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Siobhán Creaton

Ryanair: The Full Story Of The Controversial Low-Cost Airline Paperback – January 1, 2007

by Siobhan Creaton (Author)

4.2 96 ratings

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The supercharged growth of this low-cost airline has actually changed the way countless people live their lives, whether it be Ireland's new "Ryanair Generation" for whom its cheap flights to Dublin have eliminated much permanent emigration to the UK, or the thousands of Britons now enabled to buy holiday homes in rural France. This is the first book to tell the full story of the Ryanair phenomenon, from its inauspicious beginnings to its current dominance, from the secret of its business strategy to its cavalier stunts and practices. Ryanair employees past and present were interviewed, as well as its top management and those at its major rivals such as British Airways and easyJet, to produce an authoritative, objective, and compulsive account of one of the most colorful companies in Europe. With Ryanair continuing to expand, the battle for the low-cost airline market in Europe becoming ever more cutthroat, and chief executive Michael O'Leary happy to do battle with everyone from airports (for their landing charges) to his own pilots (over pay and conditions)?and generate an endless stream of PR and news stories in the process?this edition is fully updated to take account of all Ryanair's most recent history.

Print length

290 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Aurum Pr Ltd
Publication date

January 1, 2007
Dimensions

5 x 1 x 7.5 inches
ISBN-10

1845132939
ISBN-13

978-1845132934
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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5

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Franz K.

Unbiased history of the airline and man you love to hate!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 6, 2008

Verified Purchase

This is an excellent, well written, well edited brief history of Ryanair, and by default, Michael O'Leary. Creaton does not pull any punches when describing O'Leary's methods for dealing with conflict, but she does not take sides. Love him or hate him, O'Leary took a near-bankrupt airline and turned it into a legimate world-class carrier.

Creaton also spends a great deal of time explaining the role of Tony Ryan, and how O'Leary intially advised the Ryan's to close the airline, and only at Tony's incessant goading did O'Leary agree to take on the task of making the airline successful. Tony Ryan is as much a part of the airline as O'Leary, although much more low key.

Michael O'Leary is a lot of things...and he would be the first to admit it. When accussed of being Tony Ryan's bagman, O'Leary replied, "I've always been Tony Ryan's bagman!"

Creaton clearly conducted extensive interviews and an enormous amount of research to write this book, and it shows. Give it a read!

2 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Very good read.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 12, 2018

Verified Purchase

Really enjoyed the history of one of the most successful airlines in history and it’s larger than life chief executive.

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fasty buyers

this guys a genius

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 17, 2013

Verified Purchase

I hate reading books normally but Ijust find out how amazing ryan air can be so successfull with the motto the c ustomer is never right at ryanair loL! must read book if youre interested into these aspects

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Michael Nitzan

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 4, 2016

Verified Purchase

Very good read about the company.

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M. Khatib

Exciting and Inspirational

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 29, 2008

Siobhan Creaton, the former Finance Correspondent of the Irish Times newspaper, did a stellar job in writing this book. Very well researched, detailed and fast paced, this story is about the bumpy but enormously successful journey of an Irish low-budget, cut-throat airline who beat the odds to become one of the most profitable airlines in Europe.

Tony Ryan, a wealthy Irish businessman who originally worked for Ireland's national carrier Aer Lingus, founded Ryanair in 1986. He had a vision of a low-budget, no-frills airline: "If people want a cut of tea or coffee, let them pay for it. If they want to buy tickets let them stand". During its first few years of operation, the company recorded heavy losses and was on the brink of bankruptcy in the late 1980s.

In 1988, Ryan hired Michael O'Leary, a confident 27 year old accountant and school friend of Ryan's sons Cathal and Declan. Sceptical about the airline at first, O'Leary later took on a heavier workload and became more interested in all aspects of the business, after Ryan agreed to his proposal "If I make 2 million pounds will you give me 10 per cent?". O'Leary went about aggressively cutting costs and in 1994 became chief executive.

