Airport Guide
Ryanair 'plumbs new depths' with £1 toilet charge plans
Just when it seemed that budget airlines couldn't squeeze air travellers any further, Ryanair has now hinted that it is looking into the possibility of introducing coin-operated toilets on its aircraft.
Of course, the whole thing could simply be nothing more than a publicity stunt, especially since it was announced by the Irish carrier's chief executive, Michael O'Leary, who is renowned for his courting of controversy and newspaper headlines.
Speaking on the BBC's Breakfast show, he said: "One thing we have looked at in the past and are looking at again is the possibility of maybe putting a coin slot on the toilet door so that people might actually have to spend a pound to spend a penny in future.
"We are always at Ryanair looking at ways of constantly lowering the cost of air travel to make it affordable and easier for all passengers to fly with us."
Given the recent form of cheap airlines, it would be far from surprising if the toilet charge does actually go ahead, despite the fact that the very mention of the idea has already had consumer groups up in arms.
According to Which? Holiday, Ryanair is once again happy to "put profit before the comfort of its passengers", and "plumbing new depths", after already introducing extra fees for, among other things, checking in at the airport, taking more than one bag on holiday and getting the best seat on the plane.
At the same time, the holiday operator Thomas Cook has also confirmed that it is to scrap free baggage allowances, with anyone taking more than 15kg worth of luggage on their package holiday this summer to be liable to pay an extra £16 per item.
However, this latest toilet proposal aside, it's a safe bet that a significant proportion of travellers will continue to vote with their feet and take advantage of cheap flights across the continent.
Indeed, many will be only too happy to see fares remain low even if it means some inconvenience – and with most passengers having internet access which allows them to check in online and most cheap flights catering for short breaks or business trips where just one bag will often suffice, for many these extra charges are irrelevant.
This latest news caps off a busy few days for the aviation industry, with the biggest development unquestionably being that Ryanair is set to allow its passengers to use their mobile phones while airborne – though for a price.
Elsewhere, in the United States, where several cheap carriers have already stated they have no plans to introduce onboard mobile services as this would make a journey more uncomfortable for a majority of passengers, United Airlines has revealed that it will only be accepting credit cards for purchases made during its flights.
Though this may be a positive step in terms of international flights, especially for passengers who never seem to have the appropriate currency with them, pessimists could view it as the first step towards airlines ensuring that all food and drink – and even toilet visits – have to be paid for on their own personal finance products, with passengers again being made to pay extra for the privilege.
Of course, the whole thing could simply be nothing more than a publicity stunt, especially since it was announced by the Irish carrier's chief executive, Michael O'Leary, who is renowned for his courting of controversy and newspaper headlines.
Speaking on the BBC's Breakfast show, he said: "One thing we have looked at in the past and are looking at again is the possibility of maybe putting a coin slot on the toilet door so that people might actually have to spend a pound to spend a penny in future.
"We are always at Ryanair looking at ways of constantly lowering the cost of air travel to make it affordable and easier for all passengers to fly with us."
Given the recent form of cheap airlines, it would be far from surprising if the toilet charge does actually go ahead, despite the fact that the very mention of the idea has already had consumer groups up in arms.
According to Which? Holiday, Ryanair is once again happy to "put profit before the comfort of its passengers", and "plumbing new depths", after already introducing extra fees for, among other things, checking in at the airport, taking more than one bag on holiday and getting the best seat on the plane.
At the same time, the holiday operator Thomas Cook has also confirmed that it is to scrap free baggage allowances, with anyone taking more than 15kg worth of luggage on their package holiday this summer to be liable to pay an extra £16 per item.
However, this latest toilet proposal aside, it's a safe bet that a significant proportion of travellers will continue to vote with their feet and take advantage of cheap flights across the continent.
Indeed, many will be only too happy to see fares remain low even if it means some inconvenience – and with most passengers having internet access which allows them to check in online and most cheap flights catering for short breaks or business trips where just one bag will often suffice, for many these extra charges are irrelevant.
This latest news caps off a busy few days for the aviation industry, with the biggest development unquestionably being that Ryanair is set to allow its passengers to use their mobile phones while airborne – though for a price.
Elsewhere, in the United States, where several cheap carriers have already stated they have no plans to introduce onboard mobile services as this would make a journey more uncomfortable for a majority of passengers, United Airlines has revealed that it will only be accepting credit cards for purchases made during its flights.
Though this may be a positive step in terms of international flights, especially for passengers who never seem to have the appropriate currency with them, pessimists could view it as the first step towards airlines ensuring that all food and drink – and even toilet visits – have to be paid for on their own personal finance products, with passengers again being made to pay extra for the privilege.
Find flights today with the Flights Network here to make searching for you easier.
Another article in this series is on London Heathrow Airport or you could use our search for more help