Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Ryanair problems continue on many levels

Plenty of mutterings everywhere about the Ryanair "upgrade".

Alex Bainbridge has the best analysis so far.

But, for all the apparent problems, I bet the sale is still going well.

A side issue to the technology/performance story is the fact that ABTA and the Office of Fair Trading are still hopping mad about how the airline's drive to towards price transparency is still, er, less than transparent.

Simon Bunce, ABTA's head of legal services, doesn't mince his words here:

Ryanair has fobbed off the OFT for over a year with the excuse that they could not show clear, unambiguous prices on its website because they didn't have the technology.

Clearly, despite working on their website all weekend, they still don't have the technology. Either that or they just don't care about how they deal with their customers.
UPDATE: Ryanair is saying "technical" problems have led to further delays and the new pricing will come into play today...

Kevin May, editor, Travolution

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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Feel free to read comments left by Travel Rants readers.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, please ignore previous links, this is the correct one.

Travolution Blogger said...

Darren: thanks for the links. some very unhappy consumers out there.

but, and i reiterate our point, lots of happy ones i suspect with their cheap flights.

never underestimate the mighty Ryanair PR machine when it comes to getting publicity - and, in turn, people to its site.

Anonymous said...

The number of disgruntled Ryanair customers will of course be the minority and it’ll also be the minority who will go out of their way to comment about their negative experience. Love them or hate them people will continue to use them because of their cheapo flights.

I wonder what press attention BA would receive if the same happened?

Travolution Blogger said...

There was a minor incident back in 2001 when BA switched its reservation system across to Amadeus. Computer Weekly ran a short story which got a bit of pick-up in the nationals.

Computer Weekly story

And there was glitch a few years later, reported – and archived - on FT.com.

Finanical Times piece

Not on the same scale as Ryanair's current column inch count , but it shows how failing IT systems have always been fair game for the fourth estate.

Anonymous said...

I have been trying to book three flights on Ryanair since the website changeover on Febuary 25th. I cannot get further on than CONFIRM: the next page which is bookryanair.com/SkySales/FRServices.aspx comes up blank. Using REFRESH brings up an error page. Didn't Ryanair test their new website before bringing it online ?

Anonymous said...

Trying to get through to Ryanair via e mail or telephone is almost impossible ...and expensive . Having booked 2 tickets to Malaga for 19th September 2008 I have broken my ankle and cannot go .I did eventually speak to someone and explained the situation and asked the question would I be refunded my airport taxes to which the unfriendly male on the other end of the phone said definately no . SO my question is who has this money , Ryanair or the Government

Travolution Blogger said...

Anonymous: Ryanair.