Regulator takes aim over flight cancellations
THE HEAD of the aviation regulator has said the body is “furious” at the way Ryanair has handled its decision to cancel hundreds of flights.
Andrew Haines, chief executive of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), criticised the Dublin-based carrier for not telling passengers they are entitled to be re-routed by other airlines.
The CAA yesterday began “enforcement action” against Ryanair for failing to give customers accurate information about their rights following a wave of flight cancellations.
The regulator has asked for a meeting with the airline as part of a consultation that will last at least seven days and could take legal action for breaching consumer protection laws “if necessary”.
The CAA sent a letter to the low-cost carrier explaining its decision.
It said the company falsely claimed it did not have to re-route passengers on other airlines, particularly when there are no other services available.
Those expenses include meals, hotels and transfer costs, the CAA explained.
It failed to correct that information through a public statement despite CAA requests to do so earlier this month, having already seen about 2,000 flights grounded after the company miscalculated pilot leave.
The company has since cancelled an extra 18,000 flights for the winter season in a move that will hit 400,000 customers.
Mr Haines said airline passengers were “well protected by the law”.
He added: “They are entitled to compensation and if there is a cancellation they are entitled to be re-routed by other airlines.
“The chief executive of Ryanair has gone on record and said he is not going to do that. He then issued a clarification.
“But yesterday when they announced 18,000 further cancellations they failed to follow through on that. So we are furious they are not complying with the law and they are not giving customers what they are entitled to.”
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said: “We are in correspondence with the CAA and have requested an early meeting to address their concerns.”
The company has blamed the cancellations on mismanagement of pilots’ annual leave, leading to the over-allocation of blocks of holidays.
Ryanair says the latest cancellations will “eliminate all risk of further flight cancellations” and remove the risk of similar problems recurring 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.”
The firm also plans to roll out a series of low-fare seat sales for winter 2017 as it is “confident that there will be no further roster-related cancellations”.
It argued fewer than one per cent of the 50m 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 euro or £40 travel voucher.
The flight cancellations have so far cost the airline around £21m
Alex Neill, Which? managing director of home products and services, said: “Ryanair is still flouting the law and failing to properly inform people of their rights, so it is good to see the regulator stepping in.”
He called for compensation to be made automatic.