Sarah Crawley-Boevey, Media Week, 05 October 2007, 4:00pm

Ryanair receives ABC1 passenger boost

LONDON - InviseoMedia, which owns advertising rights to tray-tables on Ryanair, has been boosted by research suggesting that the airline carried a greater proportion of ABC1 passengers than British Airways in the last six months.

The findings, from iCD Research, come from an independent survey of 1,000 UK adults, and found that 59% of Ryanair passengers were from the top three social categories, compared to 52% for BA.

Meanwhile, Ryanair’s share of C2DE passengers was 41%, while BA’s was 48%.

The research challenges the common perception that the airline is used predominantly by a lower socio-economic group.

InviseoMedia chief executive Dominic Stead believes the results will help attract advertisers to his medium.

“This survey dispels the myth that budget carriers such as Ryanair carry just hen parties and football supporters,” he said.