Barbara Cassani, CEO of former airline Go, once described Ryanair as a "flying Irish pub". While she didn't say as much, she wasn't referring to the enjoyable bits of an Irish pub - like good music, great conversation and fine stout. She was referring to the bad bits - like having your head shoved aside by the arms of waitresses who are retrieving empty glasses. When Kerryn and I lived in Ireland, we experienced Ryanair's infamous customer service twice. I will never use them again if I have a choice to use another airline. Obviously other passengers of the budget Irish-based airline feel the same way as I do, because Robert Tyler of the UK began a site called IhateRyanAir. The site is full of angry stories about the experiences of passengers, staff and unfortunate government officials that try to get in the way of the airline's boss, Micheal O'Leary. Recently Ryanair took Mr Tyler to court to get him to take down his site. " Ryanair complained that ...
Chris Dowding wrote a draft Famous Five book, at 10 years old. He was unadventurous, and received poor marks for writing during school in the 1980s. Despite this, he published a book in 2007 (a Few Drops short of a Pint). He has experienced a demanding career as a Structural Engineer and divorce from his faithful but forceful wife of 13 years. Since then, he has trekked the Andes and the Himalayas. His love of a good story seems to compel him to keep moving his feet, and his words, forwards...