Ryanair promises ‘no hassle’ experience on transformed website

Ryanair is poised to launch a new “no hassle” website it says will “transform the user experience”.

Ryanair is poised to launch a new “no hassle” website it says will “transform the user experience”.

The launch in early April will see Ryanair undertake its first TV advertising campaign in the UK, Ireland and other European markets as the carrier seeks to reinvent itself.

The airline has recently revised a series of policies previously seen as penalising passengers, such as cutting its baggage fees, allowing a second carry-on bag and introducing allocated seating.

Chief executive Michael O’Leary insisted: “The new site will transform the Ryanair user experience. It will make a dramatic difference.”

He said: “Our sales and marketing spend will treble this year from €12 million last year and we are investing heavily in our digital platform.

“There is a commitment to continue to spend heavily.”

He added: “A lot of our growth in the next 12 months is going to come from improved passenger service and less harsh policies. It is not going to be a big bang but the start of a continuous process.”

Ryanair chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs said: “We are going to be advertising on TV, digitally and in print in the UK, Ireland, Italy and Spain.”

Jacobs said: “We won’t lose our focus around the lowest fares. We will still have a considerable cost advantage on our competitors. But we will improve our customer service.”

A Ryanair mobile app will follow in June. O’Leary claimed: “You will be able to make a booking from the app in less than a minute.”

He said: “Now, 81.5 million fly with us. Imagine how much better it will work if we stop being nasty to people and have a decent website.”