Crappy Business Idea. Pay to Pee? Oh heck no!
Have you heard that an airline is actually contemplating making their toilets coin operated?
Yes, Pay to Pee. I don't think they'll differentiate based upon what you DO in the toilet. They just plan to require you to pay to access the rest-room in flight.
I so wish that I was joking on this one.
The Dublin-based carrier, Ryanair is considering installing a “coin slot on the toilet door”.
As a person who rarely carries change, that's just not a great plan.
As a mother, who travels with kids and rarely carries change, it's an even worse plan.
As a person who really doesn't wish to watch other people wet themselves while looking for change on a flight, again, bad idea.
And, as a person who would rather not sit in a seat where the previous guest didn't have the right change, it's just not an airline that I'd consider using.
On that note, I'd like to say that I'm ALL for monetization when it makes sense and where it doesn't detract from your customer's experience.
However, when your customers have to get on an airplane that smells like an alley behind a bar? Not so interested.
Also, sometimes one area of making money can backfire on you.
Quoted from the BBC News:
Rochelle Turner, head of research at Which? Holiday, said: “It seems Ryanair is prepared to plumb any depth to make a fast buck and, once again, is putting profit before the comfort of its customers.
“Charging people to go to the toilet might result in fewer people buying overpriced drinks on board, though – that would serve Ryanair right.”
Love it! As a gal who does like an in-flight drink, I can see that happening. 🙂 Plus, I wouldn't grab a bottle of water before my flight, which could cause the airports to see a decrease in drink sales there, too.
I have one other comment to say and then I'll let you have your fun in my comments section.
Elderly, Pregnant Women, and the Disabled
As any of the above (or as someone traveling with one of the above), travel is difficult enough. Don't make it embarrassing on top of it.
BAD Move. Shame on you, Ryanair for even considering this as an option.
My 2 cents on the matter — if I had coins on me,
Nicole
PS. Some other airlines are considering charging for carry-ons, too. What the heck? You already have to pay for checked bags. But, carry-ons, now, too? I'm going to have to get bigger pockets, I guess, to fit all my socks and underwear in them. ((Sigh))
Mark Mason
April 16, 2010 at 3:23 pmHmmm. I wonder if Ryanair will have an affiliate program for the bathroom product?
Eager affiliates could sign up and the play recordings of running water in flight.
Just a thought.
Mark
Nicole
April 16, 2010 at 3:24 pmMr. Mason,
You’re a genius, albeit an Evil Genius!
I so am not flying with you. lol!
N
Mark Mason
April 16, 2010 at 3:37 pmThanks. My biggest concern is how the affiliate cookie would get set for this.
What would happen if the flight hit turbulence and the prospect tossed his cookies? Would the affiliate still get credit for the sale?
And what does a “back end offer” mean when you are talking about a bathroom-based affiliate program?
Although a toilet-paper upsell along with an unannounced sanitary seat cover bonus could really convert.
M
Melissa Ingold
April 16, 2010 at 4:14 pmLMAO! I am just cracking up over here…too funny Mark 😀
As for the whole idea…bad, bad idea, lol. I know I’d never travel on a plane that required payment to use the bathroom.
Melissa
Nicole
April 16, 2010 at 3:53 pmFunny… and disturbing at the same time that you put so much time into that. lol!
:)N
Susanne
April 16, 2010 at 4:00 pmSoap, paper towels… the up and cross sell possibilities are endless 😉
Anita DeFrank
April 23, 2010 at 6:06 pmNo, I think the real disturbing part is that it probably didn’t take that much thought to come up with those ideas! lol!
John Soares
April 16, 2010 at 4:52 pmNot smart.
I’ve heard that Ryanair is one of the ultra-cheap airlines for intra-Europe flights, most of which would last for an hour or so.
Just hold it…
Nicole
April 16, 2010 at 3:54 pmThis isn’t breaking news. The story is a year old.
I just honestly think it’s a great business lesson to see how money can make some business owners absolutely clueless to how to get loyal, raving fans.
