Ryanair To Flight Crew: Hey, Fatties — Lose Weight So We Can Save On Fuel

Right when you thought CEO of cut-rate airline Ryanair Michael O’Leary and his merry gang of misfit toys couldn’t introduce more ridiculous ideas in their efforts to be the cheapest in all the land, a company spokesman says they even take flight crew to task on the topic of dieting. You know, to save on fuel from not carting around so many fatties.

In an interview with the Independent, spokesman Stephen McNamara ran through the airline’s various efforts to trim the fuel bill, including cutting the size of its in-flight magazine, using less ice in drinks, and yes, having the crew watch what they eat. But not just for fuel — for fame in a company calendar!

“We cut costs wherever possible, and the changes will represent a significant reduction in weight,” said McNamara. “We also considered removing armrests, but decided against it. We even encourage staff to watch their weight — with the motivation of appearing in the annual Ryanair calendar.”

The company also supports an airline “fat tax” which would ask overweight passengers to pay more for their share of fuel.

Ryanair doesn’t want to introduce fuel surcharges like other airlines, hence the reason they’re going the dieting route.

“Fuel is an integral part of the fare — you can’t fly passengers anywhere without it,” said McNamara. “We would rather make cost reductions and charge passengers for other services.”

This isn’t the cheapo airline’s first controversy, nor will it be the last, we figure. From gloating in front of laid off workers to removing toilets from planes, Ryanair really knows how to get everyone’s duff up.

*Thanks for the tip, Rob!

Every little helps? Ryanair puts weight behind saving with extraordinary measures [Independent]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.