Ryanair, always on the look out from generating new
\nsources of revenue including charging passengers for food, drinks, car
\nhire and hotels, was also looking at gambling and property ventures for
\n‘other’ sources of non-ticket revenue. They
\nrecently announced that they were in talks with telecoms network
\noperators about launching its own UK mobile phone business. Ryanair,
\nwhich recently banned its staff from charging their mobile phones at
\nwork, said it may sell mobile phone connections via the Internet under
\nthe plan. <\/p>\n
Ryanair Deputy Chief Executive Michael Cawley told
\nreporters the carrier was talking to potential partners for the
\nbusiness, which may not necessarily use the airline’s branding. Ryanair
\nhad initial talks with 3UK, owned by Hutchison Whampoa, but failed to
\nreach agreement, the source said. <\/p>\n
EasyMobile, which is linked to Ryanair rival easyJet,
\nlaunched its own-brand mobile phone service in Britain in March, while
\nairline entrepreneur Richard Branson’s Virgin Group also has a mobile
\nphone business. <\/p>\n
“Currently we are looking at some gambling
\nproducts. That is very much at an embryonic stage,” Cawley
\nsaid. <\/p>\n
That’s not the only way Ryanair increases its income,
\nwrites Brian from the UK. The airline charges Euro 7.00 per kilo for
\nexcess baggage. At Treviso (Italy) airport recently, the scales showed
\nbetween 1.5 and 3.5 kilos when empty – before any baggage was put on.
\nProtests to check-in personnel were in vain. Pay the excess or leave
\nyour luggage behind. When contacted, Ryanair denied responsibility
\nclaiming scales were owned and maintained by Treviso airport
\nauthorities. It was a Ryanair agent,however, who demanded payment and
\nwho issued a Ryanair receipt. The same luggage deemed overweight by
\nRyanair was later weighed at another low-cost airline at Gatwick and
\nfound to be 3.0 kilos below the limit. <\/p>\n
I sent Ryanair a request for a refund of the
\nunjustified charges by snail mail, including a copy of the receipt.
\nTheir reply came by email. When I tried to respond by email I received
\na message saying I would have to fax or mail my message. Deliberate
\neffort to make communication difficult for customers, easy for them. I
\nfaxed it anyway: here is the text: <\/p>\n
Thank you for your prompt email reply to my letter of
\nJune 4th. <\/p>\n
I regret, however, having to inform you that the
\nresponse of Ryanair is less than satisfactory. I have no objections
\nwhatsoever for being charged a fee for luggage which weighs more than
\nthe amount allowed. However, as I stated in my letter, my luggage was
\nfound on three other occasions to be well within the limit set by your
\nairline. <\/p>\n
The fact that the scales are owned and operated by
\nTreviso airport authorities is really not relevant in this case. The
\nfee was collected by Ryanair agents and was paid to Ryanair over my
\nobjections at the time. Ryanair clearly has a responsibility to its
\npassengers to ensure that the excess baggage fees it charges are not
\nbased on inaccurate measurement, the ownership of the scales is simply
\nimmaterial. <\/p>\n
Since I cannot accept your effective denial of
\nresponsibility for this incident, I anticipate contacting the Treviso
\nairport authorities and the Transport Department of the Government of
\nIreland for their opinion on this matter and their advice on how to
\nproceed further. <\/p>\n
I am in contact with other passengers on the flight who
\nhad a similar experience and can confirm my account of events. <\/p>\n
Yours sincerely, <\/p>\n
Can anyone help me write the letter to Treviso airport
\nin Italian? Or maybe the Guardia di Finanza if that would be
\nappropriate – sounds promising? My hope is that it will cost Ryanair
\nmore than the 30 euros it owes me to respond to all the correspondence
\nI will generate for them. <\/p>\n