€1,000 Cash Prize To Be Awarded For Best Suggestion

European bargain airline Ryanair last week invited passengers to suggest the airline's next ancillary revenue idea after CEO Michael O'Leary confirmed the company is examining the possibility of passengers paying to use the onboard toilets.

The Europe-wide competition invites passengers to submit their most ingenious, wacky and creative ideas to Ryanair via the company's website for a chance of winning a €1,000 cash prize.

Launching the competition, Ryanair's Stephen McNamara said:

"Ryanair is Europe's largest low fares airline, and we plan to continue to reduce costs and fares by stimulating ancillary revenues. We have always provided passengers with choice: if you don't want to pay for food - don't buy it; if you don't want to pay checked in bag charges - don't bring checked in bags; if you don't want to pay handling charges - then just use Visa Electron, entirely free of charge.

"Since we confirmed that we are considering a toilet charge we have received a huge number of ancillary revenue suggestions from passengers and we want more. We are asking passengers to submit their ideas, with the most creative winning €1,000 cash. Some of the best suggestions to date are:

• Charging for toilet paper - with O'Leary's face on it,
• Charging €2.50 to read the safety cards,
• Charging €1 to use oxygen masks,
• Charging €25 to use the emergency exit,
• Charging €50 for bikini-clad Cabin Crew.

Passengers can submit their ideas by email to competition@ryanair.com to enter their idea before March 30, 2009. "The winning idea will be chosen by Ryanair and our decision will be final," McNamara said.

FMI: www.ryanair.com