Ryanair faces action by regulator for 'persistently misleading passengers'
In the wake of thousands of cancellations, Ryanair is accused of failing to give customers "necessary and accurate" information.
Thursday 28 September 2017 07:24, UK
Ryanair is facing "enforcement action" for failing to give customers accurate information about their rights following hundreds of flight cancellations.
The low-cost carrier has been accused of falsely claiming that it did not have to re-route passengers on other airlines, particularly when there are no other services available.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Ryanair also stopped short of providing details about its obligations to refund expenses incurred by passengers as a result of cancellations - such as meals, hotels and transfer costs.
The airline said in response: "We will be meeting with the CAA and will comply fully with whatever requirements they ask us to."
The regulator said it was also taking enforcement action against five big-name airlines - including Etihad and American AIrlines - for allegedly denying compensation for delayed flights as part of an ongoing investigation.
The CAA warned it could take legal action against Ryanair for breaching consumer protection laws "if necessary".
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It announced the move after Ryanair confirmed two waves of cancellations.
The first was the axing of 2,000 flights over a six-week period into October after the company miscalculated pilot leave.
On top of that, - a move that could affect as many as 400,000 more customers.
Several routes popular with British travellers will be hit in the second phase of cancellations affecting routes between November and March, including London Stansted to Edinburgh and Glasgow, Gatwick to Belfast, Newcastle to Faro, and Glasgow to Las Palmas.
Michael O'Leary, the airline's boss, has blamed the move on mismanagement of pilots' annual leave which led over-allocation of blocks of holidays.
The carrier said the latest step will "eliminate all risk of further flight cancellations" as well as remove the risk of similar problems happening again next year.
Mr O'Leary said in a statement: "We sincerely apologise to those customers who have been affected by last week's flight cancellations or these sensible schedule changes announced today."
It also plans to introduce a series of low-fare seat sales for winter 2017 as it is "confident that there will be no further roster-related cancellations".
The company argues fewer than 1% of the 50 million customers Ryanair will carry this winter are impacted and all affected passengers have received an email alerting them and offering alternative flights or full refunds.
They have also received a €40/£40 travel voucher, in additional compensation, for each cancelled leg of a flight though the terms and conditions prevent travel over Christmas.
The airline put an initial cost of around £21m on the saga but doubled that figure on Wednesday.