Thursday, September 24, 2009

Ryanair to allow "Smokeless Cigarettes" but for a Price

European low-cost giant Ryanair typically grabs headlines by announcing draconian amenities cuts or by finding ways to add fees for even the most basic of services. But, now, the airline is bringing back a flying perk that's most-often associated with the "golden age" of flying. Kind of.
Ryanair announced this week that it would allow passengers to smoke on board. Of course, there's a catch. Passengers won't actually be lighting up. Instead, the airline will permit passengers to use its new brand of "Smokeless Cigarettes" during its flights. And, as you may have guessed, Ryanair says in a press release that it will sell those smokeless cigarettes "for just €6 – or just under $9 per pack.

The Irish Times says the so-called smokeless cigarettes "look like the real thing but do not have to be lit to provide nicotine to the user … . A company statement said they contained no toxins or chemicals and were harmless to the user and to those around them." So, why introduce them? In its press release, Ryanair barely discusses its latest fee-generating opportunity, saying instead that "a recent survey over 24,000 Ryanair passengers said they would like to smoke during flights."

The Independent Online of South Africa quotes Ryanair as saying the introduction of the smokeless cigarettes means smokers no longer need "to worry about long flights without a cigarette." Ryanair adds its "new range of smokeless cigarettes (ensures) passengers get their required nicotine hit without breaking the law by 'lighting up' onboard." And, again, don’t forget the charge of about $9.

Will there be a market for Ryanair's latest "product?" The Daily Mail of London talked some people who tried the smokeless cigarettes. The Daily Mail writes "smoker Andrea Russell, 38, was not impressed by the substitutes saying it didn't give her the same feeling as smoking a real cigarette, although she agreed it could be comforting to hold the smokeless cigarette in her hands during a flight. Iwana Falkiewecz, 28, agreed, saying she couldn't feel the usual rush from the substitute but it could be good enough if you were desperate for nicotine."

(Ben Mutzabaugh - Today in the Sky)

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