Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Ryanair pushes ahead with plan for toilet fee


European discount giant Ryanair is pushing ahead with plans to charge passengers to use the lavatories, news that comes just a day after U.S. low-cost carrier Spirit said it would charge for overhead bin space.

OTHER FEES: Spirit Airlines to become first to charge for carry-on luggage

The Daily Mail of London writes "no-frills [Ryanair] is working with Boeing to redesign the cabin and develop coin-operated toilets on 168 of its planes. Not content with charging passengers for use of the facilities, the airline is also looking at reducing the number of toilets on board, leaving just one available cubicle for up to 189 passengers."

How much will it cost you? The airline plans to charge either €1 or £1 on flights of an hour or less, according to ATW Online. That works about to between $1.30 and $1.55 for the privilege of using the toilet.

A Ryanair official tells the Mail the carrier hopes the toilet fee will change customers' habits. "By charging for the toilets we are hoping to change passenger behavior so that they use the bathroom before or after the flight," Ryanair spokesman Stephen McNamara tells the paper. "That will enable us to remove two out of three of the toilets and make way for at least six extra seats."

Meanwhile, Ryanair is making news with other fees, as well. The carrier announced this week it would hike its checked-bag fees by about 33% for the peak summer travel period. Business Traveller magazine writes Ryanair says it's making the move to "incentivise all of its passengers to travel light during the peak summer months." The BBC adds Ryanair said it would urge its passengers to avoid check-in baggage fees by travelling with carry-on bags only."
Related topics:
Ryanair Fees

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