"Simon Parker" <
simonparkerulm@gmail.com> wrote in message news:
lvruccF2mhjU2@mid.individual.net...
On 23/01/2025 17:50, billy bookcase wrote:
"Jon Ribbens" <jon+usenet@unequivocal.eu> wrote in message
news:slrnvp4opk.lvpa.jon+usenet@raven.unequivocal.eu...
The usual. You don't expect top tier customer service from a budget
airline, but it would be nice if the staff didn't act like they
actively hate you.
Ryanair can't buy aeroplanes cheaper than anyone else;
It may surprise you to learn that aircraft do not have a published price list and that
the price paid for each individual plane varies according to the terms of the order
which are negotiated on an individual basis. (For example, assume RyanAir are negotiating for an option to purchase 300 aircraft, 150 of which are definite and 150
of which are optional with delivery spread over a decade. Do you truly believe they
will pay the same price per aircraft as a smaller carrier purchasing, say, 10 planes
over the next decade? Additionally, should market forces change, the price of those
150 optional aircraft may be renegotiated prior to being converted to firm orders.)
Michael O'Leary is acknowledged as one of the shrewdest operators in the aviation
industry. The last time RyanAir was negotiating to upgrade their fleet, he had Boeing
executives in one room and Airbus executives in another. Each time one team of
executives came up with a better offer, he took it to the other team of executives to
see if they could beat it. He repeated this process until the other team could not
better the offer thereby assuring he got the absolute best price.
Additionally, he has an uncanny knack of predicting the demise of his competitors and
often secures options to purchase their aircraft prior to their collapse.
In short, he very much *does* buy aeroplanes cheaper than anyone else.
they cant buy
aviation fuel any cheaper than anyone else.
Another misunderstanding of yours regarding the aviation industry, I'm afraid. RyanAir
bulk buy their fuel at a fixed price, rather than paying the current rate for it, which
is subject to great fluctuation. RyanAir tend to buy in quantities that are multiples
of 500 tonnes at a time.
And, as with his acquisition of aircraft, Mr O'Leary is similarly shrewd in seeming to
know when to place an order for 500 tonnes of fuel.
Similarly, therefore, they *do* buy aviation fuel cheaper than many of their competitors.
The only way they can
compete is by paying lower airport charges, and lower wages.
Given that your first two contentions were completely wrong, these are by no means "the
only way" RyanAir can reduce their costs.
That said, BA pay pilots around £90K whereas RyanAir would pay the same pilot around
£70K.
Why do pilots work for £20K less at RyanAir? Working for BA means they're likely to
fly long distance international some of the time which means they are away from home a
lot. RyanAir, by contrast, offer a lifestyle which appeals to some where they can live
a short drive away from the airport which is considered their hub, and arrive a short
time before departure which is unheard of in the larger airlines, also getting home
every night, no later than 9pm in most cases.
Some pilots like flying all over the world for a prestige carrier. Others are happy to
be paid less for a simpler lifestyle which includes sleeping in their own bed every
night.
And because people like you (the ones they appear to hate) insist
on paying the lowest possible prices to fly anywhere, in order to
remain competitive, Ryanair will pay the lowest possible wages
as well. And you expect them to smile in addition?
Many staff are at RyanAir because they want to be there, (like the pilots above). Sure
trainee pilots, are there whilst they gain sufficient hours
As they only ever fly the one "big" aeroplane right from the start, and possibly over the sea, would flying hours ever be an issue when recruiting ?
to move elsewhere and some cabin crew are using it as a stepping stone. But many are
there because they want to be there and have no problem smiling when appropriate.
" Many staff are at RyanAir because they want to be there "
Whereas I would humbly wish to suggest that "all" staff are at Ryanair purely out
of *economic necessity*. As are airline staff everywhere. Along with loads
of other people. As I very much doubt that unlike in the legal profession there are that many *pro bono* pilots, and cabin crews knocking about.
While given that they, like yourself and most other informed commentators
quite possibly recognise that
" Michael O'Leary is acknowledged as one of the shrewdest operators in the aviation industry"
they will be only too aware of the fact that he won't be paying them a
penny more than he needs to. Regardless of their degree of "economic necessity"..
Because if he can succeed in playing aircraft manufacturers off against one another, as you so succinctly describe above. what chance do you think cabin crews and pilots have when it comes to negotiating ?
Given the added attractions of premium airlines, overnight stays in hotels on long haul;, more leisurely turn around times - as against being able to catch the
bus home from Zagreb airport it night, it might even be suggested that it should
be Ryanair who should be paying their pilots the £20 k premium and not the other way around..
bb
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