Good PR

I’ve seen Ryanair popping up here, there and everywhere today, after the airline has vowed to pack more passengers on its flights by bringing in ‘vertical seats’. The new standing seats (oxymoron? Ah well!) will be funded by a £1 charge to use the airline’s toilets and the space for them will be created by removing the ten back seating rows and two toilets.

Chief executive Michael O’Leary wants to introduce the toilet charges in the next 12 months and tickets for the standing area would cost between £4 and £8. The Civil Aviation Authority have said that the planned seats would not pass safety requirements, as passengers have to wear seatbelts on takeoff, landing and during turbulence, so they would have to be seated.

I particularly like the images of the planned seats, which remind me a little of the Shockwave stand-up rollercoaster ride at Drayton Manor Theme park. It kind of puts to bed the claims that the these kind of seats would not be safe, as I’ve been chucked around enough times on that ride and I’m still very much here



Bad PR

The Clock Towers Shopping Centre, in Rugby, Warwickshire, normally charges shoppers 50p for an hour of parking and £1.50 for up to three hours, so imagine 49-year-old Diane Slater’s surprise when she rocked up at the multi-story to pay for her ticket, only to find she was being charged £1,333 for a half hour stay.

The token operated machine incorrectly calculated that she had stayed in the car park for 308 days, despite the fact the car park closes at 7pm every day and doesn’t allow for cars to "sleep over" - as it were. To make matters worse, the parking attendant apparently told her that she would have to pay the amount, before he was corrected by his colleague and she was spared the grand fee.

The manager has apologised for the mishap and the lady didn't have to cough up the £1,333, so they all lived happily ever after.