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Ryanair passengers 'could put own luggage on plane'

Wednesday, 24 June 2009

Ryanair warns of temporary web closure

Ryanair is considering banning check-in luggage as part of a new system where passengers would have to carry their bags all the way to the tarmac beside the aircraft.

Yesterday, chief executive Michael O'Leary detailed proposals where customers would pass all of their bags through security checks, currently used just for hand luggage, and then carry them through terminals to their flight.

The budget airline says the plans could save €20m, through not paying baggage handlers, which would be passed on to consumers.

However, there is no timeline on when the plans could be introduced, nor what airports the system could operate in.

It is envisaged that passengers would be allowed unlimited carry-on baggage for free, subject to airport regulations, said Mr O'Leary.

Customers would carry their baggage through the airport, check it into the cargo hold at the steps of the aircraft and collect it as they disembark at their destination.

The exact details of how the system would work remains unclear. Mr O'Leary said that when overhead lockers in cabins become full, any remaining hand baggage will be stowed in the cargo hold. However, it is possible this could, at least initially, result in unwanted delays.

A Ryanair spokesman said last night that the system would be similar to using a bus. The airline claims 70pc of its passengers do not check in any baggage when travelling.

A spokesman for the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) said the body would need to look at proposals before commenting.

Mr O'Leary also hinted that the airline may impose a ban on passengers carrying skis, although he added that details remained to be ironed out on the proposal.

He said that the airline plans to get rid of airport check-in by October, 2010, to complete the migration to online check-in. This is part of a plan to cut back on airport services and to reduce costs while minimising the time passengers spend in airports.

An in-flight online gambling system is also being considered, although there are no details of what this will be.

The moves come as Ryanair chairman David Bonderman offloaded €1m worth of shares in the airline, reducing his stake to 0.93pc. Mr O'Leary recently sold €19m worth of shares in the company less than three weeks ago.

Ryanair also said it is suspending expansion at its nine UK bases as part of its lengthy campaign against government-imposed passenger taxes.

The no-frills airline claimed that a combination of a stg£10 passenger tax introduced in the UK and what it described as high airport charges levied by airport operator BAA have resulted in 4.5 million fewer passengers at UK airports within the past five months. It will be grounding about 20 aircraft at Stansted this winter.

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25 Comments

People complain about £5 for this or £10 additional charge for that. For most people even when you add all the extra charges on you're still paying a lot less than you did 30 years ago and a considerable amount less than the other airlines charge now. You as the customer are also given the choice of what charges you can pay or avoid. The lighter you travel the less you pay for instance. It's just a pity they couldn't charge people by their overall weight.

Posted by Ron W | 25.06.09, 21:16 GMT

This is not as daft as most of you seem to think. No lost or damaged luggage. You will see your bag going on the plane with your own eyes. No long waits at the carousel waiting for your bags to arrive. No over-stuffed overhead lockers with coats and smaller items being crushed. As nearly all suitcases now have wheels what's the real problem? Mr O'Leary may be a pain, but not everything he says is mad.

Posted by Socrates | 25.06.09, 12:16 GMT

How long until the passengers fly the planes themselves too?

Posted by Catherine | 25.06.09, 09:49 GMT

This is one of the most asinine ideas I've heard in a while.

Posted by Billy Barnett | 25.06.09, 04:58 GMT

He is hilarious, the man knows how to get people talking!!

Posted by Caroline | 25.06.09, 01:05 GMT

Belfast Telegraph: will you PLEASE quit feeding the troll?!

It is against security regulations/safety regulations for passengers to load their own baggage. O'Leary comes out with these ridiculous schemes every so often as it gets him in the news - and he knows publicity (even bad publicity) is all good for business! Have you forgotten the pay for a p*** story already?

Posted by Centaur | 24.06.09, 21:13 GMT

Tony,

For a start its £10 usually to pay, then £10-20 for check-in and then usually £20-30 'taxes'. Never mind the 'marketed' cost of the flight. So point im making tony is that the flight ends up costing nearly as much as with other quality airliners at least half the time.

This idea is less to do with saving money and more to do with publicity for the company. Doesnt matter whether it is good or bad news, publicity = profit alot of the time. Think Kate Price, Paris Hilton and so on!

Posted by Frequent Flier | 24.06.09, 20:50 GMT

Am I missing something? One of Brian Ambrose's (Chief Executive of Belfast City Airport ) arguments for expansion of Belfast City Airport is that it would create more jobs. Ryanair, the airline who are pushing for the expansion might actually be instrumental in people losing their jobs. 'The budget airline says the plans could save €20m, through not paying baggage handlers, which would be passed on to consumers. '

Posted by Majella | 24.06.09, 20:24 GMT

Like someone else who commented, I wouldn't fly Ryanair if the flights were free. I think that their long term aim is a monopoly or near monopoly on certain routes/airports. To do this they need to put as many rivals out of business as possible and they're prepared to suffer short term pain e.g. flights for 1p. In a monopoly situation they could charge what they wanted. P.S. This is all free publicity for Ryanair to which I am ironically contributing.

Posted by Majella | 24.06.09, 20:02 GMT

The best thing Ryanair could do is to remove O'Leary as the public face of the company. Even if they offered free flights I wouldn't fly Ryanair because I think the owner is a truly obnoxious little man.

Posted by joanna | 24.06.09, 17:48 GMT

I made a complaint in writing about various things how I was treated and all I got back was a email cut and pasted from their rules. They did not even look at my complaint. I replied to this email weeks ago and and am still awaiting a response....I wont hold my breath

Posted by Marcus | 24.06.09, 17:18 GMT

Imagine the effect this would have on the queues at airport security with people having hold luggage and cabin baggage screened. This would annoy me even more if flying with another air line. Surely we would then be restricted to the 100ml rule for hold luggage as well! Terrible idea I would rather pay an extra £5 than have to deal with that.

Posted by neill | 24.06.09, 17:15 GMT

"You get what you pay for." If you want to fly for 10 euros, then don't expect to be treated as if you had paid $300 euros.

Posted by Tony | 24.06.09, 16:56 GMT

Stopped using them after I realised that they charge a £5 per person per direction transaction fee for using a debit card to pay. That roughly equates to 20% of the amount paid!! Blatant profiteering.

All of these suggestions are making them look like a joke.

Posted by Pete | 24.06.09, 16:54 GMT

Disagree with you all. This is the way travel should be. No one loads a train or a coach for you. Get to the airport, load as quickly as possible, get off at the other end and off you go. Can't see the problem.

Posted by annoyed | 24.06.09, 16:47 GMT

tell oleary we will fly the plane for him so he can save more money,shame on him.

Posted by jim | 24.06.09, 16:07 GMT

So what about sharp objects and liquids?

Can't see the security being happy with many more and larger bags to sift through... gonna slow it down for everyone else!

Posted by Klabnix | 24.06.09, 14:06 GMT