RYANAIR: Dealing with Complaints · Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair 1. What examples of Michael O’Leary’s cost cutting are described? 2. What is the ticket price difference

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RYANAIR: Dealing with Complaints Advanced level:

• Grammar 1: Countable and uncountable nouns

• Grammar 2: Wish and Regret

• Functional Vocabulary: Make a Complaint

• Selected Phrasal Verbs: Cut

• Listening Exercises: Ryanair – Customer Service

• Cultural Awareness Point: The Queue

• Pronunciation: Vowel sounds /ai/ or /ei/

• Selected Idioms: Transport

• Reading: Low-cost success for Ryanair

• Role Play: Meeting to discuss expansion policy


Introduction: Discuss these questions with a partner How do budget airlines make money? Do you use one? Why or why not? What do these words / phrases mean? You will hear them in listening below. Window blinds – company in freefall - turn a business around - pile it high, sell it cheap - perspiration – inspiration - it was down to him LISTENING EXERCISE 1: Listen and answer the questions below. NOTE: They are not in chronological order

PRONUNCIATION PRACTICE: Vowel Sounds - /ai/ or /ei/

/ai/ as in sale and /ei/ as in high

Pronounce the words and put them into the correct vowel sound box

child - sailor - space - hype – eye - tried - wave - shake - air - train - sigh - sign - rain - shy - ache - freight - pint - quite - isle - sail - aisle - height - night - fly - eight - weight

/ai/ child /ei/ sailor

"We have an honest relationship with

customers. If they are wrong we tell them."

Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair

1. What examples of Michael O’Leary’s cost cutting are described?

2. What is the ticket price difference with EasyJet?

3. What is the simple business model?

4. What does he say about perspiration?

5. What happened in 1985?


Question: You arrive at the airport with two travel bags. Do you have luggage, suitcases or luggages?

GRAMMAR POINT 1: Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Nouns in English are either countable or uncountable

1. Countable Nouns: • These can be used in plural, take determiners such as: many, these, those,

several, a few e.g. many managers are well paid

2. Countable nouns include many concrete nouns • The names of individual things (a factory, a computer) • Units of measurements (a kilo, a metre) • Individual parts of a mass (a piece of advice, a sheet of paper, a news item)

3. Uncountable Nouns • Do not take ‘the’ when used in a general sense – time is money • Have words like much, little before them – we are not making much profit

4. Uncountable nouns include: • Many abstract nouns (hope, importance) • Substances (water, gold, petrol) • Things made up of small pieces (hair, sand, rice, sugar, dust, salt, powder) • Generalised mass (pork, bread, ice, iron, glass) • Natural Phenomena (lightning, rain, fog, snow)

5. Collective Nouns – team, government, committee, group, police, army etc. In American English, collective nouns are always singular, and in British English collective nouns can be either plural or singular. The exception to this in American English is police. It is always plural.

Some common mistakes using uncountable nouns are: Behaviour Advice Accommodation Advertising Publicity Equipment Research Training Luggage Information Staff Evidence News Furniture Damage Compensation

EXERCISE: Choose the correct word - countable or uncountable nouns. 1. They gave us plenty of advices / advice on how to deal with him. 2. They have a new / news about the delayed flight 3. There was a lot of damages / damage to the airplane. 4. I have two bag / bags to check in. 5. Ryanair has a lot of safety equipment / equipments. 6. Some worker / workers are on holiday. 7. Plenty of publicity are / is very important for Ryanair 8. Bring all the furnitures / furniture into the office. 9. The police are / is coming. 10. The idea / ideas are good, but we cannot use them.


READING EXERCISE: Put a correct uncountable noun into the gaps (one is not needed) and explain the words in bold.

The Good and the Bad of Ryanair

Ryanair’s chief executive, Michael O'Leary, believes his fares will get even lower when more city destinations take his …………… and subsidise Ryanair so that it can bring a steady traffic of business people and tourists to their region.

His ultimate goal is, in his own words: Free tickets. In a decade or so, airlines will be paid to distribute travellers around Europe. The airline industry is like a television station where viewers watch for nothing and advertisers pay for access to them, and much of the ………………. points to this.

