A rumour no more: Ryanair institutes pay-to-pee policy
Last year, when Ryanair proposed charging customers to use its airline toilets, there was really only one thing more ridiculous.
Actually doing it.
Yes, the no-frills, high-profile Irish airline is back making headlines again this week, finally instituting its rumoured pay-to-pee policy that has the world’s travelers up in arms.
Ryanair announced Wednesday morning it was already working with Boeing to retrofit 168 of the outfit’s planes with coin-operated toilets.
For Europeans, or any Canadians travelling overseas, a trip to the onboard loo will cost one pound or euro, “whichever you have on you,” according to the Dallas Morning News.
“By charging for the toilets we are hoping to change passenger behaviour so that they use the bathroom before or after the flight,” a Ryanair spokesman told TravelMail.
Now, consumers of the world shouldn’t totally be surprised by this move. Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary is like Richard Branson on speed – he’s no stranger to spectacular business moves that get people talking.
And airlines have long been known to institute ridiculous fees wherever they can. For any objections, I’d like to direct the court to Spirit’s $45 carry-on bag fee, American’s $100 unaccompanied minor fee and Delta’s “if you book your ticket over the phone and not online, that’ll be $25” fee.
But paying to pee at 35,000 feet is one move, headline-generating or not, that might bite Ryanair in the long run.
The airline says it’s making the change, in part, so it can add six extra seats in each Ryanair cabin. Yet, isn’t there a chance the airline’s now pissed off enough people that they could lose far more than six airfares per flight because of something as antagonizing as pay toilets?
More importantly, as MSN’s own James Havers pointed out last year, won’t there be a good chunk of travelers that might scoff at buying booze on flights – a major airline revenue generator – if they now have to spend a couple bucks each time they have to pee?
As Canadians, thankfully, we’re still a bit removed from Ryanair’s policies. We don’t have an airline here nearly as discount as Ryanair is, and those are the only types of outfits that could get away with such a ludicrous policy.
But the pay-to-pee movement isn’t totally impossible this side of the Atlantic. If Ryanair can pull it off, who’s to say Southwest, for example, couldn’t do the same south of the border?
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: Rob H | Apr 8, 2021 12:50:06 AM
I hope Mr O’Leary has a coin when he needs to use the washroom as I'm quite sure no one on the plane will offer him one.
A flight under an hour might work but the body starts to act up once you are past the two hour mark.
Definetly no one is going to buy a drink when you know what coffee or tea lone will do to you.
If a flight is delayed on the tarmac for a few hours, have fun.
Children are unpredictable and us older folks (over forty) need relief earlier.
What happens if you run out of coins and a pound is still a lot of monies.
Yuk.. when will it end..
Posted by: MB | Apr 8, 2021 12:56:00 AM
Hey there ... This is not so far fetched !
I am 63 & am old enought to remember when public toilets were Pay Toilets.
Most places you went into back east where I grew up were - there might be one non-pay toilet but the rest were a nickel ... and you never really wanted to use the non-pay !!
So, why not ? I tell you if we had an airline here with prices as low as Ryan's then I would not think of objecting to paying to pee.
Posted by: Rob H | Apr 8, 2021 1:24:40 AM
Hello MB
Yes , I remember even trying to find a public toliet but a nickel is now a pound as in $2 and the article pointed out they will be removing the toilets so 189 people will have only one to use on a plane you paid for service.
Once that flight gets to be beyond 2 - 3 hours, you will have problems.
Certainly not my choice of airline.
Posted by: dg | Apr 8, 2021 9:19:57 AM
what happens when you have a bunch of screaming kids that all need to use one bathroom on a flight over 1 hour and then they need to go 2 or 3 times during that flight? are you going to travel with a carry on bag full of coins, which will then exceed the maximum carryon weight allowed? it is ridiculous how Ryanair thinks this makes any sense. I was considering them when I go to Europe, but now they can forget about my fare!
Posted by: skidog | Apr 8, 2021 9:48:27 AM
If you're upset about this policy, stop flying Ryanair. They'll need alot of peeing customers to make up for lost revenue from each lost flying customer. If you love the cheap airfare, don't complain about pay-to-pee; you're still ahead.
Posted by: Long Ago | Apr 8, 2021 10:06:44 AM
What messy planes they will be flying! When Air Lines are struggling they Piss OFf their customers .
Do they need a new marketing director - please call.
Posted by: Mortgage Toronto | Apr 8, 2021 10:51:52 AM
This becomes a problem if you don't have any change, so the flight attendents will have to start giving out change for people. This will make a lot of people angry and they will lose more customers revenue then they earn from this change. Good point about the alcoholic beverages if people feel they have to pay to use the washrooms they will either drink a lot less alcoholic beverages or not drink any so they will lose revenue from drink sales as well.
Posted by: anon | Apr 8, 2021 11:00:42 AM
Let them have a few people pee on the seat or change poopy diapers in the aisle when they forget change. That might change things quickly.
Posted by: Timothy Phillips | Apr 8, 2021 11:25:18 AM
I would like to apply for the marketing director's job. Any chance of offering free coffee on the flight. That might help boost bathroom sales.
In addition to banning guns, knives and liquids in carry on luggage, I would suggest banning blankets, large books or any lap covering as these could be used to conceal possible unofficial pee breaks.
