Comments on: Ryanair: flights across the atlantic for $13? Ehh… http://www.studentscrooge.com/2008/11/05/ryanair-flights-across-the-atlantic-for-13-ehh/ Fri, 29 May 2009 08:29:40 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: David http://www.studentscrooge.com/2008/11/05/ryanair-flights-across-the-atlantic-for-13-ehh/comment-page-1/#comment-10145 David Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:37:40 +0000 http://www.studentscrooge.com/?p=478#comment-10145 Oh yeah... and the whole idea that Ryanair would fly into small airports like they do in Europe? The US government would likely require that transatlantic flights enter into international airports already staffed with US border agents... which whittles down the list of available airports in the US quite signficantly. And most of those are near cities. Right now, Ryanair flies smaller aircraft and so they get away with using tiny airports - but even the smallest international airports in the US are much bigger than the ones used by Ryanair in Europe, and Ryanair undoubtedly would have to use bigger aircraft in getting over the ocean. Oh yeah… and the whole idea that Ryanair would fly into small airports like they do in Europe? The US government would likely require that transatlantic flights enter into international airports already staffed with US border agents… which whittles down the list of available airports in the US quite signficantly. And most of those are near cities. Right now, Ryanair flies smaller aircraft and so they get away with using tiny airports – but even the smallest international airports in the US are much bigger than the ones used by Ryanair in Europe, and Ryanair undoubtedly would have to use bigger aircraft in getting over the ocean.

]]> By: David http://www.studentscrooge.com/2008/11/05/ryanair-flights-across-the-atlantic-for-13-ehh/comment-page-1/#comment-10144 David Sat, 28 Feb 2009 19:33:59 +0000 http://www.studentscrooge.com/?p=478#comment-10144 Don't worry - they aren't going to succeed at transatlantic or even domestic flights in the US. We carry way too much stuff with us everywhere... we expect too much when we travel (free drinks? why is that a necessity?)... and I doubt that politicians here would be so hands-off in passing 'consumer protection' laws to thwart some Ryanair practices (they were willing to threaten airlines for sitting on runways too long, and that ostensibly is less under the airline's control than their pricing policy). I doubt it if the FAA would allow an airline to dump people off flights with no recourse via phone or email, or allow airlines to bump flights without compensating passengers. That said, I think that Ryanair's plans may cause transatlantic flights to get cheaper on other airlines - as Southwest has managed to make domestic travel cheaper in markets that they serve. That would be a welcome change in flying. Don’t worry – they aren’t going to succeed at transatlantic or even domestic flights in the US. We carry way too much stuff with us everywhere… we expect too much when we travel (free drinks? why is that a necessity?)… and I doubt that politicians here would be so hands-off in passing ‘consumer protection’ laws to thwart some Ryanair practices (they were willing to threaten airlines for sitting on runways too long, and that ostensibly is less under the airline’s control than their pricing policy). I doubt it if the FAA would allow an airline to dump people off flights with no recourse via phone or email, or allow airlines to bump flights without compensating passengers.

That said, I think that Ryanair’s plans may cause transatlantic flights to get cheaper on other airlines – as Southwest has managed to make domestic travel cheaper in markets that they serve. That would be a welcome change in flying.

]]> By: Ryanair: A Bird Strike, Refund Update, and A Rant | Student Scrooge http://www.studentscrooge.com/2008/11/05/ryanair-flights-across-the-atlantic-for-13-ehh/comment-page-1/#comment-2962 Ryanair: A Bird Strike, Refund Update, and A Rant | Student Scrooge Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:20:41 +0000 http://www.studentscrooge.com/?p=478#comment-2962 [...] Ryanair: flights across the atlantic for $13? Ehh… [...] [...] Ryanair: flights across the atlantic for $13? Ehh… [...]

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