Ryanair exemplifies ‘any PR is good PR’

Ireland-based airliner flunks customer service test

There’s a difference between having a sense of humor and taking things too far.

A contest asking airline customers to suggest the next “wacky” discretionary payment idea? Funny. Airline staff members who post rude and degrading comments in response to a blogger’s criticism? That’s just plain mean.

Welcome to Ryanair’s communications.

The Dublin, Ireland-based company seems to be taking the “any PR is good PR” theory to the extreme. Examples: CEO Michael O’Leary announces Ryanair will start charging flyers to use the bathroom; O’Leary says that future overseas flights in business class will include “beds and blowjobs”; a company spokesman calls bloggers “idiots” and “lunatics.”