I had to check the calendar, to make sure it’s not April 1st. Headline: Pay toilets in the sky. And the fact that Ryanair, the airline that’s too cheap to install windowshades on its planes, is the one floating this story… It almost makes it believable. Almost.
Irish carrier Ryanair, Europe’s largest budget airline, might start charging passengers for using the restroom while flying, chief executive Michael O’Leary said on Friday.
“One thing we have looked at in the past and are looking at again is the possibility of maybe putting a coin slot on the toilet door so that people might actually have to spend a pound (USD$1.43) to spend a penny in future,” he told BBC television.
I don’t buy it. It’s too droll to be real, even for O’Leary, and it’s likely just a publicity stunt in the “all press is good press” school of thought.
Frankly, I’d love to see Ryanair try this, but that’s just because I have too much dignity to be a Ryanair passenger. How far can they really take the a-la-carte model?
If they really implemented pay toilets, there would eventually be one passenger who really had to go, but refused to pay. Hijinks and dry cleaning would ensue. The tabloid media would have a field day. Pass the popcorn!
So go for it, Ryanair! I dare you!
(Thanks to Anjeeta in the comments for pointing me toward this one!)
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February 27th, 2009 at 11:15 am
[...] this morning is about some casual comments made by Michael O’Leary suggesting he wants to charge people to use the lav onboard. Well of course he does. Even if he is successful in this plot, it’s not nearly as big of a [...]
February 27th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
With all the trouble I’ve had with vending machines throughout my life, I wonder what would happen if the coin slot mechanism stopped working on a flight. Where would you go then? The cockpit? I guess they could put some kind of backup system to open the door, but then again if the planes don’t have window shades, maybe they won’t care for that either.
February 27th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
[...] April Fools? Ryanair considering charging for inflight toilet use (upgradetravelbetter.com) [...]
March 1st, 2009 at 2:08 pm
I feel this would be their downfall. Women, families and the elderly (who tend to go more often) would never tolerate this. Imagine your on a flight and your ill and had to keep paying to rush back and forth to the restroom. Terrible idea.
March 12th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
[...] April Fools? Ryanair considering charging for inflight toilet use (upgradetravelbetter.com) [...]