Ryanair “mess up” leads to flights cancelled for 400,000 passengers

Following a “mess up” with pilot holidays, Ryanair is to tell 400,000 passengers that their flights have been cancelled. 

Michael O’Leary apologised at the press conference on Monday for “a mess of our own making”. Information on the cancelled flights is available on the Ryanair website.

The mistake has been estimated to cost the airline €20 million (£18 million) in compensation payouts. O’Leary was confident that passengers would return to Ryanair despite the mixup due to their low prices.

The chief executive said that up to 80 percent of passengers will be re-routed at no cost within a day of their booked departure date. On top of this, flyers are expected compensation of between €240 to €400 (£212 to £354), depending on the flight.

He then went on to say that Ryanair would not compensate any costs any losses that will be caused by the delays. Not would they passengers to attend flights on rival airlines.

“We will not pay for flights on other airlines,” he said. “We cannot afford to pay the high costs of our competitors.”

Despite this, he continued to apologise throughout the press conference.

“We did not focus on the concern we were causing to the 18 million passengers flying with us over the next six weeks. I say sorry to them.”

Shares in Ryanair fell 3 percent, decreasing its £18bn stock market valuation by £500 million.

“Ryanair is notorious for not caring about what sort of headlines they get, working on the basis that all publicity is good publicity – but not this time,” said Rebecca O’Keefe from Interactive Investor.

“Previously, the carrier was happy to suggest that you get what you pay for and despite negative press lots of flyers embraced the fact that they knew the score and were happy to fly without the frills.

“However, the current situation is truly damaging, with flyers left high and dry with last-minute cancellations or apprehensive that they might be affected.”