However, our success is due - not just to our low fares - but also a winning combination of our punctuali ty record, our hard-working ………….. and our brand new Boeing 737 aircraft.

Unlike manufacturers, which can avoid lots of bad ……………..by dumping a l ine that doesn’t meet quality standards, airline firms have to deliver quality every day, every hour, every time.

The …………. that Ryanair is trying to improve its customer service is welcome amongst consumer groups, who feel that misleading fare offers and no ……….. for cancelled flights have caused a lot of ……………. to the company image.

Furthermore, in a globalized competitive environment, a market leader is supposed to differentiate its service from that of its rivals. BA, for instance, offers reserved seating, more ……………. allowance and better staff ………………. .

In its defence, Ryanair's service is centred around low-cost and no fri l ls. The priority is the cheap price and getting to the destination on time, and this is where the company excels. The customers see plenty of ………………… of this too. With most of its airplanes based in the UK, one of its biggest problems in 2019 is Brexit. Then came the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. This caused massive problems for global travel and Ryanair …………….. all its flights. The company planned to start flying again as early as July.

news - damage - advice - luggage - staff - training – grounded

- cost - evidence - publicity - research – compensation


GRAMMAR 2: Wish / If Only / Regret

Which sentence is correct? I wish I can do that - I wish I could do that

Wish & if only Look at this example: I only wish I had been able to afford a 1st class ticket, but I didn’t have enough money

Since he couldn’t do it he is referring to something that is unreal. The word wish is followed by the past perfect form of the verb when referring to the past, or the past simple when referring to the present. e.g. I wish I could do that (now).

If only has a similar meaning and follows the same sequence of tenses. e.g. If only I had been a better manager If only I knew why we lost the contract

The use of the subjunctive form were instead of the normal form was is preferable after the first person, but formal after the third person: e.g. I wish I were you If only he were presenting the idea today

Regret Example: I never regret doing what I have to do to achieve it Regret is followed by the gerund (ing form) and is not used in gerund itself. I am regretting speaking so much (incorrect) I regret speaking so much (correct)

EXERCISE: Imagine you are in these situations, please finish the sentences given. More than one option is possible

1. Your friend accepts a job you were thinking about applying for, but didn’t. I only wish … 2. While presenting your ideas a colleague disagrees with your vision. If only … 3. You change company and then feel it was the wrong decision.

CULTURAL AWARENESS POINT: The queue

The queue is the UK is a polite line where people wait patiently for their turn to come. This includes: public transport, shops, ATM machines, cinema etc. Pushing in, or jumping the queue, is bad manners and should always be avoided.

SPEAKING PRACTICE: • Does your culture/nationality like to form a polite queue? • In what situations do you think queuing is inappropriate?


I regret … 4. You’re doing a boring job at work and think about being on holiday. I wish … 5. During a walk in the country, it begins to rain and you have no protection. If only … 6. The airline is full and there are no tickets until tomorrow I regret …

FUNCTIONAL VOCABULARY: How to Complain

Before you complain Be clear on why you are dissatisfied. Was it the way you were treated? Wrong information? Overcharged? What exactly went wrong? Phrases to use: I want to make complaint / I am not satisfied with the service / this is unacceptable / Can I speak to somebody in customer service? Be clear on what you want to happen as a result of making a complaint. Apology? A different decision? Better service? A replacement? Phrases to use: I would like / I want / Can I have / I will only be satisfied when / This is what I want

What to Remember • Keep a record of events. Make a note of who you speak to and what is said. • Keep the evidence: receipts / invoices, letters and e-mails regarding the service

that you have received. • Stay Calm. Keep emotions out of it. A sense of humour is a good tool to use. • Be clear about what you think would resolve your complaint. • Know your rights. • Don't give up. • Praise where praise is deserved. Organisations welcome praise.

