Ryanair has decided to pull the plug on its 'Prime' scheme, after an eight-month trial for the program revealed that the carrier was losing more money in fare discounts than it was gaining from the initial cost for guests to sign up to the initiative. Today marks the last day when those who are interested in signing up can do so, and, while no new members will be accepted thereafter, existing users will retain their benefits for almost a year.

Historically speaking, most low-cost carriers have not poured too much time or money into making loyalty schemes work, particularly in comparison to legacy operators that rely much more on the business of frequent flyers. However, in recent years, as the gap between these two kinds of airlines has begun to narrow, budget carriers have taken their

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