CONTROVERSIES FROM RYAN AIRLINES
Ryan Air is an Ireland based Airline it is Europe’s premiere low cost carrier. According to their website http://www.ryanair.com/en/about Ryan Airlines is the world’s most favorite airlines because of their 1400 flights daily from various destinations across 27 countries around the world considering its safety and lowest fare advantage. They have already employed at least 8,000 employees and staff that handle their customers that served 73.5 millions of passengers within the current fiscal year of 2011. They started their operation during 1985 with the Ryan family as the owner and operator, their headquarters is in Dublin Airport, Ireland. Ryan Air has become a very successful Airline Carrier and certainly the favorite among European Nations.
Currently Michael O Leary as their Chief Executive Officer has been facing so much controversies with the rest of Ryan Air Staff with left and right issues that they have to deal with and somehow the world’s most favorite Airline has been replaced with the world’s most hated Airline. From operation to advertisement to government problems starts to arise and their morality and integrity has been challenged by their customers and their competitors. Some of the most controversial issues include the disappointed passengers calling their Airlines a rip-off, employees protesting about labor conditions and unionization prevention, competition problem of monopolistic business practices and their marketing strategy has been questioned and most of all they have used the media to sensationalized their airlines as a means of free advertisement.
Here are some of their most recent and highly controversial issues;
In 2008 they have faced charges that they are practicing breached in advertising seven times in just two years. BBC News Interview last February 27, 2009 on national television their Chairman Michael O Leary deliberately say’s that they are considering charging their passengers with £1pound per use of toilet or pay per poo basis but O’Leiry said that it was just a publicity stunt. This interview created a sensational publicity approach and controversy within their customers. They still use the media to establish an attack with the competition with the advertising of Manneken Pis a statue of a child urinating written in it is a word “Pissed off Sabena’s high fare, that lead to legal issues from Sabenas British Airways saying that it is unfair and malicious competition practices, the court’s decision is to announce public apology about the offensive ads.
Also in November of 2009, they are again on the limelight because of their advertisement of their flight attendants who only wear a bikini in their new calendar for 2010. According to their CEO O’Leary that the calendar is aimed to reached £100,000 pounds for the benefit of the disabled children. Once again in 2010 they offered a £10 pound one way fares to most European destinations which was advertised in two newspapers. Easy Jets has been affected with such advertisement that it has been misleading to attract customers. Also in 2010 they have announced the campaign that “Queen Sofia of Spain flies low fare” She has flown on Ryan Air for a low fare of £13 pounds to visit her brother, and is it our privilege, this controversy somehow must have insulted their country that Ryan Air has pledged at least €5000 Euro as a gesture of gratitude to the queen.
In 2011 has so much controversy on their part, recently this April of 2011 that 3 of their passengers of the same flight all won the top prize, each of them winning a brand new car worth £11,000 pound in their scratch a card contest considering their 1400 flights daily, Ryan Air explained that this maybe a printing error or maybe a scam according to other customers. There are so many controversial issues that they have faced but it is all just a tip of the iceberg considering the numbers of complains but Ryan Air was able to handle it all in the last few years of their operations all the necessary attempts to break their leadership in the industry though there are lots of controversies on their company.
Their “Immature and childish ways”, their profiteering plans to delude customer’s from their hidden and unexpected charges and the controversy of how they compete with other Airlines Industry about their pricing strategy is quite obviously a form of profiteering in the minds of their competition that is humiliating and worst their business practices of domination and other issues that has been thrown upon their Airlines. It seems like all the controversies is enjoyed by the company and has become their way to success. The biggest question is why does customers still continue to patronize their Airlines? Simply because they still have an economic value in their perception. Currently there are no formal charges and no matter what controversy’s that they have faced in the future and will it probably hamper Ryan Airlines popularity? That is remained to be seen. As of now they have been enjoying the privilege of their leadership.
References: http://www.ihateryanair.org/ http://www.euinfrastructure.com/news/ryanair- controversy/ http://www.utalkmarketing.com/pages/Article.aspx?ArticleID=16011 http://www.airlinecomplaints.org/showthread.php?t=2247
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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