Dealing With Complaints • Complaints should be handled politely, sympathetically and quickly. • Listen sympathetically to establish the details of the complaint • Record the details together with relevant material, such as a sales receipt • Offer rectification if acceptable - whether by repair, replacement or refund • Appropriate follow-up action, such as a letter of apology or a phone call to

make sure that the problem has been corrected


ROLE-PLAY – Complain to Ryanair

EXERCISE : In pairs, take turns as a Ryanair Customer Services and a Customer. Choose a problem, imagine the situation and prepare to complain.

Lost or damaged luggage Your luggage is lost or damaged; you should be entitled to reimbursement from the airline. File a claim within 7 days (or 21 days if your luggage was delayed). Ryanair has lost your baggage.

Online price transparency When you book a flight online, the total price of the ticket - including all taxes and non-optional supplements - must be visible from the start, enabling you to compare prices across airlines and make an informed choice. Any optional supplements must be clearly indicated. You believe there are hidden charges.

SELECTIVE IDIOMS – Transport

EXERCISE: Match the idiom (1-6) with i ts meaning (A – F) Put the correct idiom into the gaps (7-12). 1. One for the road A. Conservative person or style

2. Top flight B. No longer possible to continue

3. Hit and run C. To have one last alcoholic drink before leaving

4. End of the line D. To start behaving in a dishonest or illegal way

5. Go off the rails E. To be at the highest level in a profession

6. Middle of the road F. Driver causes a traffic accident and does not stop

7. I’ve run out of patience with him. I’ve reached the ………………………….

8. Charlie Sheen has …………………. recently.

9. Don’t buy him any Hip Hop, he only likes ……………………. music.

10. Do you fancy ……………………….. before you go home?

11. The police are hunting a ………………………. driver.

12. Lionel Messi is a ………………………… footballer.


SELECTED PHRASAL VERB – Cut

EXERCISE: Match the phrasal verb (1-5) with i ts meaning (a – e) Put the correct phrasal verb into the gaps (6-10).

1. Cut out a. Reduce usage

2. Cut off b. Interrupt

3. Cut down on c. Stop supplies

4. Cut through d. Eliminate

5. Cut in e. Get to the essential point

6. O’Leary ……………….. the bureaucracy quickly and efficiently.

7. We had to ……………… staff bonuses to increase profits.

8. Can I ………………………, I have a question to ask?

9. They …………….. the Internet for three hours yesterday.

10. They ………………. tickets by making customers print their own.


Discuss these questions:

• Do you know anything about Ryanair’s Chairman, Michael O’Leary? • Do you think he has a good relationship with his customers?

What do these words / phrases mean? You will hear them in Listening 2.

come up with - fall for - treat them mean, keep them keen - bums on our seats - shy

- show up late – robust – bullshit – MBA – clichéd – rest-assured – perverse –

hearts and minds

LISTENING EXERCISE 2: Listen to a report on Michael O’Leary and answer the questions below.

ROLE-PLAY – Customer Service

CASE STUDY: Ryanair’s management team discusses customer service

EXERCISE: Students form two groups and prepare to argue these posit ions: DIRECTORS: You feel the customer service needs to improve and want to involve them in some decision-making.

MICHAEL O’LEARY You think this is ridiculous. Low cost airline’s priority is low cost. Let the customers who don’t like Ryanair go somewhere else.

THE MEETING: Come up with a solution and use the uncountable and countable nouns, and wish and regret, when discussing the theme.

