On Apps Pricing...

This article deserves the widest readership possible!

New pricing model for an old industry

There's an interesting debate happening over at Wired on whether a new pricing model will work in an old industry....

Fuel Surcharges

Here's an interesting development....

Singapore Airlines this week announced a reduction in their fuel surcharges.

It will be interesting to see if other airlines follow.

Another Low Cost Airline Pioneer Passes Away

Last year, I commented on the passing away of Sir Freddie Laker, one of the pioneers of the low cost aviation movement.

Sadly, we've just lost another pioneer - Tony Ryan, who formed what is now Ryanair. You can read the New York Times obituary here.

Rip-off Ryanair?

I am still in the UK, where there hasn’t been much of a summer, except for this bank holiday weekend, which has been absolutely magnificent. So while I was reading the papers over the weekend, I stumbled across the news that the folks at Ryanair are about to start charging £4 to check-in. Don’t believe me? Read it here.

I tend to agree with the comments in this article that this charge is pushing things just a little bit too far. Yes, the low cost airlines have unbundled the traditional flight ticket to a pay-as-you-go model, and they have made air travel more affordable to the masses. But, to be blunt, this charge will piss customers off. And it should play nicely into the hands of airlines like easyJet (no, I don’t own stock, but I did used to work for Stelios), provided they don’t become too greedy.

Guess I was wrong with my February 2006 prediction that the toilets would be the next thing to be monetized.