March 20, 2023
March 6, 2023
February 20, 2023
February 6, 2023
Michael O’Leary, the controversial CEO of the Irish-based budget airline, Ryanair, definitely knows how to make headlines. At a recent conference, O’Leary announced that Ryanair plans to offer flights to Boston, New York and several other US destinations from 14 major British and European cities at a cost of 10 Euros one-way, with return flights at about 7 Euros. That means your air travel from the UK to NYC would cost about $14 in US Dollars, with flights back at $10. But, can he actually pull it off, and how much will those tickets REALLY cost?
Problem number one is that Ryanair doesn’t own the long-haul aircraft O’Leary needs in order to offer trans-Atlantic flights. He estimates the airline will have to have a fleet of about 50 planes to start flights to the U.S., and he wants to acquire them over the next five years. So don’t log on to book your cheap air travel quite yet.
The second problem is that these cheap fares will come with many strings attached. It appears that only a few seats would be available at this crazy price. O’Leary says Ryanair would have to sell “a very high number of business or premium seats” to compensate for the low fares. And he warns that passengers will have to pay more for everything, from baggage to food.
While Ryanair is enormously popular in Europe for its low prices, short-haul passengers regularly name it the worst airline in Britain in terms of legroom, onboard food and drink, seating allocation, boarding passes and baggage allowance. The flights get travelers to their destinations, but they gripe about all of the add-on fees, and many who buy their tickets online are automatically opted in to expensive services they never wanted, such as travel insurance. Not to mention the constant advertising chatter you have to listen to onboard.
Ryanair is notorious for watching its bottom line like a hawk. Pilots and cabin crews are expected to pay for their own uniforms and training. And, in a well-publicized incident in 2003, the airline even charged a man with cerebral palsy £18 (about $30) for his use of a wheelchair.
When we say you’ll pay extra for everything, we mean everything. Here are Ryanair’s current add-on fees in U.S. Dollars:
There’s also a fee for sending you text messages about your flight. Don’t even think about bringing a pet with you unless it’s a guide dog (and, even then, they can only board certain flights). And, while there’s no fee per se, if you are a non-self-reliant blind or vision-impaired passenger, you’ll have to buy a ticket for the adult (over 16) who must accompany you.
Oh. You wanted to eat or drink on-board? Expect to pay about $3.50 for Pringles, $4.00 for a pack of Starbursts, $5.00 for a Heineken, $7.00 for lasagna, $8.00 for a sandwich/panini, $4.00 for bottled water, a cup of tea or a cup of coffee, $4.85 for a Red Bull, $8.25 for wine, and about $11.00 for a rum & Coke.
When all is said and done, this $14 “bargain” fare is likely to cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $240 each way. But, if Ryanair’s ultra-frugal approach to flying is your cup of tea, go for it.
At Charter Flight Group, we suggest you eliminate all of the hassles; fly without baggage restrictions; take your kids, your golf clubs, and even your dog; all without a million add-on fees. Every seat will be a comfortable one when you book private charter flights for air travel anywhere in the world.
Call us today at 888.634.7449 to get started. You’ll be wheels up in just a few short hours.
