Ryanair Boss: You Want Service? Try Another Airline

Regulations can go jump in a volcano, says chief

(NEWSER) - The budget airline boss who first floated the idea of charging passengers for using airplane toilets is balking at paying the food and hotel bills of fliers stranded by volcanic ash. Ryanair chief Michael O'Leary says that he doesn't care if European laws require him to foot the bill for stranded passengers. He says they'll be getting their plane fares refunded and not a penny more, the Guardian reports. More»

(NEWSER) - Passengers who really want to save money on Ryanair may soon be able to purchase "standing room only" tickets on the discount airline's flights, reports the Sun. Under the plan, passengers would huddle about "bar stools" with seat belts. Ryanair officials have already talked to Boeing about designing new planes with standing room that could cut costs as much as 20%. The firm has applied for permission to make the changes with the Irish Aviation Authority, said a source. More»

Irish budget carrier may put coin slots on lavatory doors

(NEWSER) - Just when you thought the airlines had figured out how to wring every penny out of flyers, budget carrier Ryanair announced it was mulling a new fee: a $1.50 charge to use the toilets. The Irish airline's CEO said today he was considering "putting a coin slot on the toilet door," similar to facilities at train stations. The comments sparked immediate outrage, and the airline appeared to be backtracking. More»

Hong Kong airline becomes 4th carrier to go bust this month

(NEWSER) - Thousands of passengers have been stranded in Hong Kong, London, and Vancouver with the collapse of Asian budget airline Oasis, the New York Times reports. In a sign that the industry's woes are spreading rapidly, the Hong Kong-based airline joins three US budget carriers to have gone under this month in the face of soaring fuel prices and economic jitters. More»

Instead, extra flight attendants!

(NEWSER) - Co-pilots? We don't need no stinking co-pilots. And it would certainly be cheaper to fly without them, so that's what Ryanair CEO (and infamous cost-cutter) Michael O'Leary intends to do—or at least try to do. O'Leary, whose company has already rolled out the genius ideas of charging passengers to pee and offering standing-room-only tickets , tells the Financial Times he's asking aviation authorities for permission to operate short flights with only one pilot aboard, and replace the second-in-command with ... flight attendants. More»