Low-budget Ryanair launches business-class tickets

DUBLIN (AP) ― European budget carrier Ryanair is offering business-class tickets in an attempt to woo companies and governments during penny-pinching times.

Marketed under the slogan “Your boss will approve,” the new ticket reverses some of the airline’s more reviled policies for fee-dazzled travelers. The Dublin-based company, long Europe’s fastest-growing airline with a sell-it-cheap, stack-’em-high philosophy, says it hopes to capture three-fourths of all business travel between Britain and Ireland, its two biggest markets.

The move reflects not just the airline’s desire to leverage its huge presence in Europe, but also a growing interest in low-cost executive travel. Most European governments are still cutting down on debt while many companies remain wary of spending as the eurozone recovery has stalled. Ryanair says more than a quarter of its passengers already are business travelers.

The new ticket will be a low-budget version of traditional business class. It will allow a checked-in bag weighing up to 20 kilograms, which normally costs 25 euros to 75 euros ($33 to $99); preferential boarding and, at some airports, fast-track security lines; and most importantly, free changes to flights including on the day of travel.