Review of Panorama programme on Ryanair

Just watched it and it was as I expected. The show wanted to have a good old rant about Ryanair and it did, but it failed to highlight some things too.

It did try to say a couple of nice things about the airline just so it could say it was impartial.

But it was the same old rubbish about having loads of complaining customers, landing miles from the city, crappy seats, etc etc.

It failed to say why, if so many hate it, it will carry 3 times more than the beloved British Airways this year. Why so many people are happy to land miles from the city, how without it many would never have seen so many places.

The world is full of whingers these days. If anyone expects to pay £5 for a flight and get Emirates or Qantas service then they need to catch themselves on and grow up. RA fly us on very short flights cheaply. OK they have hidden charges and may lose customers because of these, but their figures are astounding for any business, so they are doing something right.

If I have a 2hr flight to Europe I couldn't care less if the sandwiches are £4 (I know they are similarly priced with EVERY airline), if the seats are yellow, have no loose laminated safety cardrolleyes, have no pouch in front of me etc IF they can get me to Spain for £30 return, which they have on many occasions.

I would say over the last decade I have travelled maybe 20 return flights with RA, and only once did I miss the plane. IT was my own fault. I have NEVER been late in all the other flights.

So for me, they are a great airline.

Re: Ryanair - Hatchet job by Panorama.

I actually think the non-reclining seats are a bonus. As someone who is 6 ft 3, the last thing I need is some ones seat shoving into me knees !!

Good to hear there was no surprises - just the usual whines. Its a pity they couldn't come up with something less predictable.

I really do think Panorama has gone a bit SIndo-like since it moved from its late night spot. It used to do a lot of in-depth analysis of meaty political issues, but now it seems to be getting very tabloidy in its reporting.

Re: Ryanair - Hatchet job by Panorama.

Terrible programme.

Have to say, whatever you think of Michael O'Leary, he's entertaining to say the least,.

Echo what people are saying. Travelling away is a big thing. If you don't do a little bit of research into where you are going I've no sympathy for you. Airports being miles away? It's not like they've been moved there after you book your flight? No free coffee? It's not the end of the world. Checking in online? Make sure you have a printer. If not, go with someone else.

Ryanair provide a service. If peoiple don't want to use it. Don't.

Re: Ryanair - Hatchet job by Panorama.

The only hatchet job that was done in this programme was O'Leary making an ass of the reporter outside the AGM which wasn't difficult, because as an investigative journalist, this guy left an awful lot to be desired. I thought the whole thing was rubbish from start to finish and there was nothing on this programme about Ryanair that I wasn't aware of ie O Leary drives a hard bargain and watch out for the charges.

Re: Ryanair - Hatchet job by Panorama.

Gotta laugh at these people/reporters who highlight a £40 charge if you lose your checkin printout as a major problem.

Here's an idea - DON'T LOSE IT !!!!

99.9% of travellers are able to remember it. If this typical family of 4 they always give as an example, who would be charged £160 if they lose them, are so stupid not to keep an eye on it or even take it with them to the airport then they get all they deserve.

Btw, couldn't agree more about Panorama going all tabloid. The BBC is just marginally better than the likes of ITV and C5, but its running them close in recent years. Appeal to the masses, eh?

Re: Ryanair - Hatchet job by Panorama.

demoivre said:

The only hatchet job that was done in this programme was O'Leary making an ass of the reporter outside the AGM which wasn't difficult, because as an investigative journalist, this guy left an awful lot to be desired. I thought the whole thing was rubbish from start to finish and there was nothing on this programme about Ryanair that I wasn't aware of ie O Leary drives a hard bargain and watch out for the charges.

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Totally agree. Were they really trying to criticise him for playing Airbus against Boeing to get the best deal for his planes? Ryanair get a lot of justified criticism but there was none in this programme. Even the guy who missed his flight got a refund.

At the very end when the journalist (Vivian?) was trying in vain to get a word in, I thought he might go so far as to carry michael O'Leary's bag to the waiting car..

and O'Leary's comment about how many people will travel Ryanair compared to how many people watch Panorama was hilarious.

hatchet job? well maybe a rubber mallet.