Posted by: salsa | Apr 8, 2021 11:33:51 AM
Anyone remember when Ryanair was a legitimate choice for an airline? When it was actually based out of Ireland and they were marginally cheaper than Aer Lingus?
Ryanair has become a joke. The flights might be cheap but they have a ridiculously low baggage weight allowance. They ding you for everything!
I have 2 small kids and most people travelling from Canada or elsewhere would only have GBP or Euro cash in bills, not coins. Banks don't usually carry foreign coins and often there is no time to get change in between flight transfers. If my kids had to use the toilet and I didn't have coins then i'd expect the airline to give me one or open the bathroom so they wouldn't be making any money of me, not that i'd fly Ryanair anyway these days!
Posted by: Mark Cleminson | Apr 8, 2021 12:18:09 PM
I read this joke out of Ireland today:
Michael O'Leary has had a log day at work, grabbing headlines etc.
Arriving in a hotel in Dublin , he went to the bar and asked for a pint of draught Guinness.
The barman recognised him and said “that will be one Euro please, Mr. O’Leary” , to which Michael replied, “That’s very cheap; really cheap; a really competitive price,” as he handed over his money.
“Now will you be wanting a glass with your Guinness, sir?” enquired the barman . . ..
Posted by: Bill | Apr 8, 2021 12:29:43 PM
YOU.....YA...YOU...the people who fly these stupud cheap Airlines....STOP FLYING THIS Ryanair line out of protest........ and see the power that you thought you hadn't........other than that STOP WHINING AND EAT YOUR CHEESE...........MICE.....THE FAT CATS HAVE IT ALL AND THEY DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR CHEAP TICKETS.........JUST PAY AND PEE LIKE YOU ALL ARE GOING TO DO ANYWAY..........CHICKEN SHITS.
Posted by: Bee | Apr 8, 2021 12:41:10 PM
Hey its not that big of a deal. I mean where else can you get a round trip flight for 10 pounds to Ibiza. Most toilets in london are public toilets and you have to pay for them.
Posted by: Mike | Apr 8, 2021 1:01:34 PM
If the Airline was smart, they would offer free beer but charge 10 bucks per toilet visit.
Posted by: Mike | Apr 8, 2021 1:03:51 PM
Bill ! Take a pill man . You're getting way too excited. Switch to Decaf !
Posted by: Bill | Apr 8, 2021 12:29:43 PM
YOU.....YA...YOU...the people who fly these stupud cheap Airlines....STOP FLYING THIS Ryanair line out of protest........ and see the power that you thought you hadn't........other than that STOP WHINING AND EAT YOUR CHEESE...........MICE.....THE FAT CATS HAVE IT ALL AND THEY DON'T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR CHEAP TICKETS.........JUST PAY AND PEE LIKE YOU ALL ARE GOING TO DO ANYWAY..........CHICKEN SHITS.
Posted by: Yuri | Apr 8, 2021 1:12:55 PM
I flew from Bratislava to a Frankfurt airport (not the main one) for the 2006 World Cup for 1 cent each way on Ryanair (less than 35 CAD altogether round trip INCLUDING all taxes and service charges!). I would certainly not be somebody up in arms over paying to pee with flight deals like that, especially when the majority of their flights are not extraordinarily long to begin with. Generally speaking, there's nothing wrong with peeing in the airport before or after the flight. And if I can't make it, I pay the pee fee. It certainly wouldn't be something to keep me off of their flights.
Posted by: jayb | Apr 8, 2021 2:52:14 PM
I hope he doesn't start a trend. I can't imagine how much it will cost to use the toilet on a 15 hour plus flight such as the West Coast to Australia.
Ryan air has done some research. They know that the bulk of their customers are the "beer swilling Brit binge drinkers" sell more beer and more trips to the can!!
Posted by: Simon Peter | Apr 8, 2021 3:12:31 PM
I'll start selling adult diapers at the airport - for one US dallor a piece - That would save the passengers some money and also trips to the can. Just go where you sit.
Posted by: Kenny Coffin | Apr 8, 2021 3:27:52 PM
Rather than pay to go to the bathroom, they should have a special stall for people who wish to have conjugal visits on the plane and pay for that as a service. Maybe even offer a little badge with a 1-H on it? I would pay $20 quid or $20 USD for that option as an addition to my seat fare if I so chose to use that service. I think that would be something that would actually generate real revenue because its something everyone wants to do anyway but the bathroom stalls are too small to do that in usually. If they had a larger stall with a bench maybe and some handle bars that would be great! Especially during turbulance. Heck, they could hire men and women to offer those extra services as a bonus perk for a fee and really make some income both off the extra services and the cost of the stall! That would make them real money. If they had some slot machines on the planes too that would also increase their profit margins. Much more effective than charging for a bodily function.
Posted by: Nelly | Apr 8, 2021 4:31:24 PM
I for one am thrilled with this news!!! I am a flight attendant in Canada who can work a 15 hour flight without using the bathroom once. How do you ask? Because there is always a lineup of passengers outside every lav. Sometimes it's the same passenger in line 5 times in the same flight. Is your bladder the size of a pea? Kudos to Ryanair!!!