From the Balcony, A Publisher's Blog: No frills no more and more masterplans: "Tuesday, July 29, 2008
No frills no more and more masterplans
You heard it here first: the reason Ryanair lost money isn't just down to the oil crisis. It's also because the no-frills airlines are no longer no-frills.
What they take off the ticket, they bang back on in insurance, baggage charges, seating charges and 'preferential' boarding. It's a joke and it ain't cheap so until they get back to the original model, cheap flights, expect no turnaround."
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Ryanair.con
Being in a particularly grumpy mood today (yes, it's probably the weather) I decided to look for a refund from Ryanair for the taxes they charged me for 2 flights I did not use.
Should be simple enough - I bought the flights on line using my credit card, so I'll go on to their website, log in the flight details and they will refund my card for the taxes that they did not have to pay because I didn't travel!
30 minutes later and I can not find any information about how to get my money back - although I can book a car, a hotel, buy vouchers and of course cheap(???) flights. Their website is still working at a snails pace and now keeps changing into different languages sometimes when I press the "back" button.
So, I decide to ring Ryanair instead. The problem is there is nobody home! At least nobody to answer the phone, I waited on the line from 15.15 until 15.38 - 23 minutes, listening to a message once a minute telling me "Thank you for calling Ryanair. Your call is in a queueing system, please hold for an operator".
Ryanair don't have an email address, they don't answer the phone, so how am I going to get my money back?
OK, it's not the AMOUNT of money that's worrying me, it's the principle, it's the fact that it's MY money and not theirs, and they are not entitled to pocket it, and they are making it almost impossible for me their customer to get a refund.
Is this called "robbery"? Is there no law against this practice?
Should be simple enough - I bought the flights on line using my credit card, so I'll go on to their website, log in the flight details and they will refund my card for the taxes that they did not have to pay because I didn't travel!
30 minutes later and I can not find any information about how to get my money back - although I can book a car, a hotel, buy vouchers and of course cheap(???) flights. Their website is still working at a snails pace and now keeps changing into different languages sometimes when I press the "back" button.
So, I decide to ring Ryanair instead. The problem is there is nobody home! At least nobody to answer the phone, I waited on the line from 15.15 until 15.38 - 23 minutes, listening to a message once a minute telling me "Thank you for calling Ryanair. Your call is in a queueing system, please hold for an operator".
Ryanair don't have an email address, they don't answer the phone, so how am I going to get my money back?
OK, it's not the AMOUNT of money that's worrying me, it's the principle, it's the fact that it's MY money and not theirs, and they are not entitled to pocket it, and they are making it almost impossible for me their customer to get a refund.
Is this called "robbery"? Is there no law against this practice?
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sráid Capel
Sráid Capel is one of my favourite streets in Dublin and I was more than a little annoyed when DCC made a dog's dinner of the middle part of it last year (see Blog 9/17/07). So it was with some trepidation that I watched the roadworks in progress there for the last few months! Was Mr Green Party/ Bicycle loving/Car Hating/"town planner" at it again? Was he going to finish off Capel Street for cars?
I am a firm believer that streets should be vibrant places.... a melting pot, a living, breathing space - full of life, commerce, homes, shops, people, noise, "Bananas - 5 for one Euro",- EVEN traffic (and car horns sometimes)..
Mr DCC, I suspect, likes most of the above, except cars..
So, it was a great relief to walk home via Capel Street tonight and to discover that the roadworks only involve upgrading the pavements. And, I have to say they look very well!
Mr DCC must be on holidays. Shhhh...
I am a firm believer that streets should be vibrant places.... a melting pot, a living, breathing space - full of life, commerce, homes, shops, people, noise, "Bananas - 5 for one Euro",- EVEN traffic (and car horns sometimes)..
Mr DCC, I suspect, likes most of the above, except cars..
So, it was a great relief to walk home via Capel Street tonight and to discover that the roadworks only involve upgrading the pavements. And, I have to say they look very well!
Mr DCC must be on holidays. Shhhh...
Sunday, July 27, 2008
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