Ryanair may charge for toilet use on planes

[TCAS]

Irish carrier Ryanair, Europe's largest budget airline, might start charging passengers for using the toilet while flying, chief executive Michael O'Leary said on Friday.

"One thing we have looked at in the past and are looking at again is the possibility of maybe putting a coin slot on the toilet door so that people might actually have to spend a pound to spend a penny in future," he told BBC television.

He said this would not inconvenience passengers travelling without cash. "I don't think there is anybody in history that has got on board a Ryanair aircraft with less than a pound."

O'Leary has a reputation as a cost cutter, expanding Ryanair by offering low headline fares and charging extra for items such as additional luggage.

Last week, Ryanair announced it was to shut all check-in desks at airports and have passengers check in online instead.

"We're all about finding ways of raising discretionary revenue so we can keep lowering the cost of air travel," he said.

Source: International Herald Tribune

[cathay belgium]

If you don't have the right coins you can ask change next to the co-pilot.
Change charge 5 EUR.
Extra fuel cost for taking the cash machine will be charged also.
Change rates : 1 US = 1 EUR.
Butt-wipes : 10c/piece ?
Oh we're talking aviation !
The drops will be weighted on prices / kilograms.
extra brown +2EUR.
What's next ?
Don't give answers or they put it on the list.

Sorry, I left RYANAIR years ago.
I'll prefer BXL-NORTH !
I checked prices and ryanair isn't that cheap if you count all the extra's .

Don't believe me?
Try Catania with Brussels Airlines and Trapani with ryanair.
Others also / Barcelona (clickair),...
Okay there is also no food but you have a direct flight(no bus/trains) and not the ridicoulous extra's.

So, sorry ryanair !

[Airbus330lover]

Crazy.

Perso i avoid FR and use FR only on 1 route, due do connection facility (25 minutes form each airport!)
For the rest.......

Next step : 1€/kilo.......passenger....
But with clothes or naked ?

[euroflyer]

Irish carrier Ryanair, Europe's largest budget airline, might start charging passengers for using the toilet while flying, chief executive Michael O'Leary said on Friday.

"One thing we have looked at in the past and are looking at again is the possibility of maybe putting a coin slot on the toilet door so that people might actually have to spend a pound to spend a penny in future," he told BBC television.

He said this would not inconvenience passengers travelling without cash. "I don't think there is anybody in history that has got on board a Ryanair aircraft with less than a pound."

O'Leary has a reputation as a cost cutter, expanding Ryanair by offering low headline fares and charging extra for items such as additional luggage.

Last week, Ryanair announced it was to shut all check-in desks at airports and have passengers check in online instead.

"We're all about finding ways of raising discretionary revenue so we can keep lowering the cost of air travel," he said.

Source: International Herald Tribune

Is it first of April today ?

Otherwise I think I decline to comment, full stop.

But I will NEVER fly with FR, sorry, I am a human being and no cattle - and I can only hope the pax who still use FR will not pay for the toilets but will just p**s on the floor

[speedbird1]

The Ryanair PR machine rolls on!

Ems

[teddybAIR]

This is just plain logic and common sense if you look at their business model. They are just applying it consistently! You'll see, it will not take long before they also charge for using overhead bins...what you pay is what you get i assume

[Conti764]

I don't understand why people keep flying Ryanair. Okay, it seems cheaper, but I prefer paying a higher fee and getting all amenities included.

[stefanel]

as much as I appreciate and use Ryanair, this is totally ridiculous!
One thing is to tax for logical reasons (kg, etc.), another thing for a need (come on!)

I think Ryanair will really get a bad image, from everyone, if they do such a thing.
There are better ways to make money, for instance clearly give everyone the prices of the on-board shopping (because you never hear what they say in the microphone) etc.

But to those who say they are not the cheapest, I have to disagree.
I've used them 9 years and I NEVER paid over €70 all included (and this was once to Porto + during Easter holidays), the average price I pay is around 20-30€ return.
Of course, since last year, you have to travel with no checked-in luggage. But in my case, it doesn't matter as I just do "citytrips".
I went to Riga last weekend, left on Friday, got back on Monday, and I just paid € 45, who can beat that?
Sure you have to get to Charleroi, personnaly this is the worst thing because the shuttle is highway robbery and the train is much cheaper (I use Raipass so 6.7€ + 0.8€ for the bus) but you have to wait 20 minutes outbound, and 30 minutes inbound which really sucks, I don't understand how TEC makes their schedule, they couldn't be worse for the people of Brussels, Antwerp, etc

[b720]

From Antwerp on ryan air? are you out of your mind ? It takes about 2 hours from antwerpen to charloi
airport, and 2 hours back.. at least..

