What Were They Thinking?

Cut-rate Irish airline Ryanair's CEO announced this week that the no-frills airline might start to charge for using the on board loo, the water closet, the toidy. The CEO, in all seriousness, said that costs had to be covered and that it would not break anyone to stick a coin in the door slot to use the facilities.

Many travellers use the discount airlines to save that penny, that dollar, that euro, thinking that they don't need the frills of meals, drinks, snacks, blankets, and pillows. Some may rethink that economy when it comes to having an outlet for a sometimes urgent need. It's not like you can just go to the business next door to use their restroom, or failing that, go stoop behind a tree on the highway (don't tell me you haven't at least considered that at one time or another).

This is the same kind of thinking, with no forethought, that Microsoft was guilty of last week when it asked some of its laid off employees to return some of the severance money the company had apparently overpaid them. Let's see, you go back to the employees you just fired and ask them to reimburse you for the overpayment. Sure, right after the mortgage, the car payment, and the food bill. Microsoft, or some sane person in the board room, came to his senses within days and realized what a public relations faux pas they had made. They rescinded the request for the overpayment and with egg on their face, tried to put the dirty little incident behind them. But people may well remember Microsoft's Scrooge-like behavior for some time to come.

So with Ryanair, I suspect the CEO will reverse himself (say he was just kidding) and decide that the PR hit was not worth the "free advertising" this little scheme provided. I'm sure some future passengers were getting ready for Ryanair's move. Just as they now bring on fast food and drinks these days, we might have seen a few urinals, and yes, even bedpans whipped from the carry-ons when nature called. And we think those seats are cramped now.