As airlines began dreaming up one fee after another last year, our running joke became, "What's next? Coin slots on the toilets?" Apparently, yes, that is what's next. Michael O'Leary, CEO of Irish low cost carrier Ryanair, expressed interest in the idea during an interview with the BBC this morning. Says Mr. O'Leary, "Not everyone uses the toilet on board one of our flights, but those who do could help reduce airfares for all passengers." Given the widespread abuse of carry-on allowances now that checked baggage fees are the norm, we shudder to think what effect a toilet fee might have.
Anyhoo, just be sure to carry a few extra pounds in your pocket the next time you fly Ryanair, as a "meeting in the ladies room" will set you back a whole £1.
Other ideas being tossed around at Ryanair include scrapping airport check-in in favor of online check-ins only, and providing baggage drops. And beginning this October, the airline will introduce their first carry-on luggage only flights.
So, what do you think? Would you fly an airline with a pay-to-go toilet if it meant lower fares? Or is this the lamest idea you've ever heard? Comment below.
I am from Brazil and learning to speak English, tell me right I wrote the following sentence: "Credit an account for unused airline tickets purchased with a centrally billed must first return the unused tickets to the issuing airline or."
Best regards :p, Bly.
Not necessarily the fastest high speed (150 mph and above) speeds
attained in Europe Japan and (lately) Korea, but over 88mph speed
limit now in force.
For example, I'm told that over 30% of flights from O'Hare in
Chicago result in trips of less than four hundred miles. A fast
train featuring "tilt-train" technology could make the journey
in almost all weather conditions. How much time would that
save passengers waiting on the runway for take-off? Or worse,
waiting for the flight to find a docking port with faulty pay toilets
on board?
PRESTO!!!
and then
where would those without the fee
hide to poop and pee?
what a smell and sight to see
One way to stop it. Find a place outside of the lavatories so that they will have to clean and/or fumigate the plane after the flight.
Just travel by car along the German autobahn and stop for a bathroom visit at a gas station and you'll be shocked by the amount you'll have to pay to use it !
There are many, many other places in Europe that will charge you for the potty break - I've come across McDonalds' where you have to at least order above a certain amount in order to receive a code to use their bathrooms !
Next thing you know you will have to rent the oxygen mask and life vest!
Seems everybody from the government, corporations, banks, etc. are trying to get into our nickers. I would not fly on airlines that charge for using the toilets. Idiots!
SICK OR IMPOLITE AIRLINES
MOST DEFINITELY I WILL NOT FLY ANY AIRLINE THAT STOOPS TO SUCH LEVELS! The word is "enraged"; perhaps they' like us to bring our own seats? Well, I decided to cruise back to the Mainland on a repositioning trip in order to avoid flying !!
3 year old girl, squirming like crazy in her seat 'cause she has to use the potty. Mom has no quarters for the airplane's bathroom door. Fast forward to exiting the airplane and the stewardess noticing a large warm wet spot on the seat.
Or, imagine the announcement as they close the boarding doors; "Ladies and gentlemen, if you need to use the lavatory, please have 50cents in quarters for the lavatory door. Remember that defacing airline property or leaving a wet seat cushion will result in a $250 fine charged to your account."
I don't think this fee will fly anywhere.
It's all fear based and control...............
Just think about this scenario. First of all you are over 65 and on a very limited income. You want to help out family and take care of a grandchild for 3 months and don't have the funds or another person to care for you pet for that long at any rate and then you are charged for a health certificate there and back plus two flight legs. How much more can they bleed out of us. It is really unfair.
Visit by using the rail(the train is awesome and fun) there are vintage trains also, travel by car and by bus.
We have gotten soft.....we use to travel this way years ago and it can be enjoyable again. Keep the money within the US and ally nations that we can get to by alternative means.
Once we stop paying for international fares or fares within the North American continent they will begin to change their tune.
This is how business operates.......provide us the consumer with what we want or we quit.............
Simple.By the way I am a travel agent...............
Insane.
Second, I might consider the same for United, who on my last flight, not only put us in a plane with a broken lavatory, but while I was waiting for the delayed flight (first plane's door wouldn't close and pressurize), heard two OTHER planes going out with broken lavatories. The reason I know is that, minutes before boarding, they informed everybody that if they wanted to go, they'd better do it in the airport since the toilets onboard were down.
Oh yeah, another flight got out on the runway before returning with overheating airconditioning. That was good news for the two women and two kids that had been left behind, as they could reboard with the rest of the passengers once the announcement was given that they could reboard, but "please ignore the smoke smell because we could not get all of the smell out".
I guess only the bare necessary maintenance gets done these days, and toilets ain't so critical. No wonder they're landing planes in rivers and neighborhoods!
Ridiculous!!!!!! I would even pay higher fees rather than put up with this slap at your dignity. Southwest seems to be doing well with full flights and they don't even charge for luggage.
You know, the excuses they gave for all these charges were the higher fuel costs. Now what is their excuse since fuel costs have gone down?
http://consumerist.com/5161603/ryanair-mighta-just-been-making-up-toilet-fee-idea