Networks
Europe's Ryanair to Push Passengers One Step Closer to the Edge with In-Flight Mobile Phone Service
Posted by John Mahoney at 11:30 PM on September 25, 2008
If you're flying one of Europe's many discount carriers and you're not violently hungover, you're probably doing something wrong--the cabins of those single-class A319s are bubbling tempests of unshowered, throbbing rage that always seem a fraction of a degree away from boiling over. Now on your sunrise flight from Krakow to Berlin, you can enjoy constant mobile phone blabbing from up to six surrounding seats thanks to the good folks at Ryanair, 3, and O2.
After being herded like cattle (a common metaphor, yes, but never so true) to your gate's waiting area which has no seating, bare overhead fluorescent bulbs and a stench not amenable to life, and then after fighting for an unassigned seat and buying your hair-of-the-dog Bloody Mary for $US9 US, you can call home and tell everyone how much fun you're having. All for $US4 per minute on service provided by Euro carriers O2 and 3. What a wonderful world. [The Register via Gadget Lab, Image: jon gos]

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
michaelleung
Posted 12:03 AM 26/9/08
Were these the guys whose boss said "Breakfasts and blowjobs"?
michaelleung
OMG! Ponies!
Posted 11:56 PM 25/9/08
Ryanair is the same douchebag airline that started the checked-bag fee. So screw Ryanair. Screw 'em with a shilelagh.
OMG! Ponies!
Brutalitarian
Posted 11:54 PM 25/9/08
Actually the cattle reference has one flaw. In Europe you are not allowed to transport livestock in such cramped and appalling conditions.
Brutalitarian
RE-L
Posted 11:49 PM 25/9/08
@danatoth: You mean $4 a minute. ;) And yes we'll all need more booze while flying this way.
RE-L
General Halfshaftery
Posted 11:47 PM 25/9/08
Those constant warning yellow seatbacks are very sophisticated.
General Halfshaftery
windowi
Posted 11:47 PM 25/9/08
I flew ryanair from berlin to stockholm for 10-fucking-euro I can deal with some stinky blabbing people!
windowi
monkeyrotica
Posted 11:46 PM 25/9/08
Like I need ANOTHER reason to avoid flying. Why don't they just offer a premium service that involves the flight crew throwing live, flaming vermin at your head?
monkeyrotica
kall
Posted 11:46 PM 25/9/08
but ryanair is so super damn cheap (if you get the booking process right, and take no checked bagage), that all of that is bearable.
I just flew with them for 2 Eurocents (roundtrip, 1 cent for each flight), no extra fees (although that was a hard one to avoid).
So I can put up with that if I can visit whole Europe for free.
kall
danatoth
Posted 11:44 PM 25/9/08
Ohhh those cheeky monkeys, I have survived so far without using my cell on a flight so, I will keep my $4 and hour to.....probably buy more booze.
danatoth
RE-L
Posted 11:42 PM 25/9/08
They should charge more than that so people really keep it short. From this description if hell existed, that's exactly what it would be like. I hate flying coach.
RE-L
se.beercan
Posted 11:38 PM 25/9/08
$4 a minute? is this an AT&T rate plan?
se.beercan
Confuzius
Posted 12:24 AM 26/9/08
Ryanair is the greatest thing to happen to Europe since all the prudes left to the New World.
Genoa to London for $10 Euros.
I can't even get a cab to work that cheap back home.
I hope they can take their business model to North America and profit from it and teach the other airlines a thing or two.
Confuzius
net_addict
Posted 12:11 AM 26/9/08
I was kinda hoping they'd push passengers one step closer to the HSDPA, but I guess EDGE is a start.
net_addict
hired_geek
Posted 12:11 AM 26/9/08
For those of you who live in the UK you will understand how horrific it will be sitting on a Ryanair flight hearing chavs talking about how much booze they sneaked into their bag from Spain to their mates....
hired_geek
DaveTech74
Posted 12:10 AM 26/9/08
Geat I am flying with RyanAir in the morning from Dublin to Venice, thats all I need after getting up at three in the morning...
DaveTech74
DrewThreadsToobs
Posted 12:33 AM 26/9/08
@Confuzius: Amen to that. On US Airways you get an 8 hour flight for $1000 with the same amenities as Ryanair. That's real pain right there.
