Is there anything Michael O’Leary won’t do for publicity?
He’s gone on record claiming that seatbelt rules for aircraft are pointless. Apparently, he’s never heard of something called turbulence, or thinks it doesn’t apply to him…This is surprising. Back in September of this year, for example, turbulence hit a Ryanair flight from Dusseldorf to Palma Majorca, injuring two crew members and a passenger.
Or maybe he missed April, when a Ryanair plane plunged 20,000 feet in an emergency descent caused by a sudden loss of cabin pressure on a flight from Bergamo to East Midlands.
He insists they are not necessary because a seatbelt will not save you in the event of a crash. But a crash is not the only danger in the air. And a seatbelt may not save you in all cases, but you are certainly better off with one than not.
And why would he remove seatbelts? To remove the back ten rows and add standing room only cabins for budget travelers. Air travelers can just hang on to the handle, like a subway.
O’Leary is likely right, if you tell people that for it is two dollars for a flight, forty dollars extra for a seat, people will pay. People are not necessarily looking out for their own preservation. People love or hate Ryanair for what it is and what it isn’t. But this doesn’t fly.
Related articles
- Ryanair chief says seatbelts don’t matter (upi.com)
- Seatbelts on planes are pointless, says Ryanair boss (todayonline.com)
- RYANAIR CEO: Seatbelts On Airplanes Are Pointless (businessinsider.com)
