We’ll ground planes – Ryanair boss

RYANAIR has threatened to ruin family holidays by grounding flights in an attempt to thwart Brexit.

The airline’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, suggested the suspension would create an opportunity to force voters to rethink leaving the EU.

The warning will be seen as an attempt by the budget airline to push the UK into speeding up an aviation agreement with Brussels.

Speaking in Belgium yesterday, Mr O’Leary said: ‘It’s in our interests – not for a long period of time – that the aircraft are grounded. It’s only when you get to that stage where you’re going to persuade the average British voter that you were lied to in the entire Brexit debate.

‘You were promised you could leave the EU and everything would stay the same. The reality is you can leave the EU, yes that’s your choice, but everything will fundamentally change.

‘When you begin to realise that you’re no longer going to have cheap holidays in Portugal or Spain or Italy, you’ve got to drive to Scotland or get a ferry to Ireland as your only holiday options, maybe we’ll begin to rethink the whole Brexit debate.

‘They were misled and I think we have to create an opportunity.’

The idea won support from Carsten Spohr, head of German carrier Lufthansa, who said: ‘If we could use this industry to prove to the British how wrong the decision was, that might be a good thing.’

The industry is governed by a number of EU agreements giving flying rights. Brussels has put airlines on red alert that any failure to conclude a new agreement will risk their ability to operate.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling insisted earlier this year that any disruption would be minimal.