I will tell you. It is all part of CEO Michael O'Leary's new charm offensive. A new improved Ryan Air where customers come first. The new look Ryan Air where you can now take 2 carry on bags, get pre allocated seats, be able to change a booking on-line without a penalty and best of all, a new web site that promises you a much better user experience, where you can see just where the cheap seats are in seconds and even register your personal details so next time the site will remember who you are.
Perhaps it is because easyjet has already brought in allocated seating and is charming the pants off business customers, or perhaps it is because Mr O'Leary has realised insulting passengers just because they are paying rock bottom prices doesn't lead to a lot of loyalty and love. What ever the reason, I applaud Ryan Air for doing it, because anything that makes travel a better experience is good in my book whatever the reasons behind it.
So what about that free food? Well in a swish press bash in London yesterday, where very attractive models dressed up as Ryan Air cabin crew and all the top brass were rolled out to present the new improved Ryan Air to the travel press we were treated to a sumptuous lunch with all the trimmings by the side of the River Thames. Even Mr O'Leary had to admit it was an extortionate amount to have to pay, but nevertheless he did and shook everyone's hand too.
Good for him and good for Ryan Air to be honest and bold about changing an already successful albeit tacky service into something hopefully a lot more customer friendly.