[Shanti]

Boycot Ryanair!

[regi]

Sorry, I had much cheaper tickets:
1 euro Brussels - Berlin Tempelhof with SNBA, taxes included.

90 baht ( +- 2 euro) Bangkok-Khorat all included with Airasia

300 baht ( +- 6.6 euro ) Bangkok-Udorn Thani all included with Airasia.

40 euro to Berlin Schönefeld with Easyjet.

Ryanair cheapest? Not always.

Certainly not in my case where I had a delay of 4 hours, missing an important business meeting at Charleroi ( so I had to travel later especially back for that meeting, costing me a full working day and +- 300 km driving ) and having to pay 4 hours extra parking fee.

Just do the calculation, take the pro's and con's and make your own decision.

I do understand why they would want to charge money for the toilet. It is normal that people would go to the toilet before boarding. It would save a lot on cleaning, maintenance etcetera.
We do have to remember that most Ryanair flights are just about an hour or what.
But yes, it sounds very silly.

One note: If the locks would only accept 1£ coins, I do find that a discrimination against passengers from other countries.

[euroflyer]

I don't understand why people keep flying Ryanair. Okay, it seems cheaper, but I prefer paying a higher fee and getting all amenities included.

It is not about getting "all amenities" here, it is about being treated as a "customer" - and not as a stupid group of paying cattle which you can charge for everything.

Of course it is logical within their business model. But than this business model is extremely customer unfriendly. Next thing might be they charge you to be allowed to sit down? Or couldn't they fit the same locks requiring a 1-pound coin (or 1-euro coin) to the safety belts as well?? Hey, that would really make money!

[TCAS]

Flying O'Leary's Flying Circus

Bring your own Travel John .....

[earthman]

I would think people from Belgium would be used to having to pay for using the toilet in the most absurd places. Such as in a movie theatre (in the restricted area where only people with tickets are allowed).

Then again, the newest trains in The Netherlands lack toilets altogether.

[Conti764]

I would think people from Belgium would be used to having to pay for using the toilet in the most absurd places. Such as in a movie theatre (in the restricted area where only people with tickets are allowed).

Then again, the newest trains in The Netherlands lack toilets altogether.

Paying to use the toilet is never obligatory in such places. Look at it as a tip for the cleaning lady keeping your toilets clean. When they are clean, I do not mind giving them a little extra (usually 25 or 30 eurocent, a lot less then 1 pound

[Buzz]

The Ryanair PR machine rolls on!

Ems

Indeed, I don't understand everyone falls for it time after time...

Why pay for ads etc. when you can get massive free publicity with an idea like this? Even if they ever go thru with it (wich I seriously doubt), they'd still win in the end, since everyone will be talking about them even more, wich makes people visit their website, and sells tickets in the end.

You can all keep saying 'I'll never fly Ryanair', but the truth is that people are flying them in record numbers, year after year, and will continue to do so, myself included.

[FlightMate]

Reminds me of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2kVWLorLVE

Becoming more relevant day after day.

[airazurxtror]

You can all keep saying 'I'll never fly Ryanair',

Not me !
I fly a lot with Ryanair, and I am quite happy with it.
I know them very well, by now, I feel really at home in their 737s, and I sincerely enjoy flying with them.
I know it's not fashionable to say that, but I don't care.

[b720]

many people travel without coins.. as they are a nuisance at security etc..that's one..what if u really need to go, and do not happen to have the coins needed to open the toilet door?
I also think that ryanair will loose on sales of drinks, as some would not want to drink (and pay for a P..as well).. does the math add up?
I think the whole thing is simply free publicity.. they rae in the news as a thrifty airline coast to coast, from Argentina to New zealand.. the airline that charges for a "leak"..

[Stij]

I think the whole thing is simply free publicity.. they rae in the news as a thrifty airline coast to coast, from Argentina to New zealand.. the airline that charges for a "leak"..

The problem is I thought that already a couple of times in the past... only to find out they actually did it eventually.

Not that I bother, I never pay a visit to that cubic meter of smell on short haul flights.

I would even go further: this is not about the euro or the pound or whatever the thing would accept but about extra seats and less fuel! If they start charging for the restrooms, a lot less people will visit the restrooms so the toilet in the front of the aircraft will do so they can dismantle the 2 toilets in the rear of the aircraft... freeing up space for an extra row so they can squeeze in 195 i.s.o. 189 passengers: a 3% increase in revenue! Less toilets means also less liquids on board reducing the total weight of the aircraft and thus less fuel consumption.

My two cents...

Stij