Ryanair, always on the look out from generating new sources of revenue including charging passengers for food, drinks, car hire and hotels, was also looking at gambling and property ventures for ‘other’ sources of non-ticket revenue. They recently announced that they were in talks with telecoms network operators about launching its own UK mobile phone business. Ryanair, which recently banned its staff from charging their mobile phones at work, said it may sell mobile phone connections via the Internet under the plan.

Ryanair Deputy Chief Executive Michael Cawley told reporters the carrier was talking to potential partners for the business, which may not necessarily use the airline’s branding. Ryanair had initial talks with 3UK, owned by Hutchison Whampoa, but failed to reach agreement, the source said.

EasyMobile, which is linked to Ryanair rival easyJet, launched its own-brand mobile phone service in Britain in March, while airline entrepreneur Richard Branson’s Virgin Group also has a mobile phone business.

“Currently we are looking at some gambling products. That is very much at an embryonic stage,” Cawley said.

That’s not the only way Ryanair increases its income, writes Brian from the UK. The airline charges Euro 7.00 per kilo for excess baggage. At Treviso (Italy) airport recently, the scales showed between 1.5 and 3.5 kilos when empty – before any baggage was put on. Protests to check-in personnel were in vain. Pay the excess or leave your luggage behind. When contacted, Ryanair denied responsibility claiming scales were owned and maintained by Treviso airport authorities. It was a Ryanair agent,however, who demanded payment and who issued a Ryanair receipt. The same luggage deemed overweight by Ryanair was later weighed at another low-cost airline at Gatwick and found to be 3.0 kilos below the limit.

I sent Ryanair a request for a refund of the unjustified charges by snail mail, including a copy of the receipt. Their reply came by email. When I tried to respond by email I received a message saying I would have to fax or mail my message. Deliberate effort to make communication difficult for customers, easy for them. I faxed it anyway: here is the text:

Thank you for your prompt email reply to my letter of June 4th.

I regret, however, having to inform you that the response of Ryanair is less than satisfactory. I have no objections whatsoever for being charged a fee for luggage which weighs more than the amount allowed. However, as I stated in my letter, my luggage was found on three other occasions to be well within the limit set by your airline.

The fact that the scales are owned and operated by Treviso airport authorities is really not relevant in this case. The fee was collected by Ryanair agents and was paid to Ryanair over my objections at the time. Ryanair clearly has a responsibility to its passengers to ensure that the excess baggage fees it charges are not based on inaccurate measurement, the ownership of the scales is simply immaterial.

Since I cannot accept your effective denial of responsibility for this incident, I anticipate contacting the Treviso airport authorities and the Transport Department of the Government of Ireland for their opinion on this matter and their advice on how to proceed further.

I am in contact with other passengers on the flight who had a similar experience and can confirm my account of events.

Yours sincerely,

Can anyone help me write the letter to Treviso airport in Italian? Or maybe the Guardia di Finanza if that would be appropriate – sounds promising? My hope is that it will cost Ryanair more than the 30 euros it owes me to respond to all the correspondence I will generate for them.

If you can help Brian, please let the Beetle know.