BACKGROUND
Ryanair, which once suggested it would introduce standing-only flights if only it was allowed by aviation safety authorities, will launch a new tier of tickets aimed at business travellers willing to pay more for better service. ‘Business Plus’ tickets will offer the ability to change to another flight on the same day, to any airport in the same destination country, up to 40 minutes before departure for no extra fee, Ryanair said on Wednesday. The airline normally charges as much as £90 to make a change. Ryanair’s business customers will have to make do with the same type of seating as everyone else, but their more expensive tickets will include priority boarding, and one of the so-called ‘premium’ seats on the flight. They are either at the front of the plane, granting a quick exit, or in exit rows, offering more leg room. The airline normally charges £15 on top of a standard ticket to reserve one. Read more >>
CARTOON
The cartoon by Kipper Williams from The Guardian shows a 'Business Plus' passenger holding a scratchcard. A flight attendant asks him if he'd like her to scratch his scratchcard for him.
EXPLANATION
Ryanair began selling scratchcards in 2008 in an attempt to further increase its additional or 'ancillary' revenues. Around a quarter of the airline’s annual earnings are generated by ancillary revenues. Its extra charges, including check-in fees, booking fees and luggage charges, have increased by up to 700 per cent since 2006. The joke is that the 'better service' being offered by the air hostess to the passenger who has paid more for his 'Business Plus' ticket is ridiculously insignificant.
VOCABULARY
A scratchcard (or scratch card) is a small card with a substance on its surface that you scratch off to find out whether you have won a prize. • Scratch cards are sold all over the UK in various shops ranging from small corner shops, post offices to supermarket chains.
