Click here for the PDF handout or try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Ryanair. Click on the links below or see the activities below this article:
READ
Ryanair was founded in 1985. In 1991, Michael O'Leary was tasked with increasing its profitability. He quickly implemented faster aircraft turn-around, a "no frills" approach to economy class and no business class. In 2000 the airline launched its online booking system. Passenger numbers rose and have grown by up to 25% a year since then. Ryanair carried fewer than 700,000 passengers annually in the 1980s but had 72 million customers in 2010. It also flies to over 150 destinations. Twenty percent of its revenue comes from optional extras - i.e. from sources other than air tickets. A leading consumer magazine said the airline was the "worst offender" for charging for optional extras. Ryanair argues this allows passengers who do not require these services to travel for the lowest possible price, thus giving customers the flexibility to choose what they pay for.
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WORKSHEET ACTIVITIES
WARM-UPS
1. BRAINSTORM CHAT: Write all the words you can think of about Ryanair on the board or on a piece of paper. Talk about these words with your partner(s). 2. RYANAIR MORNING: Each student pretends to be an employee of Ryanair. They walk around the class and talk about the company and their job. 3. RUMOURS:Each student writes down a pretend rumour about Ryanair. They then walk around the class and talk to other students about their rumour. 4. GOOD AND BAD:Brainstorm good and bad things about Ryanair and write them on the board. Students talk about these in pairs. 5. TRUE OR FALSE:Students find out several facts about Ryanair. They write these down and add the same number of things about the company that are false. Students test each other on which of their points are true or false. 6. FACTS:In groups, students write down as many facts as they can about Ryanair. The winner is the group with the most facts. Teacher may wish to have groups share their facts to make sure they are real.
LISTENING / READING GAP FILL
Ryanair was founded in 1985. In 1991, Michael O'Leary was tasked with _______________________. He quickly implemented faster _______________________, a "no frills" approach to economy class and no business class. In 2000 the airline _______________________ booking system. Passenger numbers rose and have grown by up to 25% a year since then. Ryanair carried fewer than 700,000 passengers _______________________ but had 72 million customers in 2010. It also flies to _______________________. Twenty per cent of its revenue comes from optional extras - i.e. from sources _______________________. A leading consumer magazine said the airline was _______________________ for charging for optional extras. Ryanair argues this allows passengers who do not require these services to travel for the lowest possible price, thus giving customers the _______________________ what they pay for.
CORRECT THE SPELLING
Ryanair was nodeudf in 1985. In 1991, Michael O'Leary was tedksa with increasing its profitability. He quickly implemented faster aircraft turn-around, a "no frills" approach to ymocoen class and no business class. In 2000 the airline dcahnelu its online booking system. Passenger numbers rose and have grown by up to 25% a year since then. Ryanair ieadrcr fewer than 700,000 passengers uanlalny in the 1980s but had 72 million customers in 2010. It also flies to over 150 destinations. Twenty per cent of its uneerve comes from optional extras - i.e. from sreosuc other than air tickets. A leading consumer magazine said the airline was the "worst offender" for charging for optional extras. Ryanair egsaru this allows passengers who do not require these services to travel for the lowest possible price, thus giving customers the xiyleflbiit to choose what they pay for.
UNJUMBLE THE WORDS
Ryanair was founded in 1985. In 1991, Michael O'Leary its increasing with tasked was profitability. He quickly implemented faster aircraft turn-around, a "no frills" approach to economy class and no business class. In 2000 launched online system airline its booking the. Passenger 25 rose grown to numbers have up % and by a year since then. Ryanair carried fewer than 700,000 passengers annually in the 1980s but had 72 million customers in 2010. also to 150 It flies over destinations. Twenty per cent of its revenue comes from optional tickets air than other sources from i.e. - extras. A leading consumer magazine said the airline was the "worst offender" for charging for optional extras. Ryanair argues this these require not do who passengers allows services to travel price possible lowest the for, thus giving customers the for pay they what choose to flexibility.
ryanair was founded in 1985 in 1991 michael oleary was tasked with increasing its profitability he quickly implemented faster aircraft turn-around a "no frills" approach to economy class and no business class in 2000 the airline launched its online booking system passenger numbers rose and have grown by up to 25% a year since then ryanair carried fewer than 700000 passengers annually in the 1980s but had 72 million customers in 2010 it also flies to over 150 destinations twenty per cent of its revenue comes from optional extras - ie from sources other than air tickets a leading consumer magazine said the airline was the "worst offender" for charging for optional extras ryanair argues this allows passengers who do not require these services to travel for the lowest possible price thus giving customers the flexibility to choose what they pay for
CHOOSE THE CORRECT TENSE
Ryanair .......... (be) founded in 1985. In 1991, Michael O'Leary was .......... (task) with increasing its profitability. He quickly .......... (implement) faster aircraft turn-around, a "no frills" approach to economy class and no business class. In 2000 the airline .......... (launch) its online booking system. Passenger numbers .......... (rise) and have .......... (grow) by up to 25% a year since then. Ryanair .......... (carry) fewer than 700,000 passengers annually in the 1980s but .......... (have) 72 million customers in 2010. It also flies to over 150 destinations. Twenty per cent of its revenue .......... (come) from optional extras - i.e. from sources other than air tickets. A leading consumer magazine .......... (say) the airline was the "worst offender" for charging for optional extras. Ryanair .......... (argue) this allows passengers who do not .......... (require) these services to .......... (travel) for the lowest possible price, thus giving customers the flexibility to .......... (choose) what they pay for.
