Christmas is without doubt my favorite holiday season. It is the only time of the year where even your family members actively encourage you to eat and drink as much as possible. Normally second portions are met with a frown and gentle pat on the expanding waist line; however, for a few weeks of the year the health and fitness police go walkabout and suddenly indulgence is en vogue again.

 It was with this thought in mind that I decided to capitalize on my brief window of opportunity and book a weekend break to Europe to visit a Christmas market where the food and drink is in rich supply. The only dilemma I had was choosing the right market to visit. 

I had no such problems when deciding what airline to fly with. Looking for a cheap weekend break in Europe? Head to the Ryanair website of course. It was only when I couldn’t find a suitable flight out of Heathrow that it hit me, other airlines do actually fly to Europe.

I wondered why my first instinct had been to check out Ryanair. I hate flying with Ryanair. From past experiences from the first minute to the last the experience has been uncomfortable and difficult and invariably starts the holiday on a downer. So why choose them again? The more I thought about it the more I realised that Michael O'Leary, Ryanair's chief executive, is a PR genius. Whenever I read about Ryanair the headline is invariable negative. But it is exactly this reason why they are so successful. Mr O’Leary has embraced the old adage that any publicity, even bad publicity, is good. 

Over the past year Ryanair have announced their intention to charge customers to use the toilet, introduce standing seats, making passengers carry their own luggage and charging fat people extra on the plane. This last one could have severe consequences for me on my return leg back to the UK after sampling the delights of the markets. 

Of course none of these ideas have been introduced; indeed, I doubt whether they will ever be introduced or whether they were even seriously considered. Take standing seats for instance. Even if they could be safely incorporated onto airplanes, something which the staff at Boeing, the suppliers to Ryanair, severely doubt; I cannot see how it would be profitable. Standing ticket prices are being mooted between £4-8 pounds. Well passengers would have to be standing rank and file to make a profit on that. 

Whilst fanciful these statements do serve a purpose, that being that the public are constantly reminded that Ryanair offer the cheapest deal in town and in the modern age of austerity, it is a message that is likely to pay.