End of an era: Ryanair to cut on-time trumpet jingle

Flyers with sensitive ears rejoice, Ryanair is to change its on-time landing trumpet jingle on all flights. The move comes after it surveyed passengers on Twitter to see if the post-flight music was much-loved or much-maligned.

The airline said the “famous on-time bugle” was one of the aspects of the experience it was looking at as part if a series of enhancements of customer experience.

"We asked our followers on Twitter to vote on whether we should change it. The people have spoken and after hundreds of votes, they've voted for change, so we're looking forward to unveiling our next customer improvement soon," Ryanair spokesman Robin Kiely said in a statement. It is not yet clear when the bugle will be turned off or what sound, if any, will replace it.

On Saturday the company tweeted a photograph of chief executive Michael O’Leary playing a bugle, writing: “SURVEY: Should we change our on-time music? Tweet #dontgochanging or #downwiththetrumpets to vote. Results Monday!”

Yesterday the company tweeted to confirm the choice of its followers "We asked whether we should change our on-time music. Thanks for all your votes. And you chose... #downwiththetrumpets". The tweet linked to a YouTube video of an aptly titled song by Rizzle Kicks called "down with the trumpets"

Among the respondents to the survey were tweeters who described the jingle as “annoying” an”awful “ and “cheesy”.

The Irish airline has said previously that over 90 per cent of its flights land on-time. The bugle sound is usually followed by an announcement that:“You’ve landed on yet another on time Ryanair flight”.

Last year, as part of a raft of new measures, it introduced quiet flights before 8am and after 8pm, in which it cut the on-time jingle and announcements, aside from those necessary for safety. Other improvements have included allocated seating, a free second carry-on bag and a new website, with a new app, mobile boarding passes.

On Monday, Ryanair reported that profits fell for the first time in five years in the 12-months to March 31st. The airline said its after-tax surplus for its 2014 financial year, which ended in March, was €523 million, 8 per cent less than the €569 million it reported in 2013. It was the first time in five years that the airline’s profits fell, but the outcome was better than the €500 million predicted in the second of two warnings it issued to the markets last autumn.