Ryanair & Easyjet in the US?
 

Anyone think that the Ryanair & Easyjet business model would work well in the US (ULCC pay for everything, water, food, etc...).

I know NK does it on a small scale and has been making money, but do you think a larger operation would do well here?

Thoughts, opinions??????

Merry Christmas:)

You mean like Skybus???? That didn't end to well.....

It's already in place: Spirit.

The reason why they can't grow is two fold: horrible customer service (the DOT has to fine them to get them to follow the rules) and they are private, can't raise enough money.

Ryanair made a lot of money by buying airplanes right after 9/11 and reselling them a few years later, for I think more than they paid for them.

And they just cancelled an order for 200 Boeings.

I'll bet Ryanair isnt far away from offering free flights, you just pay for all the ancillary revenue like checked bags, seat assignments, etc.

Does Ryanair succeed in Europe because they compete against the rail services more than the other airlines? Here in the states travel by rail isnt as widespread, so there wouldnt be as many pax to "steal" from railway travel. Airline travel(in the USA) is the most common way of traveling over a few hundred miles.

It's my munderstanding that the business model is very similar to Southwest is it not? I know that the owners of the two airlines are good pals. Train travel in the UK is ridiculously expensive so if one is travelling from say london to Scotland it is a no brainer to fly with Easy or Ryan as it's usually significantly less expensive. My best bud is a FO for Ryan and likes the lifestyle a lot. However, he hates having to provide his own tea bags :D

EiNY

Let me say Ryan Air exploits pilots. Pilots pay for e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g. Here is a break down found on OAA.com - Oxford Aviation Academy.

Oxford Aviation Academy (OAA)
£ 260 - Assessment fee - yes pay for an interview!!!
€ 28 500 (VAT does not apply) - Type Rating Course!!!
They r@pe you for the type rating. That's essentially paying for you to work.
£ 130 - 5 year reference check
£ 23 - Criminal Record check (Scotland Yard basic disclosure)
£ 10 - Certificate General Security Awareness Training
Accommodation, travel and expenses during training are the responsibility of the pilot.

Not mentioned on the website is the pilot is responsible for paying his own uniform, airport ID badge and I believe any drinks/food onboard is at their own expenses.

So who end up paying for all this? Well, all the 200 hour pilots are at Ryan Air. That's all they do. Hire very low time pilots fresh out of training and there is an abundance of them willing to pay for it.

They're all ready practically doing that. I've flown on several of their "1P" sales.

Actually, they hadn't completed the order - the press release said that Boeing wouldn't give them the same considerations that they had been given in the past (ie: sweetheart deal) and they weren't going to complete the order.

UPDATE 4-Ryanair pulls out of talks for 200 Boeing planes | Reuters

Give it a few more years! :eek:
Merry Christmas

Fred