SWOT Analysis: Ryanair

In this study we shall emphasize on the hurdles and threats Ryanair has to face and what could be the remedy for the same.

A SWOT analysis of Ryanair’s strategy with regard to its leadership and management by Michael O’Leary will help us understand if Ryanair can capture its projected market share and make a mark in the European airline industry.

SWOT Analysis:

STRENGTHS at Ryanair

1. Low costs

Ryanair stands out in the fact that it has the lowest unit cost when compared to all the other European airlines. Also, on a worldwide basis Ryanair has a distinctive factor of deploying their services by incurring low costs.

2. Low fares

For Ryanair, on a profitable basis, smaller costs facilitates to smaller fares. The average pricing at Ryanair

With more than 1,600 routes across 30 countries in Europe and North Africa 186 airports (69 of them are ‘bases’, where Ryanair stations the aircraft and crew).

4. Fleet

The Boeing 737 is the only aircraft type deployed by Ryanair. Due to which there are advantages of economic scale and flexibility. It also eases the training mechanisms at the organization.

5. Management

With the disrptibe and stringent policies of leader and management established by Michael O 'Leary, CEO since 1994, Ryanair 's management team has portrayed a strong emphasis on its USP: maintaining low costs and fares. They have also not failed to innovate in their constraints of costs. For instance the introduction of baggage charges was intended to reduce the number of bags checked-in, thus cutting short the handling costs.

Weaknesses

1. Perception of the Brand

Due to the recent pilot scheduling error that led to rescheduling and cancelling flights for up to three quarters for Ryanair, the brand had to deal with tough times to regain its position in the industry. Ryanair has been successful in offering to the customers what it believed they needed namely secure air journey at a low price. However, Ryanair 's brand has performed poorly in a range of polls and surveys in recent

Ryanair Opportunities

1. Improved customer service

In the year 2013, Ryanair also started a program to ensure that passenger feedback was collected and adhered to. The airlines focus was to enhance the quality of customer communications and relations with the airline which included redesigning of Ryanair website, enhancing the look and feel with better and easy ways for booking; introduction of new mobile application; loosening of bag restrictions (for both on-board and checked bags); a decreasing the tariff charged to print boarding passes at the airport and make changes to bookings.

2. Business travellers

The business traveller product launched by Ryanair is a bundled product offering a range of features for a single fee, including booking flexibility, fast lane security, choice of reserved seating in 'premium ' rows (front row, over wing with extra legroom), and a checked bag.

In addition to this, Ryanair has been adding more prominent and primary airports to its network and is increasing the frequency of operations via business-oriented routes.

THREATS

1. Safety of the