Budget Smudget

I’m a big believer in customer service excellence, but Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary’s recent announcement that he’s serious about making passengers pay for the right to relieve themselves on flights by installing credit card-operated loos really takes the cake.

Or should that read ‘toilet roll’?

O’Leary’s both king of the in-flight surcharge and full of bombast, in my opinion. Maybe he’s just taking the piss (or set to charge for it, at least), but Ryanair is apparently intent on making its passengers suffer wherever possible – particularly when it comes to their hip pockets.

There’s no debating that Ryanair offers incredibly low internet fares (£0.99 to Cork, anyone?). But by the time you’ve paid add-on costs for taxes and fees, airport check-in, baggage, priority boarding passes and credit card surcharges, you might as well fly a non-discount airline.

Hell, even B.A. starts to look attractive.

To my way of thinking, Ryanair’s propensity for treating customers like cattle and working down to a price rather than up to a standard is the antithesis of service excellence. Maximising profit is one thing, but let’s all try to look beyond the current quarter’s P&L if we truly want to retain customers and grow our businesses, shall we?

Needless to say, I for one won’t be flying Ryanair any time soon.