Ryanair was ____________ in 1985. In 1991, Michael O'Leary was tasked with increasing its ____________. He quickly implemented faster aircraft turn-around, a "____________ " approach to economy class and no business class. In 2000 the airline ____________ its online booking system. Passenger numbers rose and have grown by up to 25% a year since then. Ryanair carried fewer than 700,000 ____________ annually in the 1980s but had 72 million customers in 2010. It also flies to over 150 ____________. Twenty per cent of its revenue comes from optional extras - i.e. from ____________ other than air tickets. A leading consumer magazine said the airline was the "worst ____________ " for charging for ____________ extras. Ryanair argues this allows passengers who do not require these services to travel for the lowest possible price, thus giving customers the ____________ to choose what they pay for.
sources launched profitability optional destinations founded flexibility no frills offender passengers
PROJECT RYANAIR
Part 1. Your mission is to increase the profits and sales of Ryanair. Complete this table with your project partner(s):
Main products
How to improve them
A brand new ‘killer’ product
How Ryanair is better than the competition
How to beat the competition
Part 2. Change partners and look at their project. Suggest improvements. Ask for advice on your project: Part 3. Make a presentation on your project. Give it to the class. Vote the best projects.
RYANAIR – ROLE PLAY 1
Role A – Ryanair CEO
You believe your company is the best in the world. It pays its workers very well and working conditions are great. Your company is very green – it cares about the environment. You think your levels of customer service are great. Disagree with person B, C and D.
Role B – Ryanair worker
You think it’s a bad company to work for. You’re very unhappy with pay, raises and bonuses. You are very unhappy with the working environment. You don’t like the company’s policy on the environment. You keep hearing profits are more important than customers. Disagree with A and C. Tell D the truth.
Role C – Ryanair customer
You are a customer of Ryanair. You used to think it was great, but not now. Its workers are always very rude. No one ever answers the phone. You are shocked about its policy on the environment. You think all staff should get less pay. You disagree with person A and B. Tell D the truth.
Role D – A journalist
You keep hearing bad things about Ryanair. You want to tell the world in your newspaper. You heard the CEO gets a huge bonus every year. You found a company memo saying profits are more important than the environment. You want to know why so many staff are ill. Find the truth.
RYANAIR – ROLE PLAY 2
Role A – Ryanair New Products Director
You have created a new product for Ryanair. You believe the new product will be the company’s best ever. It will be a bestseller. There are people who do not agree with you. You need B, C and D on your side. Tell them why this is a product that will bring great things to Ryanair.
Role B – Ryanair Marketing Director
You think the company’s new product is a really bad idea. It will give your company a really bad name. You think the New Products Director is trying to destroy the company. Try to get him/her to understand there’s no way the new product will sell. Try to get person C and D on your side.
Role C – Ryanair Market Researcher
You have interviewed thousands of people about the new product. They don’t like it or hate it. You think it will be successful if they make many changes. Tell the New Products Director he/she needs to change the product. You neither like nor trust person B. Disagree will him/her.
Role D – Ryanair Shareholder
You know a lot about Ryanair’s new product. You are worried it will not sell and share prices will go down. You think A is crazy and must find a new job. You agree with everything B says. You don’t agree with C. The new product should not go on the market.
JOB INTERVIEW ROLE PLAY
INTERVIEWER (Write the questions you want to ask the candidate.)
Write five GOOD questions about Ryanair in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.
When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.
STUDENT 1
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STUDENT 2
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STUDENT 3
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Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.
Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.
WRITING 1 – SPEED WRITING
Write anything about Ryanair for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.
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WRITING 2 – LETTER OF COMPLAINT
Write a letter to Ryanair. Complain about one of its products. Ask for a refund. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.
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LETTER OF APOLOGY
Write a letter of apology to the customer. Explain why you cannot give a refund. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other’s work.
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HOMEWORK
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word. 2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about Ryanair. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson. 3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE:Write a magazine article about Ryanair. What have they done recently? What are their plans? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles. 4. RYANAIR POSTERMake a poster about Ryanair. Make sure you sell the company to the public. Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters. 5. MY RYANAIR LESSON:Make your own English lesson on Ryanair. Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Teach the class / another group when you have finished. 6. ONLINE SHARING:Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, MySpace page, Twitter stream, Del-icio-us / StumbleUpon account, or any other social media tool to get opinions on Ryanair. Share your findings with the class.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in the article at the top of this page.