1. What is the same old nonsense that companies come up with?

2. What happens if you turn up late or want a refund?

3. What three points does O’Leary say Ryanair are the best at?

4. What do 99% of customers look for?

5. Is ‘hearts and minds’ the priority for Ryanair?


Audio

Listening 1 Michael O’Leary is behind one of the greatest Irish success stories of all time. In 15 short years the chief executive of Ryanair turned a small, struggling regional carrier into the biggest discount airline in Europe, carrying 50 million passengers and sales of $3.2bn in 2007. In 1985 Ryanair was founded by the late Irish entrepreneur, Tony Ryan, but shortly after the carrier took to the skies it went into financial freefall and a little known businessman was brought in to turn it around. And he did it in record time, by cutting costs and cutting corners and cutting through the red tape. How do you do it Michael? More lower fares. We reduced fares last year by about 13% and carried another 14%. We grew traffic from 58 million to 66 million passengers. We’re just piling it high and selling it even cheaper, and as a result we managed to grow our profits. Michael O’Leary made Ryanair a success based on a simple business model: low fares, quick 25 minute turnarounds and deals with secondary airports like Stansted in the UK and Charleroi in Brussels. An average Ryanair ticket costs $55 compared to its competitor EasyJet at $80. O’Leary’s obsession with cost cutting is legendary. Seats on his aircraft don’t recline, some of them don’t have window blinds, and his cabin crew, they have to buy their own uniforms. And as you can see his offices aren’t exactly luxurious. Did you ever believe you would actually be the chief executive of Europe’s most profitable carrier? No, and I never believed I’d work for the airline industry either, but you know, you work hard and good things happen to you eventually. Is that what it’s all down to? I presume so, I mean most people who do well, it’s generally a by-product of about 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. In my case probably less inspiration and even more perspiration. Listening 2 The number of companies that come up with all the same old nonsense, our customers are our most important asset, or our people are our most important asset, we think our customers are pretty important, but when our customers are wrong then we’re not shy about telling them they’re wrong. If you show up late for the flight then you’re not getting on board the flight. If you’re looking for a refund for a non-refundable flight the answer is no. Go away. So I think we have to have a robust relationship with our customers and with our people. We looking after them very well, our customers, we guarantee them the lowest fares, on-time flights, brand new aircraft. Our people, you’re going to get well paid and we expect you to be productive. But we’re not going to fall for any of this old management bullshit, or MBA rubbish about clichéd concerns for passengers or for our people. We think we run a very sensible business, we run it sensibly, but we’re not shy about telling a passenger they’re wrong if they’re wrong, there, you can be rest-assured they’re not shy about telling us if we’re wrong, when we are wrong. And we are occasionally wrong. It is a perverse relationship you do have with your customers. But it is a sort of philosophy of ‘treat them mean, keep them keen.’ And I can see from your results that that seems to work. I think there’s a kind of media fantasy out there that we treat people meanly. Look, we carry 73 million passengers in the current year on the youngest aircraft with the best on-time departures, we’ve got the lowest fares, and the reality is 99% of people before they book a flight, the first question they ask you is, not ‘who’s got the best wine list?’ It’s ‘what’s the cheapest price?’ and if you’ve got the cheapest price you win. We’re the Tesco of the airline industry. People may not love us but they’ll certainly fly with us again and again in ever increasing numbers. And after all, we don’t want their hearts and their minds, we just want their bums on our seats.


LESSON PLAN Key objective – to practise Business English fluency INTRODUCTION: Start by asking students if they know what a no-frills airline is, and what they know about Ryanair. Teacher (T) - Students (SS) 5 mins LISTENING EXERCISE 1: Next tell students they are going to hear a consultant talking about the business model of Ryanair. They need to answer the questions at the end. Play the Listening Exercise and ask students the questions. (T) - (SS) 10 mins PRONUNCIATION POINT: Get the students to read the words and put them into the correct box. Drill where necessary (T) - (SS) 10 mins GRAMMAR 1: Ask the question and see if anyone can come up with other examples of uncountable nouns. Go on through the examples and do the exercises that follow. Ask students to read the questions and answers out loud. (S) – (T) 10 mins READING: Find out if any of the students know what Ryanair’s future strategy is? Go through the reading exercise and ask students to read out loud and fill in the gaps with an appropriate uncountable noun. (S) – (T) 10 mins CULTURAL AWARENESS POINT: Read the short text on queuing and discuss the questions that follow. (T) - (SS) 10 mins GRAMMAR 2: Ask the students what they regret and what they wish for? Go on through the examples and do the exercises that follow. Ask students to read the questions and answers out loud. (S) – (T) 5 mins COMPLAINING: Write down on the whiteboard ‘I want my money back, NOW!’ and ‘I would like to speak to a customer service advisor,’ ask which one is more normal at Ryanair. Go to the exercise (T) - (SS) 10 mins SELECTIVE IDIOMS: Ask students to match idioms with meaning and fill in gaps with the correct expression. (T) - (SS) 10 mins LISTENING EXERCISE 2: Ask the questions on what sort of a person is the chairman of Ryanair is, his business style. Tell students they are going to hear the 2nd part of the Listening Exercise about Michael O’Leary the chairman of Ryanair. They need to answer the questions at the end. Play the Listening Exercise (SS) – (T) 10 mins ROLE PLAY: Split students into groups and get them to read their role cards and prepare to discuss the situation. Make sure they practice the grammar and vocabulary learnt in the lesson and to try and use the case study material in their argument. (SS) - (SS) 10 mins


