Airlines CEO says "stupid" consumers deserve "stupidity fees"

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Update: 14:57, Sunday, Sep 16,2012 (GMT+7)

Ryanair head Michael O'Leary called his customers "idiots" this week. The chief of the deep-discount airline might be the first to say it, but he's hardly the first to think it. Finally, an honest CEO.

Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary

The issue came after a mom who failed to print her family's boarding passes before they arrive at the airport was forced to paid €300 (€60 each) so her family could get the paperwork to fly home from Spain to Britain. She aired her concerns on Facebook and got hundreds of thousands of "likes." O'Leary responded to the controversy as many CEOs would after being administered a truth serum, "We think Mrs. McLeod should pay €300 euros for being so stupid."

While most of the Internet reacted in horror at the idea of a family paying $380 for 5 slips of paper valued at 5 cents, a certain set of consumers believes quite firmly in the concept of a "stupidity fee." In other words, they claim that companies can do whatever they wish, as long as it's disclosed.

Ryanair occupies an important post in the gotcha world, having invented a-la-carte (i.e., sneaky) airline prices through bag fees, exit row seat fees, and has even threatened to impose potty fees. O'Leary is a trend-setter.

When all companies' profits come from fees, they only survive by getting very good at handing out such punishments. They intended not to provide good products, services or even prices - only to be better and better at sneaky fees.

Recently, due to the slow procedures for aircraft maintenance with VAECO, a Vietjet Air flight from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City was delayed for more than 6 hours. Certainly, passengers weren't able to charge Vietjet Air a $15-$20 change fee, but what if a passenger was 6 hours late to the airport? "Stupidity fee" is unfair as it's always one-sided, only providers of products and services can get benefit from it.

Theresa

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