Isn't there a difference between failing to train on being polite (which seems to be endemic in England, at least) and actively training to be hostile to customers, which seems to be Ryanair's strategy? Is there a psychological tactic here whereby, in order to operate a devoid-of-frills airline, you make the passengers feel like scum for not flying on a proper airline where they'd have to pay more for a ticket -- so they tolerate being crammed into a plane like sardines without food or water. If Ryanair treated their customers like human beings, the customers might expect other kinds of humane treatment on their trip.

I have incurred many charges from ryanair, they seem to readily penalise their customers on many things. For example, they only allow 15kg baggage allowance where most airlines allow 20kg. But they charge £10 per KG over 15kg! If you forget to print out your e booking online check in, they charge you £5. Should you opt for no baggage and bring some, they charge £16, even though the price - when booking online, is £8. Oh, and you cannot opt for luggage one way on their system, you have to pay for both. Yes, that's double the amount.If you opt for check in online and don't manage to get access to a computer - yep, you guessed it...£5 charge. This all comes with leaving the desk and joining the customer services queue, paying, and returning to the original queue.

And don't forget the excellent Ryanair song they played for us once we were captive aboard the plane. If that's not torture, I don't know what is. It's like they're trying to teach us not to fly with them. Or maybe like Mark said, they're trying to make us think that we deserve such treatment.

Incidentally, the woman at the gate was actually quite nice and sympathetic when I told her about your plight (almost like she'd heard it all before). I know that doesn't help, but it does make the rudeness of the check-in staff even more glaring. They seemed genuinely malicious. Honestly, I'd never seen anything like it, and I've been subjected to some pretty bad customer service over the past couple years.

Now that was both hillarious and very true. But airlines are famous fot that (obviously some are way more deserving of fame than others). Same happens with banks, internet providers, etc. The problem is when you have no option, when every single airline/bank/etc avialable for a certain area suck. Now THAT's frustrating. I have changed banks too many times in my own city only to get to the conclusion that it doesn't matter, they all treat you like crap...because they know everyone else does it too. It's as if they were all in it together, like an honor code. They might compete with each other, but they'll respect the 'mistreat your client' code because it is in all of their best interests, otherwise they'd all have to start learning how to be polite.
PS: I'll do my part and trash Ryanair