Susanne
April 16, 2010 at 3:59 pmI remember reading about this a while back … just not a smart business idea (even thought it got them quite a bit of publicity – makes me wonder 😉 )
I think the important lesson is this:
Don’t nickle and dime your customers. Give some good stuff that you could be selling away for free – it’ll come back to you many times over.
Mike Paetzold
April 17, 2010 at 6:27 amWow the ideas for upsells and cross sells are funny. The bad part is that I started thinking of the same things as I was reading this. Guess that makes me strange too.
Anita DeFrank
April 23, 2010 at 6:07 pmNah, we’re not strange at all. It just means that we’re true blue marketers … it comes easy!
Jack Brown
April 17, 2010 at 6:42 amI heard an interview with a Ryanair representative on NPR last week. The company’s reasoning is to encourage their passengers to go to the restroom before the flight leaves. They also plan to remove one restroom and install another row of seats.
Dana Tassler
April 17, 2010 at 7:04 amI saw this on the Colbert Report. Flew last year in September and had to pay quite a bit for our extra luggage, that was enough of a blow to my wallet.
But they’re just taking everything away. I wonder what a flight on the 787 is going to be like, since it’s supposed to be so extravagant…think they’ll charge for headphones?
Kaye Swain
April 17, 2010 at 7:49 amMy senior mom told me about this. I would certainly put them last on my list of airlines. That’s one of the many reasons I love to fly on Southwest airlines, along with their great baggage policies, good sense of humor, and great cancellation policies. It’s a great airline for the Sandwich Generation. And their policies must be working pretty well. They are always packed now! 🙂
Doug Hudiburg
April 17, 2010 at 9:18 amIfbit is true that no publicity is bad publicity, an outregeous idea like this just might be a great marketing tool.
Nicole, will you consider providing full articles in your feed? Id like to read full articles in my fees reader and rarely click through to get more fro partial feeds.
Angela Wills
April 20, 2010 at 12:29 pmWow, that makes absolutely no sense to me. I mean how much could they possibly make on a few coin operated toilets? There have to be about 100 less offensive things they could do to make more money.
Paul Germana
April 21, 2010 at 10:46 pmThat’s just the thing Nicole, the airlines don’t need loyal raving fans. We’re beginning to see how little American leadership believes in free enterprise. How can they protect us from fraud when they constantly benefit from it? If they really cared they would have done something about these airlines years ago?
Arafat Hossain Piyada
April 22, 2010 at 3:47 amThat company trying to find their way to make buck faster but in a wrong way. Unsatisfied customers means rise of powerful competitor. I think they forget the basic principal of any business.
Anita DeFrank
April 23, 2010 at 6:12 pmNow that I got all the joking out of my system … I’ll move onto a little more serious note.
I can guarantee you I’d never fly on this airline. As someone who has Crohn’s, I personally take great offense to this.
I’m also like you Nicole, very rarely have change on me. They’d have to have an ATM option as well. It’s not just change I rarely have on me as much as it’s cash in general.
Unbelievably *stupid* idea!
Jeff Sargent
April 25, 2010 at 8:26 amI can’t believe what I’m hearing here. What are we getting for the hundreds of dollars we’re already paying for our tickets. This has to be the ultimate in stupid ideas.
If they need an extra 25 cents from everyone that needs to go potty then I think their company may be in some kind of financial trouble. If not now, then they will be soon enough.
They are going to lose customers over this..and for a quarter? Are you kidding me!!
If they need the money that bad, just add a dollar to my ticket price and don’t tell me what it’s for.
Later,
Jeff Sargent
The Mom
April 25, 2010 at 8:12 amOkay… quoting Jack Brown’s comment here – “The company’s reasoning is to encourage their passengers to go to the restroom before the flight leaves.”
Did you all pick up on that one? When did an airline become my mother? “Everybody go potty before we get in the car! I mean it… I don’t care if you don’t have to go now.. just GO!”
WOW! Thanks Nicole and Jack and everybody for the laughs (and grimaces) this morning!
