THE COMPANY, THE BRAND

Ryanair is an Irish airline headquartered in Dublin. Its biggest operational base, however, is at London Stansted Airport. It is Europe's largest low-cost carrier and one of the world's largest and most successful airlines (whether in terms of profits, number of flights, number of passengers flown). Ryanair operates - at one count - on 362 routes to 22 countries. Ryanair has been characterised by rapid expansion, a result of the deregulation of the air industry in Europe in 1997. Over the years, it has evolved into one of the world's most profitable airlines,[1] running at remarkable margins by passing its costs directly to its customers.
Ryanair is also one of Europe's most controversial companies, praised and criticised in equal measure. Its supporters praise its commitment to low fares, radical management, and its willingness to challenge what it calls the 'establishment' within the airline industry (similar to its American counterpart, Southwest Airlines). Critics, meanwhile, have attacked its trade union policies,[2] hidden "taxes" and fees, and limited customer services, and charged that it practises deceptive advertising. In October 2006, Ryanair was voted the world's most disliked airline in a survey by the TripAdvisor website, and in November 2006, it was revealed as the subject of more complaints than any other airline in the EU.[3]