This week, two budget airlines are in discussions with regard to unprecedented fees for their customers. Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary has admitted to pondering coin-operated toilets on their airplanes. Spirit Airlines, who recently had an issue with their employees over aprons with advertising, has proposed a special passenger usage fee for buying tickets. This fee would be accessed for consumers who purchase their Spirit tickets anywhere except the Spirit ticket counters.
Ryanair © Scott_W_9
It’s difficult to believe that Ryanair will actually go through with charging their clients to use in-flight toilets. While airlines have the right to make a profit, this measure challenges basic decency. What if a customer doesn’t have the correct change?
Spirit Airlines, on the other hand, already has a track record for initiating special fees in order to maintain their low-ticket costs. They claim that an agreement has already been reached with the U.S. Department of Transportation. While it’s an inconvenience to loyal Spirit passengers, it’s still part of the overall cost comparison for ticket buyers.
Read about bus traveling taking off in the United States.
Read about Delta’s decision to charge overweight passengers double the fare.
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Gennaro Salamone is the founder and editor of Enduring Wanderlust. Feel free to contact him with questions, comments, or inquiries with reference to contributing a travel article or photograph for publication.
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Liz
I don’t care about the other fees, but paying for using the ladies room is absurd. Do I need to carry a change purse on the flight 🙂 Hopefully it was one of those things that was said, but was half in jest. Why don’t they just raise the ticket prices?
Steven
In the end, it is still in the consumers hands. If they don’t like the policy they can fly another airline. Would I fly an ariline that charged for the bathroom? It depends on the ticket price. I’m not saying it’s a smart policy. It’s not, but don’t fly with them. As per Spirit, the aprons thing was silly, but the fees are their choice as long as they’re upfront about it.
Arn
It’s a silly move by Ryanair. I doubt they’ll go through with it. Passengers mostly care about the fare itself, but that’s an real inconvenience. With Spirit, Looks like they want sales to be from their ticket counter for extra profit, but who wants to go through that trouble? Most buy from the Internet.
WildJunket
Coin-operated in-flight toilets! that’s absolutely crazy! Man, looks like budget flying has just gone to a new level of lunacy.
Yen
I wouldn’t use an airline that had a coin-operated toilet. Not at all. It’s one thing when some stopped serving food. I can bring my own, but this effects all. Who carries change? Not me. Never used Spirit and not sure why they do this. It must work for them because it’s always somthing new.
Gennaro
@Liz
It’s an unusual idea to say the least. As per raising ticket prices, airlines know that’s the number one factor influencing booking. It’s why Spirit doesn’t mind the fees. As long as the fare comes up lowest in travel search engines.
@Steven
That’s fair. It is in the consumers hands as long as there are other flights from their city to the destination. That being said, there is a respect factor too.
Gennaro
@Arn
That’s true. In the end, it will still come down to the overall ticket price in most cases. Inconvenience or not.
@Wild Junket
It’s definitely a step that would bring bad publicity. That’s one thing people aren’t likely going to want to pay for. And it will upset their regulars
@Yen
True. No other options with this one.
anjeeta
so their low ticket prices are not really low if you factor in all these charges.. If you do the math then perhaps a full service airline may serve you better. I learned this last year while traveling in Europe. I need to walk the aisles to keep circulation going and often use bathroom breaks as an excuse to get up and wander around,if I am charged every time I use the ladies especially on a long haul( believe Ryan air has plans to fly across the Atlantic)it would be extremely irritating.
Nik
What’s next is Ryanair will stop having air-stewards and stewardess on their planes. Passengers are expected to take care of their own. And since there’s no such thing as food and water to be served, and no service to be given… who needs these stewardesses?
Jay
I can not imagine what that meeting would have been like where they talked about charging for toilet usage. These companies are going about this the wrong way. Charging people for toilets is a great way to make sure those people never use that company again. Go back to customer service people!!! Make them enjoy every aspect of thier experiance and they will be back!
Gennaro
@arjeeta
Look out. They may start charging for walking the aisles too. A return to full service carriers may be in order.
@Nik
It wouldn’t shock me if they cut down on the number of attendants, which would be a major safety issue in my eyes.
@Jay
Sometimes I think they forget they’re dealing with human customers at these corporate meeting.
Taris Janitens
Pay to take a leak!? I’ll stick to my car where i can go at the side of the road for free lol
Gennaro
@Taris Janitens
Unless, of course, you end up with a ticket for disturbing the peace 🙂
Tim
Ryanair is crazy if this is their plan. Are they serious? There executives should just come out and say that this was for publicity or a misstatement.
Gennaro
@Tim
If this was for publicity, I have to wonder about their PR team.
jen
Wow! I cannot believe an airline might think its a good idea to charge people to go to the toilet! I think that’s pretty bad business, plus there would be a lot of cleaning up to do for those people who forgot their change!! For me, well for me I wouldn’t feel the affect so much – I have been known to do a whole London to New York flight without the need to nip to the ladies, probably bad for me but I get slightly concerned I might be sucked into the toilet! x
Gennaro
@jen
I agree that it’s not the best business strategy. There are lots of factors to consider. Mostly respect for customers, but also things like carrying change though I hear it may be credit card. Yes, a credit card to use the restroom 🙂
Kim Woodbridge
When I was a kid we used to go this one beach that add pay toilets on the door of the stall. But as kids we used to just crawl underneath the door. I’m not sure why they were pay and I haven’t seen things like that in a really long time. I think the only time it is acceptable to charge for the toilet is if there are other ones available – obviously, on a airplane there aren’t other choices. I also don’t see how this could save them money or generate any income.
Gennaro
@Kim Woodbridge
Love that beach story. Very funny. That makes sense about other being available. Have to agree there.
Kikolani
They have to realize that these kind of fees will anger their customers. They should just take whatever the amount is they plan on charging, and call it something else, like a fuel tax fee or something similar that would be less debatable. Somehow though, it wouldn’t surprise me. Like advertising a free in-flight movie, then charging $5 for headphones.
~ Kristi
Gennaro
@Kristi
The headphones point is a good observation. They are the pros, but I’d just incorporate in in the ticket. Problem is that most customer buy based on the ticket price and the airlines know it.