Ryanair our new National carrier?

**Clifford** · 05/10/2006, 12:50 PM

About time too.

Anyone invest in the 10,000 EI shares last week and now selling off at a huge profit???????????

Go on Mick, that really hit the Govt in the gonads.

**Lionel Ritchie** · 05/10/2006, 12:53 PM

Won't happen. You can't compare a national carrier block or whatever he's calling it in Ireland with the precedents he's claiming exist in Germany and France.

**Clifford** · 05/10/2006, 12:57 PM

But will he prob get a majority in it all the same?

**BohsPartisan** · 05/10/2006, 12:58 PM

Competition my orifice.

**Lim till i die** · 05/10/2006, 1:00 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

Competition my orifice.

There was a competition. It appears Mr. O'Leary has won

**crc** · 05/10/2006, 1:04 PM

I don't mind Ryanair, I think they have done a lot of good for the air travelling consumer. Although I don't like the mad scrambles at check-in and at the gate on Ryanair, prices have come down and new routes have been openned (across all airlines).

However, this has only happenned because of competition, so I am highly sceptical about this potential takeover for two reasons:
1. the danger of a Ryanair monopoly (whatever M O'Leary says about maintaining the Aer Lingus brand);
2. the possible loss of service (e.g. asigned seating) on Aer Lingus.

**BohsPartisan** · 05/10/2006, 1:16 PM

Originally Posted by Lim till i die

There was a competition. It appears Mr. O'Leary has won

Easy to win when you've got your own equivelant of Alan Kelly refereeing.

**Clifford** · 05/10/2006, 1:18 PM

50 euro each way to Vegas change your mind if your seat is or isn't allocated?

By the way I agree entirely with your post crc.

**Lim till i die** · 05/10/2006, 1:22 PM

Originally Posted by Clifford

50 euro each way to Vegas change your mind if your seat is or isn't allocated?

All well and good but the plane will most probably land in Roswell with you having to bus the rest of the way

**BohsPartisan** · 05/10/2006, 1:28 PM

Originally Posted by Lim till i die

All well and good but the plane will most probably land in Roswell with you having to bus the rest of the way

Very good.

**Lim till i die** · 05/10/2006, 1:33 PM

Originally Posted by BohsPartisan

Very good.

See I'm not all about fighting over pipelines and racism

**Macy** · 05/10/2006, 1:34 PM

B&I privatisation resulted in the Irish Ferries situation. The Government are now in the process of letting the same thing happen to our national airline.

So €140 million for the Government, Irish workers losing terms and conditions, Irish consumers losing competition, and Bertie's stockbroker mates cleaning up on both advice fees and commission.

**Clifford** · 05/10/2006, 1:35 PM

Originally Posted by Lim till i die

All well and good but the plane will most probably land in Roswell with you having to bus the rest of the way

outstanding. Probably bring you to Vegas and call it Dallas. Nice work

**BohsPartisan** · 05/10/2006, 1:37 PM

Originally Posted by Macy

B&I privatisation resulted in the Irish Ferries situation. The Government are now in the process of letting the same thing happen to our national airline.

So €140 million for the Government, Irish workers losing terms and conditions, Irish consumers losing competition, and Bertie's stockbroker mates cleaning up on both advice fees and commission.

Fully Endorsed (to use Bohs forum terminology...FACT!)

**WeAreRovers** · 05/10/2006, 2:13 PM

Very, very funny stuff - the greedy Aer Lingus unions are now in bed with a man who doesn't recognise unions. And it's all the governments fault (and the unions of course).

Fair play to O'Leary, another privitisation messed up in spectacular fashion and you have to hand it to him that he's taken full advantage.

It might be bad news for the consumer but you can blame the champions of so-called competition in the FF and the PDs for that.

KOH

**Macy** · 05/10/2006, 2:54 PM

Not too many state assets left war, so I wouldn't be laughing too hard just yet...

Bit harsh to blame all the unions. IMPACT pilots were the only one's who didn't oppose the sale (or foresee this very turnout). Kinda ironic for them given the fight for recognition in Ryanair by their existing pilots, and they're terrible working conditions. Still, they reap what they sow.

**tetsujin1979** · 05/10/2006, 3:06 PM

Anyone else just think it's another attempt at publicity and getting some free advertising for O'Leary? This is the man who commented at his wedding that his bride must have come on aer lingus when she was late!

**pete** · 05/10/2006, 5:33 PM

I don't think O'Leary is uising Ryanair money as publicity stunt as he has bought 16% when 5% would be good enough for a stunt.

I think Ryanair have been good for irish aviation but buying AL would be very bad for competition.

I don't believe AL has been a National carrier for some time now as they have no internal irish service when Ryanair at least service Dublin-Cork. I suspect Ryanair now also serves more direct route out of Ireland than Aer Lingus. AL can not really be described as full service airline anymore.

I think the service on AL is probably better but not by much so depends on the price when i am spending my own money. Had to travel to scandanavia recently for work so not paying for. AL had no service at all & had to go via heathrow with SAS. Heard now Ryanair will shortly be offering direct service to Oslo & eventhough i would not be paying would definitely prefer direct flight on cheaper budget airline than indirect with full service better quality airline.

If Ryanair achieve a significant shareholding in AL will be massive embarishment to the government as will result in eircom failures resurfacing & will definitely cost votes in next election.

**pineapple stu** · 05/10/2006, 7:21 PM

Originally Posted by crc

2. the possible loss of service (e.g. asigned seating) on Aer Lingus.

I wonder would O'Leary take the view that there clearly is a market for the Aer Lingus style flight (i.e. assigned seat, meal, etc) and use this as a way into that niche? In other words, those people who don't like to fly Ryanair - and they are many and vociferous - could still fly "properly" by flying...Ryanair.

Competition law is the biggest load of nonsense going though. Just means that the fat cats can make a wad load more money off of the Joe Soap. And even then you have stupid deals to simulate competition like the ESB being forced to sell electricity to suppliers for cheap so they can sell it on at a price to undercut the ESB.

Where else but Europe...?

Pete - I hardly think having an internal service in a country as small as Ireland prcludes you from being a national service.