Ryanair issues hand luggage warning

Ryanair has informed its passengers that its cabin baggage allowance of 10kg will be enforced across its entire network.

The budget airline made the announcement in response to a growing number of customers carrying more than one piece of hand baggage onboard Ryanair services.

Ryanair expands routes

Ryanair has announced that it will add new aircraft to its network to meet expansion at Bristol, Edinburgh and Alicante airports.

The additional Boeing 737-800 aircraft will bring four new routes to Alicante Airport, 12 to Bristol Airport and seven to Edinburgh Airport by the beginning of July.

These new routes include services to Derry, Knock, Wroclaw, Barcelona, Cagliari, Eindhoven, Malta, Montpellier, Seville, Toulon, Trieste, Rome, Zadar, Limoges, Dusseldorf, Leipzig, Rimini and Perpignan.

Ryanair reveals transatlantic plans

Ryanair has disclosed that it has an ambition to begin operating transatlantic flights. Passenger Terminal Today (PTT) has reported that Europe largest budget airline has a "long-term goal" of launching a US service to compete with the likes of Virgin Atlantic and British Airways.

Ryanair has previously held discussion with the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority regarding the introduction of a service to Buffalo Frontier International Airport in New York.

Ryanair refutes claims made by Aer Lingus

Ryanair has dismissed claims made by Aer Lingus regarding its proposed takeover. The airline issued a statement yesterday (January 7) which denounced suggestions made by Aer Lingus that the takeover bid is "not capable of completion" as "completely false".

Ryanair has now approached the Takeover Panel to make a formal complaint about Aer Lingus following the claims, which it also considers to be "in breach of Takeover Rules".

According to the airline, Aer Lingus' suggestion that there is prohibition on Ryanair's current offer is not true.

Ryanair confirms World Cup special flight

Ryanair has confirmed that it will be operating a special route for one of Ireland's FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.

The budget airline announced yesterday (January 6) that it will be flying from Dublin to Bari, Italy in April 2009 in order to help Irish fans fly out and support their team.

Ryanair confirms Fuerteventura closure

Ryanair has confirmed that it will axe all of its services to Fuerteventura, following a dispute over the promotion of the destination.

The budget airline will close its routes to and from the Canary Island from January 31, 2009, after the tourism board AIE refused to honour a commercial agreement with the carrier that required the advertisement of the island as a holiday location.

Ryanair demands Stansted answers

Ryanair has called on London Stansted Airport to provide answers over the chaos caused at the airport, following protests by climate campaigners.

The low-cost airline wants the airport's operator BAA to explain why protestors from Plane Stupid were able to breach security at the hub and why it took five hours to remove them.

Delays caused by the protest led to the cancellation of a total of 52 flights yesterday (December 8), sparking claims from Ryanair that it was another example of a failure in management.

Ryanair makes fresh Aer Lingus bid

The budget airline Ryanair has announced a takeover bid for its Irish rival Aer Lingus.

The low-cost carrier has returned with an offer that values the airline at £619 million in an effort to merge the two airlines into a single Irish group under common ownership.

Ryanair offers Gatwick to Dusseldorf route

Ryanair has announced that it will be operating a sixth low-cost route from London Gatwick Airport to the German city of Dusseldorf.

The budget airline will commence the service from January 7 at Gatwick after switching the flight from its London Stansted base, where it has recently reduced its capacity by 20 per cent as a result of high costs.

Ryanair: Increased air duty will 'devastate' UK tourism

Ryanair has condemned the UK government's increase in air passenger duty (APD) as a regressive step that will damage the UK tourism industry.

According to the low-cost carrier, the increase in APD for short haul traffic from £10 to £11 in 2009 and £12 in 2010, which was announced by the Chancellor Alistair Darling in the pre-budget report, will be "devastating" for regional airports where passenger demand is already low.

Ryanair pulls out of Blackpool Airport

Ryanair is to withdraw flights from Blackpool Airport in the new year in protest at the introduction of a new passenger charge.

The low-cost carrier has axed its daily services to Dublin and its Girona route after Blackpool announced a £10 airport development fee, which will be payable by all passengers over 16 years old.

Ryanair announces two new Gatwick routes

 

Ryanair will launch two new London Gatwick Airport routes to Spanish destinations from December 18.

Europe's largest low-cost carrier has revealed that it will begin operating a daily route from Gatwick to Barcelona Giron and a twice daily service to Alicante, which will increase the number of routes Ryanair operates from the airport to five.

Ryanair threatens Fuerteventura closure

Ryanair is threatening to cancel all of its routes to Fuerteventura from January 2009, unless a local tourism group honours an agreement to promote the island as a tourist destination.

Europe's largest low-cost airline began flying to the Spanish Island in 2006 and has witnessed passenger numbers increase from 2,000 to more than 200,000.

Ryanair set to launch new Spanish routes

Ryanair will today (November 18) announce the launch of services from London Gatwick Airport to Alicante and Girona, TravelMole has claimed.

The online travel industry community has learned that the low-cost carrier will reveal the addition of the flights to its winter schedule.

Ryanair, which currently operates 166 airports on 729 routes across Europe and North Africa, is set to hold a press conference later today to publically confirm the expansion.

Ryanair to launch 11 new routes from Edinburgh

Low-cost carrier Ryanair has announced plans to launch 11 new routes from Edinburgh Airport.

The airline revealed yesterday (November 5) that it has based two Boeing 737-800 aircraft at the Scottish airport.

Lesley Kane, Ryanair's head of sales and marketing Europe, explained that these planes will be used to service the planned routes, which will be in addition to eight Ryanair routes already in operation at Edinburgh.

Ryanair says recession 'good for airline industry'

Ryanair's controversial chief executive, Michael O'Leary, has astounded observers in the airline industry once again, this time by hailing the looming recession as good news.

Speaking after the low-cost carrier confirmed that its half-year profits had fallen by 47 per cent, O'Leary said that he looked forward to the economic downturn as it will "get rid of crappy loss-making airlines".

That, he said, would afford Ryanair an opportunity to expand its fleet by purchasing grounded aircraft, particularly large planes capable of transatlantic travel.

New Bournemouth to Paris link takes to skies

A new Ryanair service connecting Bournemouth to Paris Beauvais Airport has taken to the skies for the first time.

In addition to launching the new thrice weekly route, the low-cost carrier is re-introducing flights from the south coast gateway to Milan Bergamo Airport.

Ryanair: No immediate plans to go transatlantic

Ryanair has denied reports that it is on the verge of announcing a raft of new transatlantic services.

Chief executive Michael O'Leary reportedly told The News of the World yesterday (November 2) that the carrier was ready to unveil brand new routes between Europe and the US.

But no firm announcement was due to be made until the company's half-yearly results were published today, with the carrier falling conspicuously silent since then.