Alaina Frederick
April 27, 2010 at 10:18 amHere’s the deal – I love shopping at Aldi’s for their low-low prices. However, do you know how many times I have to leave before even walking in because no matter how deep my purse is there is still no stinkin’ quarter!
Leaving a grocery store because of no quarter is one thing but having to do the potty dance on a airplane is seriously not cool!
Heaven help the mother with potty training children on a 8+ hour flight!!
Nicole
April 27, 2010 at 10:26 amWhat’s up with the quarter? Is that the store where you have to pay to get a shopping cart?
Seems like I’d buy more if I had a shopping cart (or sometimes two like I need at times). Hmm.. wonder if they’ve studied that.
N
Anita DeFrank
April 27, 2010 at 3:37 pmActually they ‘borrow’ your quarter. Once you take the cart back you get your quarter back.
Alaina Frederick
April 27, 2010 at 10:21 amForgot to mention –
I understand having low ticket prices to beat out the competitors but when you then charge for checked baggage, carry on luggage, and then to PEE! That’s ridiculous. I’d rather pay one bulk price and know everything is included then to be slammed with charges after charges after charges.
Same thing when I’m shopping online – I look for “Free Shipping” so that I don’t have to go through the entire checkout system just to find out my $5.99 product is going to cost me $6.49 to ship!
Alaina Frederick
Anita DeFrank
April 27, 2010 at 3:48 pmAmen to that Alaina! That is so irritating! I’ve cancelled transactions before because the shipping cost compared to the actual product and more importantly compared to what I know the item would weigh was just outrageous.
Andre Arnett
April 27, 2010 at 12:14 pmI wonder if Depends would offer franchises. It might not be a bad idea to set up a store near the Ryanair gate, especially for their long flights.
This is an airline setup with the carry on fee. They already limit you to your checked bags being under 50 lbs. After everyone stops using the over head bins they will lower the weight allowed for your bags. Boy those profits will go up! Better invest in some airline stocks. 🙂
Ben`
April 28, 2010 at 5:32 amGreat read! Very funny.
Sylvia
April 28, 2010 at 11:21 amThis just seems to add to the questions you might want to ask when making reservations. PLEASE, DON”T GIVE THE HOTELS ANY IDEAS!
Nicole
April 28, 2010 at 6:23 pmSylvia –
NOOOOOOO! Don’t give them ideas. lol!
And, gas stations and grocery stores and movie theathers…
If they add it to elementary schools, they’ll really rake in the cash.
eeeeek!
N
Genesis
May 1, 2010 at 3:42 amYou know what’s funny? I didn’t even think twice when I first read this news! I live in Guatemala (Canadian expat) and here, you pretty much ALWAYS pay for the bathroom! The difference is that they have attendants to make change. 😀
Jade
May 2, 2010 at 4:09 amFor Men bring an empty bottle.
As for women… meditate and pray!
Reminds me of an incident in Central London when they installed barriers at the entrance of the toilets. I had no change so I jumped over and used the crap trap.
Some things you cannot wait for. LOL
Moral of the story… Pay Per Pee is not cool!
Two choices
1. Fast before you fly
2. Use another airline! <= this one 😉
Gina
May 14, 2010 at 10:02 pmI remember back in 2004 when they were advertising “No Frills”.
They were no frills alright. You couldn’t lean your seat back. You could only put one bag underneath the chair in front of you. I wasn’t allowed to take off my coat and place anywhere because all the bins were sealed.
The Irish flight attendants were kind of snippy, too. But the flight did get you from point A to B.
Somehow the coin slot stuff didn’t surprise me.
steve.
August 27, 2010 at 3:59 pmWe have used Ryanair a lot in the past and have found them to be a good carrier.
The thing about the “pay 2 pee” scheme does make me laugh though as we would have to go and have a good pee before the flight to avoid the charge.
They have talked about a system where you can stand up on a flight, albeit leaning against a type of seat, but it would mean that your flight price would be either free or very cheap, so think about that one for starters ! mmm.