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Ryanair advocates for insurance based on airline performance

Irish budget airline Ryanair has asked the Association of British Insurers to reconsider the way they price insurance policies for travellers and take into account the performance of individual airlines. The no-frills carrier claims that insurance for passengers travelling on airlines with lower risk should pay less than those flying with airlines with a bad record.

Statistics gathered by Ryanair indicate that the airline lost 0.4 bags per 1,000 flyers this year, an improvement over last years numbers of 0.5. In contrast, the performance of British Airways is only getting worse with 28 bags per 1,000 flyers lost this year.

Despite these large differences in the amount of bags lost, travellers pay the same price for insurance against lost luggage, no matter who they fly with. Likewise insurance against cancelled flights is standard regardless of the airline or the airport.

Ryanair is advocating that those passengers on a lower risk airline should pay less than those on an airline with a history of problems.

Airline spokesperson Peter Sherrard said: For years, the car insurance industry has provided discounts for low risk categories such as women drivers and the over-30s. The time has now come for passengers flying with airlines that deliver the best customer service to enjoy the same discounts.

He concluded: Ryanair calls on the insurance industry to take a new look at travel insurance. The statistics prove that airlines are far from equal, yet insurers do not differentiate.

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Jennifer Jones Editorial

21/08/2007