Ryanair gives in on compensation

RYANAIR completed a humiliating and expensive climbdown over its flight cancellations scandal – with just 45 minutes to spare.

The airline will – in some circumstances – pay for customers it has let down to travel with rivals such as easyJet or even British Airways.

Initially, the budget carrier and its boss Michael O’Leary refused point blank to help passengers in this way. The move, required under European law EU261, will add millions of pounds to its compensation bill. It came just as the airline launched a £9.99 per seat sale to the incredulity of customers. When the crisis broke, Ryanair suggested it would cost around £1 million – but the final sum could be two or three times higher.

Some 750,000 customers face losing their bookings through the autumn, Christmas and into the New Year. The company has blamed the cancellations on the need to clear a backlog of holidays for pilots. The pilots themselves say the airline has been hit by an exodus of flight crew because pay and conditions are poor.

Ryanair had been given until 5pm yesterday by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to give customers clear information on their rights, including access to flights with rival airlines. People given less than 14 days’ notice are entitled to compensation on top of a refund.

The CAA said that if an airline cancels a flight it must also offer passengers an alternative flight under EU law. Ryanair put new advice on its website at 4.15pm yesterday.

They state that if it is not able to offer a flight on the same or next day from the original or a ‘suitable alternative airport’, then it will book passengers on to flights by either easyJet, Jet2, Vueling, CityJet, Aer Lingus, Norwegian or Eurowings airlines.

If those options are not available then it will offer ‘comparable alternative transport’, which could include more expensive carriers such as BA.

Last night CAA chief executive Andrew Haines said: ‘It appears that Ryanair has now capitulated. We will review their position in detail and monitor this situation to ensure that passengers get what they are entitled to.’

Ryanair’s chief marketing officer Kenny Jacobs apologised to customers and said the airline had taken on extra staff to deal with EU261 claims.