Passengers could be taking budget flights between the US and Europe on a Ryanair-backed airline in less than three years, the low-cost carrier's chief executive claimed yesterday.Michael O'Leary said plans to launch a no-frills transatlantic service had been bolstered by an industry downturn that could slash the cost of long-haul aircraft as rivals go bust or orders are cancelled. The carrier would operate from up to nine bases on each side of the Atlantic, with Stansted, Frankfurt-Hahn and Rome-Fiumicino among the candidates for European hubs. Islip airport on Long Island is mooted as a New York base. O'Leary said the airline could be launched 18 months after acquiring a new fleet next year. "There may be an opportunity to pick up cheap long-haul aircraft next year, in which case we might launch a low-cost, long-haul programme in two-and-a-half years," O'Leary said.
Passengers could be taking budget flights between the US and Europe on a Ryanair-backed airline in less than three years, the low-cost carrier's chief executive claimed yesterday.
Michael O'Leary said plans to launch a no-frills transatlantic service had been bolstered by an industry downturn that could slash the cost of long-haul aircraft as rivals go bust or orders are cancelled.
The carrier would operate from up to nine bases on each side of the Atlantic, with Stansted, Frankfurt-Hahn and Rome-Fiumicino among the candidates for European hubs. Islip airport on Long Island is mooted as a New York base.
O'Leary said the airline could be launched 18 months after acquiring a new fleet next year. "There may be an opportunity to pick up cheap long-haul aircraft next year, in which case we might launch a low-cost, long-haul programme in two-and-a-half years," O'Leary said.
He's probably right "no frills" is going to do better than higher-end airlines in a recession, but long-term... A vivid image of what should exist acts as a surrogate for reality. Pursuit of the image then prevents pursuit of the reality -- John K. Galbraith
Tourism, no-frills flights with prices at 100-500 will fare differently with such a surcharge.
(use the currency of your choice) In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
Ryanair boss sets sights on no-frills transatlantic flights with new airline | Business | The Guardian
Andrew Lobbenberg, analyst at Royal Bank of Scotland, warned that cheap fares between Europe and the US were available on traditional carriers such as British Airways and Air France-KLM, part-subsidised by the steep ticket prices levied on business customers. "Long-haul fares are often quite cheap in economy - in part because they are subsidised by people in the front [of the aircraft]. It's not going to get consumers anything like as excited as low-cost short-haul," said Lobbenberg.
Andrew Lobbenberg, analyst at Royal Bank of Scotland, warned that cheap fares between Europe and the US were available on traditional carriers such as British Airways and Air France-KLM, part-subsidised by the steep ticket prices levied on business customers.
"Long-haul fares are often quite cheap in economy - in part because they are subsidised by people in the front [of the aircraft]. It's not going to get consumers anything like as excited as low-cost short-haul," said Lobbenberg.
Why not stacked three level beds? You could get huge numbers of people into a single plane. Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
Why not stacked three level beds?
Because you'd need good christian republicans patrolling then to make sure no rudeness happened that much closer to the sight of god. Life should consist in at least fifty percent pure waste of time, and the rest doing what you please.
Thinking of it, you could save even more money by sharing bed with someone, just one ticket for two people! Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
"Aimez-vous les uns sur les autres"... "Ne te courbe que pour aimer..." René Char
A lot of especially young people are ready to stand all kinds of discomforts to save some money on travelling.
For example, I once spent an entire night sleeping on the stone floor of Luton airport (no freaking benches!) waiting for a cheap flight to Marseille... just to save €50 on the ticket price. Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.
Ryan is naturally aiming for the cattle class market, but I don't think it's going to work. Prices would have to be incredibly low - under £100 - to make people want to give up the small comforts they need on an extended flight.
It might be viable with the usual local subsidies scam, but what are the chances of that working now?
I don't take Air France because it's cheaper; I take it because I know I can take a flight two hours before or two hours later, or the next day instead of the one I booked. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
My daughter and her London-based friend hop back and forth across the pond by airplane at a moment's notice to visit each other--and they are broke graduate students.
I suspect that there is a mid-point between these two extremes that we will eventually settle on...