EXERCISE ANSWERS – RYANAIR – ADVANCED

LISTENING EXERCISE 1: 1. Seats on his aircraft don’t recline, some of them don’t have window blinds, and his cabin crew, they have to buy their own

uniforms. And as you can see his offices aren’t exactly luxurious. 2. $55 Ryanair - $80 EasyJet 3. Low fares, quick 25 minute turnarounds and deals with secondary airports like Stansted in the UK and Charleroi in Brussels. 4. Success is a by-product of about 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration. In his case probably less inspiration and even more

perspiration 5. Ryanair was founded by the late Irish entrepreneur, Tony Ryan, but shortly after the carrier took to the skies it went into

financial free fall and a little known businessman was brought in to turn it around. PRONUNCIATION EXERCISE: /ai/ child eye tried pint quite shy aisle height night fly sign isle sigh hype /ei/ sailor space wave rain eight weight freight shake air train ache sail GRAMMAR 1: 1. They gave us plenty of advice on how to deal with him. 2. They have news about the delayed flight 3. There was a lot of damage to the airplane. 4. I have two bags to check in. 5. Ryanair has a lot of safety equipment. 6. Some workers are on holiday. 7. Plenty of publicity is very important for Ryanair 8. Bring all the furniture into the office. 9. The police are coming. 10. The ideas are good, but we cannot use them. READING: EXERCISE: Advice - Research - Staff - Publicity - News – Compensation - Damage - Luggage – Training – Evidence - Grounded GRAMMAR 2: (possible answers) 1. I only wish I had applied for that job 2. If only he would keep quiet 3. I regret leaving my old job 4. I wish I were on the beach 5. If only I had brought a coat 6. I regret not buying a ticket earlier IDIOMS 1. One for the road. A. To have one last alcoholic drink before leaving 2. Top flight. B. To be at the highest level in a profession 3. Hit and run C. Driver causes a traffic accident and does not stop 4. End of the line D. No longer possible to continue 5. Go off the rails E. To start behaving in a dishonest or illegal way 6. Middle of the road F. Conservative person or style 7. I’ve run out of patience with him. I’ve reached the end of the line. 8. Charlie Sheen has gone of the rails recently. 9. Don’t buy him any Hip Hop, he only likes middle of the road music. 10. Do you fancy one for the road before you go home? 11. The police are hunting a hit and run driver. 12. Messi is a top-flight footballer. Phrasal Verb - Cut 1. Cut out a. Eliminate 2. Cut off b. Stop supplies 3. Cut down on c. Reduce usage 4. Cut through d. Get to the essential point 5. Cut in e. Interrupt 6. O’Leary cut through the bureaucracy quickly and efficiently. 7. We had to cut down on staff bonuses to increase profits. 8. Can I cut in, I have a question to ask? 9. They cut off the Internet for three hours yesterday. 10. They cut out tickets by making customers print their own. LISTENING EXERCISE PRACTICE 2: 1. Our customers are our most important asset, or our people are our most important asset 2. You are not allowed on the flight. You can not have a refund 3. The youngest aircraft with the best on-time departures, and the lowest fares 4. The price 5. No, bums on seats are

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RYANAIR: Dealing with Complaints · Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair 1. What examples of Michael O’Leary’s cost cutting are described? 2. What is the ticket price difference