Sunday, September 17, 2017

Michael O'Leary's Ryanair

Last Thursday Bus Éireann ran a service at 11.40 from Killarney to Kenmare. There were five passengers on the 55-seater bus, one of whom was a paying passenger, who paid a reduced fare as he was a student.

On the 16.05 service from Kenmare to Killarney a number of people travelled on the bus as far as Kilgarvan. But from Kilgarvan to Killarney there was only one person on the bus, which was again a 55-seater vehicle.

There may well be more efficient ways in ferrying passengers to the more remote parts of Ireland. But it is a public service, something about which the State should be proud. There's more to living than economics and lucre.

Compare that policy/philosophy with what has happened in Ryanair this week.

Imagine what Ryanair would say if Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann or Dublin Bus emailed passengers informing them that some trains and buses would be cancelled because the companies forgot to arrange holidays for their drivers.

It is laughable beyond the extreme. It is also arrogant, indeed nasty and exceptionally mean. Surely the rawest face possible of capitalism at its meanest and dirtiest.

Another Irish joke, the style of joke that up to now Michael O'Leary has got great fun from.

Yesterday Ryanair had no-one available for comment.

2 comments:

Mary said...

Bus Éireann would (and do) just allow the bus to not show up at all, with not customer information provided. Imagine turning up for a flight, checked in on-line and all ... and waiting to see it never come up on the departure board. Or worse, it comes up on the board, you go to the gate, but no plane arrives and none of the staff are there to answer questions.

Michael Commane said...

Thank you for your comment.
Have you written or phoned your complaint to the company?
I regularly use all three CIE companies. Yes, there are hicups from time-to-time but my experience is positive. Dublin Bus and Irish Rail offer an excellent service.
Irish Bus manage an almost impossible situation as well as they can.

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