Latest news with #MichaelOLeary
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Britain's ‘Ryanair of the rails' may not be glamorous, but it could teach rivals a thing or two
The British train operator which has garnered a reputation as the 'Ryanair of the Rails' does indeed have, it seems, a lot in common with the budget airline that so many passengers love to hate. Lumo, which just under four years ago launched its inaugural service between London and Edinburgh, does indeed have consistently lower fares than the main operator on the route, LNER. It has ambitious plans for growth, too. Having increased services to Edinburgh from two trains a day to five, it recently announced the intention to introduce a new direct link between London and the Scottish city of Stirling, with a further expansion of routes down the line. And like the Dublin-based low-cost airline, its no nonsense one-size-fits-all approach has its detractors, with reviews on platforms such as TrustPilot frequently highlighting issues with cleanliness, punctuality, inadequate provision of refreshment and staff whose brusque manner seems to have come straight from the Michael O'Leary's customer relations playbook. Much of this is hardly surprising. When Lumo began services between London and Edinburgh in October 2021, it unashamedly proclaimed its intention to undercut rivals on the route and to provide real competition to the budget airlines – namely Ryanair and easyJet – which operated between the two cities. In addition to low prices (many of its introductory fares are less than £20 one-way), it gave travellers seeking to reduce their carbon footprint a more environmentally friendly option, with a fleet of all-electric Hitachi trains offering high speeds and low emissions. Potential game changer Mark Smith, the rail guru behind the Man in Seat 61 website, hailed the arrival of Lumo – which was given permission to run the London-Edinburgh route as an 'open access' operator – as a potential game changer. 'For years the high cost of rail travel has been cited by those turning to the cheaper options offered by airlines, but the arrival of Lumo could change all that,' he said. 'Finally a London-Edinburgh train will take on the likes of easyJet and Ryanair at their own game. It is a pioneering move and, if successful, it could encourage others to set up low-cost rail routes and put pressure on the government-backed train operators to reduce fares.' So has Lumo lived up to its early promise? And what's it like to travel on? Reading the TrustPilot reviews, I feared the worst when I boarded the train for a journey to Edinburgh with my wife – a decision taken because, yes, I wanted to test Lumo out but, crucially, because it was considerably cheaper than LNER. The train was certainly busy, with all seats taken and every available space for luggage used to the full. The seats themselves, an attractive deep blue, may not have allowed long leg stretches, but were comfortable enough – and not dissimilar space-wise to those found on more mainstream operators. The drop-down table and individualised lighting were perfectly functional; there was WiFi too, but as with many trains, it was intermittent. We did not feel the train was dirty, though others have pointed to mess on the floor and stained seats. Nor did we experience the rudeness for which Lumo staff have frequently been criticised (in fact, we even managed a joke with the ticket inspector). And of course the views along the way – particularly the later stretches, taking in the Angel of the North, Durham Cathedral and the beautiful stretch of Northumberland coastline on the approach to Scotland – were, of course, every bit as splendid as they would have been on a more expensive train. We arrived in Edinburgh bang on time. No complaints. Unacceptably dirty Maybe we were lucky. Rory Boland, the editor of Which? Travel, also recently travelled with Lumo and had more grounds for complaint. On his trip to Edinburgh, he found the train unacceptably dirty, announcements bordering on the hostile, staff manhandling bags placed in the wrong places and, most egregiously, a failure in the tea service, usually available via an on-board trolley. He did acknowledge, however, that Lumo's fares, while not as low as originally indicated, were less than those quoted by LNER. The cheapest fare he found was £91 return – a good £44 less than the lowest offered by LNER for the same period. With very few stops (Morpeth, Newcastle and, on some journeys, Stevenage), the trains are also faster: the best completing the journey to Edinburgh in just 4 hours 16 minutes. And the Ryanair parallels continue: though passengers love to complain about Lumo, they nevertheless continue to use the service in their droves. So much so, in fact, that the operator – which is owned by FirstGroup – announced earlier this month that it plans to launch a new direct service between London and Stirling, commencing next year. Furthermore, in what will be a significant challenge to an increasingly nationalised rail network, it has applications to run trains from London to Rochdale, Carmarthen and Paignton. The aim is to triple passenger numbers to 10 million a year. According to Simon Hodge, managing director of specialist operator Tailor Made Rail, this is all for the good, as it might help to create some 'healthy competition' on the proposed routes – as operators Italo and Iryo have in Italy and Spain respectively – which would likely reduce fares and benefit passengers. In fact, even Boland had a positive take, concluding that though 'the boarding experience with so many people and luggage being thrown around is chaotic, and dirty seats and no tea made our trip feel budget', Lumo is nevertheless 'fast, far better for the environment than flying and, perhaps crucially, by far the cheapest option.' So, lower fares and, soon, a direct service from London to one of Scotland's finest cities? Lumo might feel budget, but if the rise of the budget airline has proved anything, it's that – for most of us – cost and convenience will always trump comfort. A bit of healthy competition never hurts.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Ryanair engineers 'forced to check every new Boeing over manufacturing process fears'
