That time an airline CEO wanted to charge for toilet use
What are your thoughts about paying for things when using air travel? Should extra costs be built into the price of your air ticket?
You don't often consider paying extra for toilet use when buying an air ticket.
But there was a time, in 2012, when the CEO of Ryanair (an Irish airline) proposed charging passengers to use the toilet. His reasoning stemmed from the three toilets on Ryanair planes, which he proposed removing so that he could fit in more seats on the plane and save customers on airfare throughout the year.
His confidence in speaking about this was fair as he said he wanted to save the consumer money, but he revealed more in an interview. He explained how he tried to introduce 'standing' seats to passengers who would pay a fraction of the cost of a seated passenger.
Watch the interview from 2012 on Instagram.
A former flight attendant shared some insight into how passengers can avoid paying extra when travelling by airplane. For one, she said passengers shouldn't rush to upgrade their tickets before arriving for their flights.
"Wait until you get to the airport and ask for an upgrade at the counter or the gate. Sometimes, if the plane is empty or you have a loyalty program with the airline, the gate agent can upgrade you to business class at no additional cost. But even if you have to pay, it will be much cheaper than buying online." (Business Insider)
She said it's pointless to waste money on bottled water, which is usually overpriced. Instead, she suggested carrying an empty bottle, as airports generally have water dispensers/fountains.
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