Agree with everything said here, it was total rubbish.

No-one was forcing the numpty reporter to buy a sandwich or coffee, you'd have to be a moron to purchase the insurance unintentionally and to give grief over striking a good deal? They're a business for fecks sake.

And the inside scoop from the pilot? He has to pay for his own bottle of water and maybe do a bit of work on the way to his job, quick call the cops!

I wouldn't normally complain to the programme makers but i was fuming last night so I'll try and make a comment on their website.

30 minutes of uninterupted, free advertising for Ryanair on a station that doesn't show ads - MOL must be thrilled! All we kept seeing were flashes of Ryanair planes taking off and landing. Being told how efficient, cheap, safe and punctual they were too into the bargain. A couple of people with bad experiences but the continuous references to 67m passeengers etc. Great stuff for MOL & Ryanair!

Have to agree with most here. It was poor. Whatever might be said about them, most of the stuff raised was already known. Landing in secondary airports - its hardly a surprise to the majority of their customers - and they forgot to mention that there are often advantages in landing in secondary airports.
They then approached things from the angle of Ryanair being ultra aggressive. Sure, they are aggressive but is this not symptomatic of the business environment in general? A company using its market power to negotiate deals with manufacturers and airports down to the bone? Its the world we live in is it not?
Usually make a point of checking whats going to be on Panorama - but this programme makes me wonder whether their investigations are really accurate or just sensationalist..

The Brits are annoyed that a few Paddies are wiping the floor with BA and that Ryan Air upset the musty world of European aviation. I agree; there was nothing new about Ryan Air. It was a half hour moan about nothing.

Briliant marketing by MOL!
He had us to expect a hatchet job, twice as many people watched it because of his rant yesterday, and it turned into a 30mins promo for RA instead.
Basically 'does what it says on the tin' better than anyone else. Ive travelled with RA from the first flights into Luton for 79IR when the AL fare was220IR and ive never had a bad experience.
And I bring my own sambo's!
R

You have to give it to O'Leary, another great slot of free advertising. And who cares how much a Sandwich costs, nearly everybody carrries hand luggage with RA so pack a Sambo in the Airport.

Oh and the Reporter - AWFUL! Though he couldnt hold in his own smile outside the AGM when O'Leary was having his go

RMCF said:

But it was the same old rubbish about having loads of complaining customers,

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Didn't see it - what were the complaints generally?

Cos if this was one of them:

...landing miles from the city,

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Then they are too stupid to be allowed to fly unaccompanied as far as I can see.

personally i try and avoid flying ryanair if i can but i must admit there is a big market for the service they provide. i just dont like it

Panorama was poor, Michael O'Leary - what ever anyone thinks of him - broke the monopoly of Aer Lingus & British Airways & we all here in Ireland have him to thank for that. I just worry that with all the extras & perhaps even more on the way they could be shooting themselves in the foot. I sincerely hope that doesn't happen as they provide a great alternative & made the (previous) big boys change their way of doing business for ever. I'd love to know Michael O'Learys comments on the bankers & senior civil servant (fas execs etc.) performance & the "golden handshakes" given to them on leaving office. All the best for the future Michael!!!!

I also thought the documentary was very poor and MOL came out of the documentary looking like a businessman just wanting to make a profit.

Also interesting was the exchange of letters between MOL and Panorama
[broken link removed]

Also they Interviewed that Student who said he couldnt have gone to all the places he had without RA's cheap flights, they then went to show his holiday pics, i wanted to book a flight there and then

I thought it was great investigative journalism e.g if you forget your printed boarding pass RA will charge you €40...that's €160 for a family of 4. I would never have worked that out if they hadn't pointed it out to me!

Jada said:

I also thought the documentary was very poor and MOL came out of the documentary looking like a businessman just wanting to make a profit.

Also interesting was the exchange of letters between MOL and Panorama
[broken link removed]

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Vivian doesn't come out well from the correspondance.