One suspects this will not work for too long, but it's rather amusing.
360travelguide.com alerted us to a little money-making routine passengers can try the next time they fly with everyone's favourite low-cost carrier, Ryanair.
This is how it works:
The airline is currently charging the same prices whether in Euro or British Pounds for its in-flight beverages.
Nothing wrong with that - the two currencies have hovered close to another for a while now.
However, cabin crew will also give the change back in any currency - if you ask.
So, for example, buy a £3/Euro 3 coffee and then pay for it with a Euro 50 note.
Then request that the change of Euro 47 in British Pounds.
£47 currently converts to around Euro 54 - so that's a free coffee AND 4 Euro in your pocket.
Our contact at 360travelguide.com said:
"One of 360TravelGuide.com's roving reporters checked it out in practice on a flight from Carcassonne a few days ago.
"Result? Exactly as planned (even the coffee wasn't bad) plus the great satisfaction of knocking a Ryanair charge straight back where it came from."
Whoops. Trebles all round... ;-)
i would just order 500 coffees and retire to france
Ha Ha thats an absolute classic - I wonder how long this will remain in practice?
Top top do. Funniest thing I've heard today. Won't be long before they click on and then take payment in pounds and give change in euro's tho.
Anyone got a quid I need a wee!
This is sounds crazy, I don't think so that is working.
I was the "roving reporter" who actually checked this out for 360TravelGuide and the thing that I didn't get - and still don't - is why the flight attendants haven't cottoned on to this?
Just go to work with as many Euros as you can and swap them on the plane... easy money surely?
Unless they are actually made to log the takings in both Euros and Pounds... but surely that defeats Rynanair's (presumable) objective of simplifying the whole payment process?
That won't work now, the new magazine has been published (16th July) and it displays both £ and € prices. It is €3 / £2.70 for a coffee
Won't be long until Ryanair decides to charge you extra if you pay with coins instead of with a note. The excuse being "carrying change makes the plane heavier, and therefore it uses more fuel".
LoL, I can soo immagine a 50p tax if you pay for your 2£ coffee in coins. That would be hilarious, but yet so Ryanair-esque
Ryanair will probably stop accepting cash for onboard sales and make you pay by credit/debit card instead - then they can charge a large fee for using your card!
Nice change to see someone getting one over Ryanair. Suspect this will be short lived now it is public on the Internet.
Thats utter genius! How long before they close the loop hole?
I can't believe the last post from Kevin at Travolution is about Ryanair...
Fantastic! We often write about Ryanair on our blog - the infamous fat tax etc - but have never found a consumer on top story before!