Rivals are paying the price
When Ryanair announced yesterday they were considering making free standing room available on flights, like most I let out quite a big chuckle. The imagery of 'Mind the closing doors please, mind the closing doors' came rushing to my head and the thought of being caught between the sweaty armpits of Malaga returning tourists with a little too much alcohol on the breath for comfort seemed too bizarre not to raise a smile at.
It is easy to laugh at this idea, like it was easy to laugh at the concept of paying for an in flight comfort break, or carting your own luggage on board the aircraft, and I dare say there are more laughable ideas to come (bring your own trolley for free drinks, fly the plane for your choice of destination, the mind boggles). But last Friday Ryanair, in the midst of a global recession announced a hefty 13% rise in passengers alongside a load factor increase from 1% to 85%. Yesterday rival budget airline Easyjet revealed similar, positive results.
So the jokes may continue long into the night about the 'crazy, attention seeking' schemes being suggested by Ryanair but the fact is, they know the market they are dealing with. People are clearly willing to sacrifice comfort for price. Compare their success with the current plight of British Airways and it is plain to see who's having the last laugh.
This is a company putting in research and expanding possibilities at a time when others are merely covering up and waiting for the bell. Knowing the playing field is half the battle, a battle which the budget airlines are currently strolling through with ease.
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