Pilot only planes

[mickey]

If one of the cabin crew was called in to land the plane then that would leave the cabin understaffed with cabin crew in an emergency. For many reasons this will not fly. O Leary has been watching too much TV.

But cabin crew cost a hell of a lot less than pilots, so surely you could just have an extra one and still save money?

 

[jon0844]

It's when things go wrong that pilots really earn their cash...

I am not sure an airline pilot would want to be compared to a train driver, but the same is almost certainly true there too.

 

[flymo]

Perhaps it is possible to train cabin crew to do O'Leary's job too. Should save a fortune.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20100914/tuk-ryanair-pilot-sack-the-boss-and-save-b5b5cc4.html

 

[jopsuk]

so, any idea what they're really introducing under this smokescreen? A charge for using the steps to get off?

 

[jon0844]

Perhaps it is possible to train cabin crew to do O'Leary's job too. Should save a fortune.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20100914/tuk-ryanair-pilot-sack-the-boss-and-save-b5b5cc4.html

Michael O'Leary is every PR person's nightmare! He will joke and say things like that all the time, which does get people to laugh (remember the beer and blow jobs statement?) but he often says things against advice.

Still, as long as he's seen as some sort of hero, he can get away with doing all of these things (unlike Gerald Ratner) and still have people queuing up at the door.

I may not fly with Ryanair anymore, but someone has undoubtedly taken my seat - although I do think that there are more people thinking like me every week.

I do wish I could find out what else he's up to 'behind-the-scenes'. We'll no doubt find out soon enough, there must be the opportunity to charge for something else soon. Maybe he will stop working to an average weight per passenger and begin weighing everyone before travel - to stop people wearing coats filled with stuff, or indeed overweight people as previously mentioned.

Actually, I'm surprised he hasn't started to offer reserved seating for a fee, like many other airlines. Maybe it's the cost of setting up the systems required, but that would be quite easy money and another way to extract money from families that would want to sit together, as against those travelling on their own or as a couple who could sit apart for an hour or two.

 

[starrymarkb]

I knew it was just a ploy for the trolley to sell more cups of tea! Damn you Flybe! :-x

Was it a Q400? I'm not sure that they have CAT-III Autoland equipment fitted, it's usually found on larger jets.

Their E195s have it, as well as a heads up display for the Captain.

IIRC Exeter only has CAT-II ILS, (you need III for automatic landings) but TBH it isn't as fog-prone as Bristol (which does have CAT-III ILS but only on the Eastern approach) or Plymouth (which IIRC just has a basic ILS)

Finally there is the workload factor, try some FS payware aircraft on VATSIM and you'll see what I mean

 

[mickey]

A charge for using the steps to get off?

And what's the free alternative? Jump? I don't think that's one he'll ever do. He could, however, introduce a 'priority exit' fee for the front exit and make everyone else queue at the back, but there would have to be a way of fitting this into the extremely short turnarounds for it to work.

Actually, I'm surprised he hasn't started to offer reserved seating for a fee, like many other airlines. Maybe it's the cost of setting up the systems required, but that would be quite easy money and another way to extract money from families that would want to sit together, as against those travelling on their own or as a couple who could sit apart for an hour or two.

They already have it - it's called priority boarding.

Never say never, of course (and especially with Ryanair) but it would definitely surprise me if they brought in reserved seating - again because of the inevitable delay it would bring to boarding.

 

[flymo]

IIRC Exeter only has CAT-II ILS, (you need III for automatic landings) but TBH it isn't as fog-prone as Bristol (which does have CAT-III ILS but only on the Eastern approach) or Plymouth (which IIRC just has a basic ILS)

Exeter has CAT-I ILS on runways 08/26 & Plymouth has CAT-I ILS on runway 31

I absolutely agree with the workload you mentioned.

I always read Cpt. Dave's blog and whilst it may be true that for long times there may be sometimes little to do, when there is a problem the human brain will always trump the electric jet.

 

[jon0844]

They already have it - it's called priority boarding.

That's nothing like the same thing! So many people pay to have priority boarding at times that I've seen that queue longer than the other, and so there's still the free-for-all fight for seats.

Aer Lingus charge for normal seats, exit seats and you can be charged a minimum of £5 PER passenger PER flight, and £10-20 for other seats. I'm actually amazed Ryanair hasn't done the same yet.

Sadly, even BA now charge for reserving a seat in advance.

 

[starrymarkb]

Exeter has CAT-I ILS on runways 08/26 & Plymouth has CAT-I ILS on runway 31

I absolutely agree with the workload you mentioned.

I always read Cpt. Dave's blog and whilst it may be true that for long times there may be sometimes little to do, when there is a problem the human brain will always trump the electric jet.

Thanks for the correction , I knew it definatly wasn't CAT-III