Ryanair mulls charge for toilets

[PeteC]

I heard that some airlines were going to do this to anyone who could not fit into a seat with the armrest down without encroaching on the seat(s) next to them.

I also heard that some greenies are pushing a movement to charge a fat tax in America as fat people (due to the extra processing of food and fuel to deliver it, etc.) cause additional environmental problems as well as a burden to the medical system.

I'm just glad I'm nearing the end of my life and will not have to put up with this PC madness and lack of personal freedoms much longer!

Perhaps not a bad idea to base all tickets on a pound or kilo weight basis. Some would benefit and some would lose, but look at the incentive to lose weight if a frequent flyer! Pete

[Big Boy]

Not sure if it was a hoax or not but - yesterday I heard they where going to start surcharging Fat people...

Well - they do weigh more...but how are they going to implement that one!

SJ

I heard on the news they would be charged for (and given) two seats side by side. Now whether or not they would need to use two seatbealts is another story! Pete

It will be cheaper to buy a larger seat in enhanced economy.

[Khundon1975]

I believe that an American airline Southwest I think, charges overweight people for two seats but if when the plane takes off there are empty seats, then the cost of one seat is refunded.

[lazerlab]

At first i thougt this was a bad pr. stund. Today I read a norweginan newspaper that verifies that Ryanair is actually going to charge you 10 norwegian crowns (1£) for using the toilet.

[Arcadian]

I saw the interview with the Ryanair chief on Sky News, the overweight excess charge was said with tongue in cheek, but he did say that it was annoying to other passengers if people wishing to use the toilets were clambering over fellow passengers, and it was a poor job if they couldn`t control themselves for such a short flight. I do agree with him on that point, go before you board!

[Big Boy]

I've recently travelled by train from Troon to Bristol, whilst suffering with Gastroentiritis (sp?). OK, its a 6 hour journey, but I guess I must have used the toilet 25 times. That would have cost me about £4 per hour on a flight, and no - I could not have controlled myself.

[Khundon1975]

Is the outside toilet going to be free?.

[caller]

Isn't this the same joke airline that has just recorded its first ever loss and has also announced you have to print your own boarding card at home, cost 5 pounds, but it will be 40 if they have to do it at the airport?!

Can't see this lot lasting much longer.

[Khundon1975]

Isn't this the same joke airline that has just recorded its first ever loss and has also announced you have to print your own boarding card at home, cost 5 pounds, but it will be 40 if they have to do it at the airport?!

Can't see this lot lasting much longer.

caller Yes that's the one.

Most of that loss was on fuel costs , same as many airlines.
I would never fly with them but understand that many do, as it is so cheap.
Remember cheap isn't always cheerful.
When I fly to a city in Italy I want to land at that city, not 50 miles away.

[Arcadian]

I read a report that All Nippon Airways are asking their passengers to use the toilet before boarding, this weight saving will mean a 5 tonne per month saving on their carbon footprint. Does anyone have any other weight saving schemes the airlines could use?

[PeteC]

I'm not sure, but are you leading us into a comedy routine Arcadian?

Big business is telling people not to piss on their planes, those of us who have scars on their hands from breaking down cardboard boxes and sorting recyclables since the 1980's? Forget about the water and focus on the solids. That would double their savings. , no matter how unpredictable a curry may be.

It's now in vogue for them only because they're getting governmental pressure which could hit their bottom line.

Honestly, all well and good but a day late and a dollar short.

Don't burden Joe public with their catch up programs when they've know about it and could have started rational savings a few decades ago rather than last minute nonsense. Pete

[Arcadian]

No Pete, not a deliberate comedy routine, but you did mention human solid waste and bottom line in you post!! Having thought a bit more about weight saving perhaps Steve G could tell us the amount of paint used on a large aircraft.

[PeteC]

You have a point concerning paint. I think American Airlines still flies planes that are mostly nothing by bare, shined aluminum. I have read in the past that the weight savings is significant. Pete

[hhfarang]

I think painted surfaces have more wind drag than polished aluminum too.

Remember the old airstream trailers?

[STEVE G]

Not painting aircraft worked in the forties when they had lifespans of a year or so at the most, but modern airliners can often stay in service for more than twenty years.
What this means is that due to the amount of metal that gets polished away, you have to build them with thicker skins in the first place which cancels out much of the benefits.
Modern aircraft are built much lighter than they were back then by using techniques such as chemical milling to reduce the thickness of the skin in areas of reduced stress.
American Airlines do it for the sake of tradition, but it costs them a fortune to maintain.