Flybe and Ryanair stage advertising stunt battle
24.02.07
There was a battle of advertising stunts at Southampton Airport this week between Southampton based Flybe and Bournemouth based Ryanair. It flared when Ryanair tried to entice Flybe's customers to Bournemouth by driving an advertising van around Southampton airport claiming that its flights were cheaper. But Flybe retaliated by hiring its own advertising truck to follow Ryanair's, invluding an advertisement accusing Ryanair of 'taking the Michael'.
Ryanair started the battle, driving a van around Southampton airport with advert on it saying: 'If you are looking for low fares, you are at the wrong airport! Fly cheaper from Bournemouth.' Flybe hit back with a personal attack on Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary saying on its ad: 'Desperate Michael taking the Michael.'
Yesterday Flybe's mobile hoarding could be seen carefully tailing Ryanair's while it was driven around Southampton Airport. At one stage Flybe managing director Ian Taylor even managed to pose between the two trucks, after the Ryanair's truck got stuck at a junction with Flybe's truck still following close behind.
Mr Taylor said: 'Ryanair are suffering with their figures out of Bournemouth. More people are flying to Dublin from Southampton than they are from Bournemouth with Ryanair. Also passengers have realised that, for example, when you fly with Flybe to Glasgow you arrive in Glasgow, as opposed to Ryanair where you will end up in Prestwick.'
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