V-Flyer

Reported in both the FT (paywall) and the Guardian.

I wonder how long ryanair can get away with claims of a tenner to cross the atlantic. If you look closely at the breakdown on VS fares, after fuel surcharges and taxes, you might find they can claim about 40-50 quid for a return fare, with luggage in the hold... I think the ASA would sh*t bricks if Virgin did this...

And with Norwegian and Jet2 doing translatics already, the fake cost carrier is there already (and neither offered a lot better fare than the typical VS sale fare, with luggage in the hold).

I do wonder how many people genuinely think they'd do a transatlantic with hand luggage only. Sure, if you're popping over to Dublin or Prague for the weekend, but New York?

Who in their right mind would spend 7 hours on a Ryanair plane?

I see the fake cost carrier as part of the popular narrative like UKIP.

UKIP gets brought forward as a big threat and the future according to the news. Yet, it's probably competing with the greens to be the fifth largest party in the uk. SNP being much more of a political force. Yet, the narrative presents UKIP as the big change... http://stevehynd.com/2015/01/14/what-is ... ship-size/

Ryanair gets held up as the big changer, yet it seemed more to be the excuse for the major carriers to dump regional airports and leave them to the fake cost carriers. BA in Birmingham? No need, consolidate to Heathrow. One long haul BA flight from Manchester (not going via London). Just an excuse, and the supposed great cost saving isn't there if its a slightly popular route, and you don't want to to be travelling to the airport on a Tuesday morning at 3:30am.

I do wonder what Ryanair will mislabel as a local airport. Frankly, it would be more accurate to be landing in small airport in Buffalo and call it New York, because that is the state name, than landing in Charleoi, Belgium and calling it "Brussels South".

I wonder if the real game-changer for transatlantic travel will be the launch of the new A320/A321neo aircraft.

If an LCC can fly smaller, single aisle planes that need far fewer crew to smaller, regional US airports that charge far lower fees, all for significantly lower fares than the big boys, it might just be cost effective enough to work.

I am sure Ryanair would, if they could, shake up long haul travel - but I can't see how they would. Take AirAsiaX for example, it flew to Dubai, Delhi, Mumbai and London but pretty quickly shut down these routes because the cost structure didn't support such long haul - it now flies mostly regional.

Ryanair couldn't pick and choose airports like it does in Europe. Buffalo may have been in jest Smid, but does it have immigration and customs, it doesn't appear to have any international routes?

There will be a section of the market seduced by adverts for Norwegian and Jet2 and their prices for a few seats, but I just don't think the majority of LH passengers want to cut their experience to the bone for a relatively small saving. I may be proven wrong, but for Ryanair to repeat its success it has to appeal to more than just the bottom slice of the market.

What is quite worrying with me, is that my Birmigham to Hannover flights I'm on every weekend via flybe might well be changing to a propeller plane if google flights is correct...

Imagine London Stansted to Oakland airport (of course SFO would be too expensive) on a Propeller plane...

Smid wrote:I do wonder what Ryanair will mislabel as a local airport. Frankly, it would be more accurate to be landing in small airport in Buffalo and call it New York, because that is the state name, than landing in Charleoi, Belgium and calling it "Brussels South".

I recall in the past they have said they would likely use MacArthur airport in Islip - about 40 miles from Manhattan and it is included in the list of 'NYC' airports by the FAA. i.e.about the same distance as London Southend is from London but closer than the 60 miles that London Oxford is!

It is also a leisurely 1 1/2 hrs by train to Penn Station (after taking a shuttle bus to get to Ronkonkoma)

Big problem is that is has no CBP facilities.

Sounds like a publicity gaining headline again.

Which aircraft would they get to use? A330? 787? Some ropey old 757/767 rescued from the desert?

The entire RYR fleet (as far as I am aware) is B738's, which according to
http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial ... 0tech.page

have a maximum range of 5,765 km

The shortest distance between London and New York is 5570 km according to
forum/index.php?f=5&t=289182&rb_v=viewtopic

So, not much reserve there for weather diversions, go arounds etc!

Part of the operating model is to have a single aircraft type to reduce on maintenance and training costs etc, so this doesn't seem to stack up!

abraxias wrote:Who in their right mind would spend 7 hours on a Ryanair plane?

I would without hesitation.
I view planes as a form of transport.
If people are prepared to do the 'dublin trick' to save a few quid, then why not fly with RyanAir?

The Dublin trick is relevant for discounted upper/business class fares but less so for economy. I can save over £1000 on future business trip but have to commence my journey 16 hours in advance. there is a trade-off especially if you are working and not retired

Eggtastico wrote:I would without hesitation.
I view planes as a form of transport.
If people are prepared to do the 'dublin trick' to save a few quid, then why not fly with RyanAir?

I did the "dublin trick" on January, which ended with an extra legroom on ryanair as positioning. God, I was glad the effective flying time for that flight to birmingham was only 30 minutes. Most cramped I've ever felt on a plane...