Michael O'Leary has revealed that a team of engineers check every Boeing aircraft that Ryanair buys because of concerns over the manufacturing process. The Ryanair boss said previous problems with Boeing jets fresh off the production line meant that every aircraft undergoes a safety inspection before it is allowed to fly under the carrier's name. His comments emerged after a London-bound 787 Dreamliner made by the American company crashed in the Indian city of Ahmedabad moments after take-off on Thursday, killing all but one passenger on board. There is no suggestion yet that Boeing was at fault in the Air India disaster. Mr O'Leary, whose airline uses only Boeing aircraft and is regarded in the industry as one of the world's safest low-cost carriers, said a team of 30 inspection engineers oversaw Boeing's manufacturing in America. Once a new aircraft arrives at Ryanair's Irish headquarters, local engineers then conduct a 48-hour inspection. 'Only once we are completely happy does it go into operation,' Mr O'Leary told The Times. 'We had planes being delivered and when we get them back to Dublin we find spanners and tools under the floorboards.' His concerns were heightened last night after a Boeing engineer turned whistleblower called for a secret investigation, believed to have uncovered safety concerns with the 787 Dreamliner, to be published. Sam Salehpour claimed last year that 'shortcuts' were used in manufacturing the aircraft's fuselage and that engineers embedded drilling debris between joints in more than 1,000 planes, weakening the structure, shortening the planes' lifespan and risking 'catastrophic events'. A report by America's Federal Aviation Authority into his claims has yet to be made public.
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
The aircraft budget airlines use revealed
By Europe's low-cost airlines fly millions of us across the region - and beyond - every year, and boast some of the world's best safety records. But which aircraft do the most popular budget flyers, such as easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz, depend upon to ensure passengers reach their destination - be it a city break or balmy beach - safely? The good news for passengers is that the low-cost carriers have some of the youngest fleets in the world - with many ordering brand new aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus to bolster their fleets. RYANAIR Back in 2023, Ryanair ordered 330 new Boeing 737 Max 10 aircraft in a deal worth more than $40billion dollars (£32billion). The delivery of the aircraft is due between 2027 and 2034 and, says the airline, when the order's fulfilled, the planes will be able to 'carry 21% more guests, burn 20% less fuel and be 50% quieter than the Boeing 737-NG fleet.' What does Europe's largest airline group currently have in its 618-stong fleet? There are 181 Boeing 737-8200 'Gamechanger' planes and 26 Airbus A320s. The majority of Michael O'Leary's airline's current fleet though is the 189-seater Boeing 737-Next Gen plane, of which the airline has 411 of them. The popular twin-engine narrow-body aircraft carries a CFM-56 engine, and has a 35.8 m (117 ft 5 in) wingspan. EASYJET The orange-hued airline, founded by Stelios Haji-Ioannou in 1995, lays claim to 'one of the youngest fleets in the industry'. Passengers fly on 318 Airbus A320 family aircraft, with the company recently welcoming the new generation Airbus A320neo too. According to Airbus, the A320neo, equipped with CFM LEAP-1A engines and wingtip 'Sharklets', flies up to 3,400 NM and delivers 20% less fuel burn and CO2 emission per seat - thanks to its fuel efficient engines. There's also a fleet of A321neo aircraft, with 235 seats on board, in use by the airline. Flyers onboard those enjoy one of the widest single-aisle cabin in its class, with more personal space and wider seats alongside bigger than average overhead compartments. JET2 Another airline with planes on order, Jet2 announced plans to welcome 60 new Airbus A321neo planes back in 2021 - with the option to extend to up to 75. And in 2015, the company acquired 34 brand new Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with the order fulfilled by January 2019. The brand - famous for its catchy ads, using pop star Jess Glynne's Hold my Hand track - launched its first leisure flight from Leeds Bradford Airport to Amsterdam in February 2003. BRITISH AIRWAYS The British airline has the most diversity when it comes to planes, with a huge array of aircraft within its fleet, and operating one of the most modern fleets of any airline in the world. Currently in the fleet are: the Airbus A319-100, Airbus A320-200 and A320neo, Airbus A321-200 and A321neo, Airbus A350-1000, Airbus A380-800, Boeing 777-200 and 777-300, Boeing 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10 - and the Embraer 190 BA CityFlyer. In the midst of the pandemic, the airline scrapped its entire fleet of jumbo jets. The nation's flag carrier was the world's last major operator of the iconic Boeing 747 'Queen of the Skies', which had been in service with the airline since 1971. BA had originally planned to retire them by 2024 and gradually replace them with newer, more fuel-efficient jets such as the 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350. But plummeting passenger numbers forced the airline to bring forward its plans. WIZZ AIR The Hungarian airline has made huge waves since it started in 2004, having carried 200 million passengers after 15 years in business. Its fleet, like easyJet, is also young, with 207 aircraft with an average age of 4.2 years. More than 200 of those are the ultramodern Airbus A320 family aircraft, which helped Wizz land a spot in the top ten safest low cost carriers in 2019. There's also the more eco-friendly Airbus A321neo aircraft amongst its fleet, which, says the low cost carrier, makes them 'the airline with the smallest environmental footprint per passenger.'
