I couldn’t resist blogging about an article I read on USA Today’s website this evening. According to Ben Mutzabaugh form “Today in the Sky”, Ryanair could begin charging passengers one pound ( about a $1.40) for using the bathroom.
The story reminded me of a recent article I wrote about being charged $2.00 for a can of soda on a US Airways flight from Washington, DC to Portland, ME.
Personally, I was happy to pay $2.00 for a beverage. I was seated near the back of the plane and normally would have waited 30 minutes or more for the refreshment cart to work its way back to my row. Since most people passed on the beverage cart, I was served within 5 minutes. For me the $2.00 was a good value for not having to wait.
Will charging a fee to use the lavatory mean less time waiting in line on future flights? The answer is not clear. There is one thing for sure; if US Airways and Ryanair were ever to merge, you would be charged for what goes in and for what comes out! Isn’t that double dipping?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
I heard about this on the news last night and thought, “eh, I don’t blame them…”
Especially on the short flights. Really, if you fly regularly, have you ever noticed that every flight seems to have 4 or 5 people that get up and go to the bathroom multiple times while the other passengers are just fine remaining in their seats?
Maybe they’ve got a nasty coke habit or something (I kid), but really, I don’t have a problem with them being charged a little bit more.
It’s the same as the folks that bring too much luggage — they always should have been charged a bit more.
Now, a coin slot on the bathroom room might be overkill, but perhaps having to swipe your boarding pass or something to open the bathroom door might be a good way to collect payment by billing you later or whatever…
Evidently, I’ve spent a little bit too much time this morning thinking about this! Ha!
thanks for the comment brainy!
Finding way to collect the money will be problematic. My company usually buy’s me the cheapest tickets near the rear of the aircraft and I can already here the questions…
“Excuse me sir, can you break a dollar? I really need to use the bathroom here but I don’t have the correct change.”
Ha! Its interesting!
On the other hand, I personally don’t think that charging for the potty would ever “fly” on domestic US flights!
Only time will tell I suppose!
On the other hand, it would be a good way for an airline to get free publicity!