In the mid to late 90s, Ryanair was turned around to become very profitable and a major player in Irish aviation. By this time, O'Leary was fantastically rich. He continued heavy cost-cutting and expanded Ryanair's routes all over Europe. His business model was based on Herb Kelleher's Southwest Airlines, a widely successful low budget in the US.

Creaton gives countless examples of Ryanair's careless treatment of customers, O'Leary's rude and aggressive management style and the airline's horrible treatment of its own staff. Numerous times the Irish carrier has made headlines for not helping disabled passengers board a plane or charging them for using a wheelchair. When ice suppliers bumped up prices, O'Leary refused to pay the higher cost and the airline simply stopped serving ice with drinks for some time before a deal was eventually made. When asked about how Ryanair deals with customers seeking a refund on their tickets, O'Leary once replied "We don't fall over ourselves if they say 'My granny fell ill'. What part of 'No Refund' don't you understand? You are not getting a refund so f*** off".

Given all Ryanair's flaws, reading about the airline's successes made me appreciate just how much the company has revolutionised aviation in the UK and other parts of Europe. These days many flights are offered free - travellers only need to pay the airport tax (usually around 20 pounds for a return flight) - an amazing feat for an airline that in the late 1980s was in danger of folding.

Siobhan Creaton has written a fantastic book - an exciting, insightful and inspirational business story.

2 people found this helpful

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Enplaned

One of the best books ever written about an airline

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 14, 2016

One of the very best books ever written about an airline, and I've read many. It's insightful, it's well-written, and as others have said, it's not a hagiography. There aren't many genuinely well-researched, well-written, measured books about the airline business, but this is one of them. Still worth reading, even if it's a bit dated now.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

In depth, well written and not in love with Mr. O'Leary

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 5, 2004

I bought this book in Ireland and read it on the way back on Aer Lingus. The author writes well and does an in-depth study of the airline and how it came into being. She gives all the right personalities their due and carefully details the airline's move from its Ireland UK routes to its expansion in Europe. She effectively strips Michael O'Leary of his PR star status making him out to be juvenile, abusive, deceitful yet an effective swashbuckling airline buccaneer. When I came to the part about the way the Ryanair mistreats the disabled by charging them for the use of wheelchairs and making them claw their way up the plane's steps on the tarmac, the thought rocketed into my mind that I would exercise my rights not want to fly Ryanair even - if the price was free.

6 people found this helpful

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Lehigh History Student

The southwest of Europe!

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on December 19, 2006

Ryan Air is the southwest airlines of Europe and has done very well against the inefficient Flag Carriers over there. This book is the story of how that came about and is done very well. My biggest complaint of the book is that the print is way to small. The information is great and the stories told about O'Leahry are very entertaining. If you are looking for a sense of how no frills airlines will succeed this is a great book to read. It really explains the airline business in Europe and is a great comparison for southwest airlines.

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Top reviews from other countries

B. A. Smith

A great read for aviation nuts.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on January 23, 2022

Verified Purchase

A very worthwhile read and insight into Ryanair for those who love aviation.
Pity it’s not been updated to 2021 to continue the story.

M & Em

One for fans of aviation

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 9, 2020

Verified Purchase

I enjoyed this book, facinating and sometimes controversial insight into this amazing airline.

JOHN CARON

Dont accept Second Hand Goods !!!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on June 27, 2020

Verified Purchase

The actual quality of the Book was certainly not up to my standards!!! I should have returned the product !!!

Sean M

Excellent

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on March 6, 2015

Verified Purchase

Really well placed, fascinating story. An incredibly brash and forthright CEO. Funny when it needs to be. Excellently written. Thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend

jmmw

Good start and end but middle was too long winded.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 26, 2019

Verified Purchase

Good start and end but middle was too long winded.
Story ends in 2007 so now long out of date.

One person found this helpful

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Ryanair: The Full Story Of The Controversial Low-Cost Airline Paperback – January 1, 2007

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