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
What aircraft do the most popular budget airlines use? From easyJet and Ryanair to Jet2 and British Airways
Europe's low-cost airlines fly millions of us across the region - and beyond - every year, and boast some of the world's best safety records. But which aircraft do the most popular budget flyers such as easyJet, Ryanair and Wizz depend upon to ensure passengers reach their destination - be it a city break or balmy beach - in style? The good news for passengers is that Europe's low-cost carriers have some of the youngest fleets in the world, with many having brand new planes on order in the pipeline too. RYANAIR Back in 2023, Ryanair ordered 330 new Boeing 737 Max 10 aircraft, in a deal worth more than $40billion dollars (£32billion). The delivery of the aircraft is due between 2027 and 2034 and, says the airline, will see the planes able to 'carry 21% more guests, burn 20% less fuel and be 50% quieter than our Boeing 737-NG Fleet.' What does Europe's largest airline group currently have in its 618-stong fleet? There are 181 Boeing 737-8200 'Gamechanger' planes and 26 Airbus A320s. The majority of Michael O'Leary's airline's current fleet though is the 189-seater Boeing 737-Next Gen plane, of which the airline has 411 of them. The twin-engine narrow-body aircraft carries a CFM-56 engine, and has a 35.8 m (117 ft 5 in) wingspan. EASYJET The orange-hued airline, founded by Stelios Haji-Ioannou in 1995, lays claim to 'one of the youngest fleets in the industry'. Passenger fly on 318 Airbus A320 family aircraft, with the company recently welcoming the new generation Airbus A320neo. According to Airbus, the A320neo, equipped with CFM LEAP-1A engines and wingtip 'Sharklets', flies up to 3,400 NM and delivers 20% less fuel burn and CO2 emission per seat - thanks to its fuel efficient engines. There's also a fleet of A321neo aircraft, with 235 seats on board, in use by the airline. Flyers onboard enjoy one of the widest single-aisle cabin in its class, with more personal space and wider seats alongside bigger than average overhead compartments. JET2 Another airline with planes on order, Jet2 announced plans to welcome 60 new Airbus A321neo planes back in 2021 - with the option to extend to up to 75. And in 2015, the company acquired 34 brand new Boeing 737-800 aircraft, with the order fulfilled by January 2019. The brand - famous for its catchy ads, using pop star Jess Glynne's Hold my Hand track - launched its first leisure flight from Leeds Bradford Airport to Amsterdam in February 2003. BRITISH AIRWAYS The British airline has the most diversity when it comes to planes, with a huge array of aircraft within its fleet, and operating one of the most modern fleets of any airline in the world. Currently in the fleet are: Airbus A319-100, Airbus A320-200 and A320neo, Airbus A321-200 and A321neo, Airbus A350-1000, Airbus A380-800, Boeing 777-200 and 777-300, Boeing 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10 - and the Embraer 190 BA CityFlyer. IN the midst of the pandemic, the airline scrapped its entire fleet of jumbo jets. The nation's flag carrier was the world's last major operator of the iconic Boeing 747 'Queen of the Skies', which had been in service with the airline since 1971. BA had originally planned to retire them by 2024 and gradually replace them with newer, more fuel-efficient jets such as the 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350. But plummeting passenger numbers forced the airline to bring forward its plans. WIZZ AIR The Hungarian airline has made huge waves since it started in 2004, having carried 200 million passengers after 15 years in business. Its fleet, like easyJet, is also young, with 207 aircraft with an average age of 4.2 years. More than 200 of those are the ultramodern Airbus A320 family aircraft, which helped Wizz land a spot in the top ten safest low cost carriers of 2019. There's also the more eco-friendly Airbus A321neo aircraft amongst its fleet, which, says the low cost carrier, makes them 'the airline with the smallest environmental footprint per passenger.'
BBC News
12-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Ryanair: 'Disruptive' passengers to face fines of £500
Ryanair has announced passengers who have to be taken off their aircrafts because of disruptive behaviour are to be fined £ Irish airline said said it hopes the fine will "act as a deterrent" to eliminate unacceptable behaviour onboard planes."It is unacceptable that passengers are made suffer unnecessary disruption because of one unruly passenger's behaviour," the airline said in a has previously pursued legal action against disruptive passengers. The statement added: "To help ensure that our passengers and crew travel in a comfortable and stress-free environment, without unnecessary disruption caused by a tiny number of unruly passengers, we have introduced a £500 fine, which will be issued to any passengers offloaded from aircraft as a result of their misconduct." Last year. the airline's boss Michael O'Leary said introducing alcohol limits at airports would help tackle a rise in disorder on Thursday, Ryanair said alongside the introduction of the £500, it will continue to pursue disruptive passengers for civil damages.
