XPost: alt.airports.uk.edinburgh, alt.airports.uk.glasgow   
   From: henning@makholm.net   
      
   Scripsit "Doug Maclean"    
   > "Clive Braham"  wrote in message   
      
   >> No and that is why they couldn't afford a new carpet. More and more   
   >> Ryanair pax wearing it out but not contributing anything to replace it.   
   >> I'm sure glad Scottish Airports Ltd didn't bow to MOL's demand. What a   
   >> mess we would all be in after the proper paying airlines all left.   
      
   > As far as I can see Ryanair are fulfilling their end of the bargain with   
   > every airport.  They deliver an average of about 150 passengers per flight.   
   > It is up to the airport to make money from all those pax.   
      
   I don't think it was suggested that Ryanair or its passengers were   
   being dishonest. Rather that Prestwick management must have neglected   
   to take into account that low-cost airline passengers tend to spend   
   less money in terminal shops than the average air traveler does. If   
   they've just plugged a generic rule-of-thumb "so-and-so much   
   incidental business per passenger" into a spreadsheet, there must have   
   been some nasty surprise coming afterwards.   
      
   Which is not to say anything bad about Ryanair's passengers. I myself   
   spend an average of £2 each time I pass through an airport and cannot   
   really figure out why all airports in the world seem to be littered   
   with outlets selling expensive neckties, leatherware, perfume,   
   jewelry... who buys all this? Why don't they make such purchases in a   
   less stressful environment than in the middle of a plane journey?   
   Yes, people frequently has time on their hands while waiting to board   
   a plane, and apparently _some_ travelers don't find "I'm bored, I   
   think I will buy myself a £30 necktie to pass the time" unlikely. But   
   those are not the ones who value getting getting their ticket for £5   
   enough to fly from remote airports and risk nyah-nyah treatment in   
   case of missed connections.   
      
   --   
   Henning Makholm                         "Al lykken er i ét ord: Overvægtig!"   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)