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.