I can't imagine 2 hours of fighting for elbow room, leaning into the corridor (I was in aisle) seat, and my (not particularly big) arse squeezed into that seat...

I really don't see why there's so much snobbery about FR (they're hugely better than they were say 15 years ago ).You get what you pay for ( and you know what you're getting when you book your ticket). Ok fares don't include baggage pre-requested seating without charge etc but " proper" airlines have deviated from this model too in some cabins/ routes.
I use them reasonably frequently ( along with EZ) to travel to/ from AGP ( OK it's only a couple of hours) because I don't want the schlep to LGW to fly with BA. No it's not BA F but I don't expect it to be - at least the seats are fixed so you don't get the seat in front in your face and the cabin and loos have always been clean on the flights I've been on.
Lots of travellers are unable / unwilling to travel in premium cabins and would welcome a cheaper method of transatlantic travel from regional airports ( we're not all London centric ). It probably wouldn't be for me but I can see how it might appeal to others.

DL

Concorde RIP wrote:The entire RYR fleet (as far as I am aware) is B738's, which according to
http://www.boeing.com/boeing/commercial ... 0tech.page

have a maximum range of 5,765 km

The shortest distance between London and New York is 5570 km according to
forum/index.php?f=5&t=289182&rb_v=viewtopic

So, not much reserve there for weather diversions, go arounds etc!

Part of the operating model is to have a single aircraft type to reduce on maintenance and training costs etc, so this doesn't seem to stack up!

They are apparently planning to look for a long haul aircraft but have said that it has to be fuel efficient to make it worth their while. Thinking A350/787

Smid wrote:

Eggtastico wrote:I would without hesitation.
I view planes as a form of transport.
If people are prepared to do the 'dublin trick' to save a few quid, then why not fly with RyanAir?

I did the "dublin trick" on January, which ended with an extra legroom on ryanair as positioning. God, I was glad the effective flying time for that flight to birmingham was only 30 minutes. Most cramped I've ever felt on a plane...

I can't imagine 2 hours of fighting for elbow room, leaning into the corridor (I was in aisle) seat, and my (not particularly big) arse squeezed into that seat...

Have you flown RyanAir? I find their seats are quite big compared to other airlines. I dont like that Bright Yellow with Dark Blue though

Eggtastico wrote:

Smid wrote:I did the "dublin trick" on January, which ended with an extra legroom on ryanair as positioning. God, I was glad the effective flying time for that flight to birmingham was only 30 minutes. Most cramped I've ever felt on a plane....

Have you flown RyanAir? I find their seats are quite big compared to other airlines. I dont like that Bright Yellow with Dark Blue though

I have requoted and bolded the relevant bit.

I found the extra legroom bearable when sat with nobody in the middle 3. I've not flown the one further back. The extra legroom seats were a SERIOUS squeeze when 3 of us in them.

Certainly compared to jet2, wizzair and flybe, all of which I've flown in the last year.

RyanAir is one of those companies who's previous reputation is the one that is stuck in people's mind and it is very difficult to dislodge. Probably not helped by the rather combative Mr O'Leary.

The people who do fly with them appear to be happy with the product but there are a huge number of people who won't touch them with a bargepole no matter what they have done to improve their service and image.

Flying 7 hrs on a TATL is different from 2-3 hours flying within Europe - well it is to me anyway.

The expectations are different re food / drink / luggage allowance / customer service / seat comfort etc

Those can of course be overcome but it will be difficult for them.

Just another thought - I wonder whether RYR would overcome the CBP at destination requirement by pre-clearance at Shannon much as BA do now with the LCY-NYC service...

Anyway, if they do start services, it'll serve to keep the economy fairs of the main liners competitive and that can't be a bad thing?

The BA pre-clearance works because it is only ever a max of 32 passengers and their luggage. Also BA 1 has to stop anyway to refuel / swap pilots at SNN because of the limits of take-off at LCY so they kill two birds with one stone. But BA3 does not get pre-clearance but still has to make the fuel / pilot change stop.

I can't see it working in the same way for a flight with 200 holiday makers on. It would take a couple of hours at least. Plus there would be an additional set of airport fees to factor into the cost of the ticket as well

As always Tonty, you think things through far better than I!

I think the additional landing fees would kill the idea, even if the processing capability was increased.

Unless, MOL is working on a deal!

Do they still have that bloody tune that goes off when they land on time ? I have the 'pleasure' of flying with them on Sunday !

Blacky1 wrote:Do they still have that bloody tune that goes off when they land on time ? I have the 'pleasure' of flying with them on Sunday !

Do you mean the bugle blast Blacky? ):
They most certainly do .

DL

And now the Board says... errrr.... no

Oh god, I wish people would stop sticking telegraph links in. They're past a paywall after a couple of them, half of recent newslinks are blocked.

I assume they're using whatever mechanism they can to stick their web page to the top of the list...

But ryanair has to put brakes on its runaway hype machine for once?