Exclusive: Michael O'Leary announces Ryanair's exclusive ‘Prime' service for frequent flyers
Ryanair has announced a subscription discount scheme that it says will save travellers up to £250 (€300) a year.
Chief executive Michael O'Leary told The Independent that Europe's biggest budget airline is selling 250,000 Ryanair Prime subscriptions in the next year.
"I'm not sure whether it will succeed or not, but it will deliver real value to consumers and it's not based on loyalty."
Ryanair previously told The Independent it would remain apart from its two main rivals by shunning any kind of loyalty or frequent-flyer scheme.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
4 hours ago
- Metro
Ryanair engineers 'check every Boeing' after 'spanners found under floorboards'
Michael O'Leary has revealed his concerns over Boeing's manufacturing process. The Ryanair boss said every new Boeing jet delivered to them undergoes stringent safety checks before joining their fleet. His concerns were prompted, he claimed, after his engineers would find 'tools under the floorboards'. O'Leary was speaking after a Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed seconds after take off in Ahmedabad, India. The Air India plane, carrying 242 passengers and crew members, took off at 1.38pm local time only to begin plummeting 30 seconds later. There is no suggestion that Boeing is at fault in the crash of Air India flight 171. The plane under question had been delivered in 2014 and so would have been through many full maintenance cycles. Despite this, the boss of Ryanair, which only uses Boeing jets, expressed his reservations about Boeing's manufacturing. He told The Times: 'We had planes being delivered and when we get them back to Dublin we find spanners and tools under the floorboards. 'What the factory in Seattle needs is someone overseeing the production line. At the moment it's just salesmen.' As a result, the budget airline now has a team of 30 inspection engineers oversee aircraft production in the US. Once a new aircraft arrives in Dublin, engineers also inspect the plane for 48-hours. 'Only once we are completely happy does it go into operation,' O'Leary said in February last year. Warnings from a Boeing whistleblower have also resurfaced following the Air India plane crash on June 12. Sam Salehpour, an engineer at Boeing for over a decade, alleged last year that Boeing 'took shortcuts' while manufacturing the wide-body jet to speed up production. The whistleblower claimed that the 787's fuselage, the aircraft's body, could break apart mid-flight after thousands of trips. He testified: 'I have analysed Boeing's own data to conclude that the company is taking manufacturing shortcuts on the 787 program that may significantly reduce the airplane safety and the lifecycle.' He said this was because the enormous parts that make up a fuselage were made by different manufacturers, so they didn't properly fit together. Salehpour told a Senate panel: 'I literally saw people jumping on the pieces of the airplane to get them to align. A report by America's Federal Aviation Authority into his claims has yet to be made public. Boeing has conceded that manufacturing changes were made to the Dreamliner, but tests determined there were no 'immediate issues'. The company said at the time it was 'fully confident in the 787 Dreamliner', adding: 'These claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft.' The Dreamliner, first delivered in 2011, is one of Boeing's most popular planes. It is more fuel-efficient than many other long-haul aircraft because it is made of composite materials, such as lightweight carbon and glass fibre, over hefty metals. More Trending Boeing's annual summary of incidents and accidents in April said no Dreamliners have ever been destroyed or damaged beyond repair. Boeing President and CEO Kelly Ortberg said: 'Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad. 'I have spoken with Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran to offer our full support, and a Boeing team stands ready to support the investigation led by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.' Metro has contacted Boeing for comment. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Made In Chelsea star pays tribute to 'lovely friends' killed in Air India crash MORE: Air India crash: Families' anger at 'delays' in getting bodies of loved ones back MORE: British family killed in Air India crash sent one final selfie to waiting relatives
Edinburgh Live
11 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
Ryanair, Easyjet and Jet2 passengers face fine for 'buying sandwich pre-flight'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Jet2, Ryanair, Easyjet, and TUI passengers are advised that purchasing a sandwich before their flight could potentially land them in hot water with fines. As the summer season approaches, travellers setting off to European destinations are being cautioned by European Waterways, a group of travel specialists. The group has issued a warning that any introduction of meat or dairy products from the UK into the EU may leave holidaymakers facing a fine. Maryanne Sparkes, a Travel Expert from the organisation, is clear on the matter: "If you travel to the EU from a non-EU country, you are not allowed to bring any meat or dairy products with you - this includes those you would find in a meal deal sandwich!". Sparkes sheds further light on the regulations, stating, "It is safe to consume these sandwiches in the airport and on the plane, but they must be disposed of either before you get off the flight or as soon as you enter the terminal at the other side. To avoid fines or potential criminal prosecution, ensure that any meat or dairy products are not carried into the EU." She emphasises the importance of compliance to avoid fines or even potential criminal charges, insisting that travellers must not take any meat or dairy into the EU. She also notes, "You can however bring a limited quantity of fruit and vegetables as well as eggs, egg products and honey. Restricted quantities of fish or fish products are as long as they weigh no more than 20 kilograms (kg) or the equivalent weight of one whole fish, whichever is heavier.", reports Birmingham Live. In conclusion, Sparkes warns, "When arriving in the EU, you may have to undergo official controls by the authorities. If you are carrying any undeclared meat or dairy products, they will be confiscated and destroyed. Additionally, you may be fined or face criminal prosecution," highlighting the potential ramifications for failing to respect these guidelines. "You may carry animal-derived products when travelling within the EU. However, most EU countries have strict regulations on transporting endangered animals or plants, or products derived from them, and in some cases, a permit may be required. "These new regulations are part of stricter biosecurity measures implemented by the EU to prevent the spread of animal diseases. "While travellers have always been restricted from bringing in certain animal products from non-EU countries, the new rules specifically target those coming from the UK following its exit from the European Union. "So, the next time you're catching a flight from the UK to the EU, be sure to double-check your baggage and avoid packing any fish or meat products unless you want to risk a fine."
Daily Mail
17 hours ago
- 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.