@OMG! Ponies!: Checked bag fees aren't a problem if you're only paying 5 bucks for the flight.
DrewThreadsToobs
shockwaver
Posted 12:33 AM 26/9/08
Just looking at that picture is making me feel angry. MAKE THE YEllOW STOP!
shockwaver
DrewThreadsToobs
Posted 12:55 AM 26/9/08
One other thing and then I'll stop, I swear. Those seats might make me angry, but I'm 100% sure they have more room between them than the transcontinental flight I took on US Airways last month.
Hear that US Airways? YOU SUCK, yeah, I said it!
\curls up in fetal position trying to forget flight...
DrewThreadsToobs
lazarus3000
Posted 1:47 AM 26/9/08
Boeing 737's not A319's
lazarus3000
Vivara
Posted 1:47 AM 26/9/08
Just remember people that Europe's most successful airline, yes Ryanair is, um...IRISH!
By the way, I've seen that hostess numerous times. Wonder if she knows she's on a VERY busy site?
Ed.
Vivara
midwestkel
Posted 2:24 AM 26/9/08
I am a little confused was this post about how you can use your cell phone within 6 seats or about how the people who fly the airline don't shower?
midwestkel
Gormania
Posted 2:18 AM 26/9/08
@hired_geek: Haha I went from Birmingham to Ireland and I had no idea what all the Birmi' chavs were saying!(I'm from South Yorkshire) In South Ireland they have a wierd name for chavs and the only difference is they wear massive burberry farmer style coats instead of Nike!!
Gormania
SaturnV
Posted 3:03 AM 26/9/08
Worst airline ever!
I flew from Rome to Paris and when we landed, people onboard all cheered as if it was a miracle or something. That worried me. Stupid airlines and Italian passengers.
SaturnV
DaneB
Posted 3:24 AM 26/9/08
This is the worst idea ever! It has been the worst idea since the first time someone proposed it. Then someone says, "But what if I have an emergency?" Do you honestly think the person on the other end of the phone will be able to do anything?
I second SaturnV: Worst airline ever!
And look a the general yellow tone inside the cabin. If that's not enough to make you throw up all over the person next to you, I don't know what is.
DaneB
johnmcorg
Posted 3:52 AM 26/9/08
@Confuzius: Ryanair's whole business model was based around the earlier business model of Southwest. Skybus tried to bring it to the US, but failed. Spirit seem to be trying it too.
johnmcorg
johnmcorg
Posted 3:41 AM 26/9/08
@michaelleung: Beds and Blowjobs actually, but that was about the transatlantic airline he's starting. Ryanair flights are the most basic possible.
johnmcorg
bigmp
Posted 4:06 PM 26/9/08
Ryanair flies only Boeing 737-800 series, not Airbus A-319s... Kinda trivial but thought I should let everyone know.
bigmp
studio72
Posted 4:44 PM 26/9/08
Not to mention the fact that the announced ticket price has to be topped off by :
- the 8 EURO you'll pay if you can't be bothered to perform a self-checkin (on some lame and user-unfrendly computer booth)
- The 15 EURO you'll pay if you wan't to bring along anything more than a backpack.
Those thiefs ought to be put out of their misery.
(a belgian angry cheap-airline consumer)
studio72
kswiss19
Posted 7:02 PM 26/9/08
yea im sorry but i sleep when i fly and if they allow that in the us i wont get that sleep (i no grammatical and pronunciation errors)
kswiss19
DonnaHizee
Posted 11:49 PM 26/9/08
we call them skum, knackers, fiens(male) beors(female), but maily skum
DonnaHizee
AldrichEriphyle
Posted 1:31 PM 26/9/08
I flew on Ryanair a few times i liked it though they do round you up like cattle lmao...i have to say they have the best prices i bought a ticket for 2 pence once, shit i don't even walk to my car for 4 pennies lol and all the female flight attendants looked hot.
AldrichEriphyle
urbanturban666
Posted 5:42 PM 27/9/08
its funny cause that the flight was probably only 3$...
urbanturban666
DJTripleRRR
Posted 1:54 AM 30/9/08
Hey it's (myname)air...
DJTripleRRR
AdmNaismith
Posted 11:14 AM 30/9/08
Ugh, as if flying Ryanair wasn't bad enough.
AdmNaismith