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IT USED TO relish in its reputation as one of the least customer-friendly companies in the world, but it seems Ryanair has had a change of heart.
The airline has announced a series of customer service changes following an in-depth consultation with passengers, including allowing for a second carry-on bag, reduced baggage fees, and the introduction of quiet flights.
CEO Michael O’Leary said the moves showed the company was “actively listening and responding” to customers.
The cost of having a boarding card reissued at a Ryanair desk in an airport has been cut dramatically from €70 to €15 for customers who have already checked in online but have forgotten to bring their print-out with them – although customers who haven’t checked in online will still have to pay the €70.
Passengers will also be able to bring a second handbag-sized carry-on bag on board at no extra cost. The airline has traditionally been extremely strict about only allowing passengers one piece of luggage on board per person.
‘Quiet flights’ will operate before 8 o’clock in the morning and after 9 o’clock at night, in which there will be no announcements over the PA other than the required safety announcements. The lights will also be dimmed on these flights.
A frequent customer complaint had been about the noise and interruption on flights as passengers are urged to purchase scratchcards, food and drink via PA announcements.
The airline is also getting rid of the much-hated Recaptcha security feature on its website in which customers were required to type two words which were often difficult to distinguish into a text box .
Standard bag fees will be cut from €60 to €30 at the bag drop desk, and from €60 to €50 at the boarding gate. Ryanair said this brings the company into line with competitors
Finally, customers will also be given 24 hours after their original booking to correct any minor errors – such as spellings, names and routes – without being charged for it.
The changes follow on from CEO Michael O’Leary’s admission that he had made mistakes in the company’s approach to customer service.
Ryanair spent several weeks getting feedback from customers about what they liked and what they hated about the airline ahead of today’s announcements.
“These are the first in a series of customer service improvements which Ryanair is actively working on to make our low fare services easier to access,” said Caroline Green, Ryanair’s Director of Customer Service.
Ryanair’s austere approach to customer service has undergone something of a slow reversal in recent weeks, as the company joined Twitter and announced a big redevelopment of its website.
The airline is also looking for a new marketing director to help change its image.
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It’s amazing when a union acts worse then the worst employers… they should all leave or hold back their dues..
@Dan: there you have it Dan, when a union becomes a business it acts in protectionist ways. Always thought that type of transfer policy was contrary to freedom of association.
@Greg Blake: siptu aren’t a union, they’re a business. It’s all about the money for them.
You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave…
Honestly best thing I ever did was get out of the Teeu. Went on strike at there request lost a week’s wages for nothing, applied for strike pay refused. And when I rang to cancel my membership they told me that they were close to securing a pay rise country the promptly hung up the phone when I told them I was made redundant and a subbie is doing my job for 17 Euro and hour cash in hand, didn’t even try and help.
Really hope the unions get taken to task using GDPR.
Best of luck to those trying to use the GDPR for this, let’s hope the thread of a heavy fime wil get them to act. Clearly bad press doe not.
Also why does the goverment allow a cartel? I think some of our goverment agencies should look into this behavior.
Esb is a pension provider who just happen to provide electricity
@Bill Clear: and they do a fantastic job of that. Apart from power cuts did you ever get cut off during a strike? In fact they’re one of the best run state companies. Compare that to Irish Water or Eir back when it was eircom and state owned.
Is all of this Union scheming, manoeuvering and intrigue carried out during worker’s personal time or on company time ultimately paid for by the hard-pressed electricity provider’s customers?
A union official with out a full face beard!? Straight away something fishy there.
The TEEU are a joke no problems in taking your money but come up with excuses when you look for help. left them years ago when I met an official from the union who wanted us to go on strike without any funding from them and he left the meeting in a 60k BMW.
Sorry I ended up on the wrong page…….continue what your talking about apologize xxx
With Connect union- Wasting my fiver every week- it’s time we acted /
Shouldn’t they just request it under GDPR?
It could be worst. catch 23 even.
Absolutely useless. The TEEU sent a lad out to speak to us few years ago as apprentices, we were getting rode by the company doing overtime every day plus every Saturday for months at flat rate of pay. Our boss had a heads up they were coming, pulled us into a boiler room and flat out told us to lie and say we were paid correctly plus travel money etc. Under threat of losing our jobs during the recession. The union rep came out and asked us about the pay in front of our boss and foreman so we all meekly nodded and said what we were told to say. He decided this was grand and headed off never to be heard from again. They also send me out letters every so often after I’ve been unemployed looking for various amounts of money in unpaid subs while on the dole
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