RYANAIR NOW PROSECUTING DISRUPTIVE PASSENGERS PERSONALLY IN MAJOR MISCONDUCT CLAMP DOWN

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Wed, 8 Jan) confirmed that is has filed legal proceedings in the Irish Circuit Court claiming over €15,000 in damages against a passenger who disrupted flight FR7124 from Dublin to Lanzarote on 9 Apr last. This passenger’s inexcusable behaviour forced this flight to divert to Porto where it was delayed overnight, causing 160 passengers to face unnecessary disruption as well as losing a full day of their holiday. It is completely unacceptable that passengers who work hard to enjoy a trip away with family/friends are robbed of the pleasure due to one passenger’s failure to behave.

Ryanair is committed to ensuring that all passengers and crew travel in a safe and respectful environment, without unnecessary disruption caused by a tiny number of unruly passengers. Ryanair has a strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behaviour on aircraft for the benefit of the vast majority of passengers who do not disrupt flights.

A Ryanair spokesperson said:

“It is unacceptable that passengers – many of whom are heading away with family or friends to enjoy a relaxing Summer holiday – are suffering unnecessary disruption and reduced holiday time as a result of one unruly passenger’s behaviour. Yet this was regrettably the case for passengers on this flight from Dublin to Lanzarote last April, which was forced to divert to Porto as a result of an individual passenger’s disruptive behaviour, causing €15,000 in overnight accommodation, passenger expenses, and landing costs. We have now filed civil proceedings to recover these costs from this passenger.

This demonstrates just one of the many consequences that passengers who disrupt flights will face as part of Ryanair’s zero tolerance policy, and we hope this action will deter further disruptive behaviour on flights so that passengers and crew can travel in a comfortable and respectful environment.”

Ryanair Holdings plc today (Fri, 3 Jan) released Dec 2024 traffic stats as follows:

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, last week (28 Dec) confirmed that it will take delivery of up to 29 new Boeing 737 aircraft in 2025 – a $3 billion investment in new aircraft technology that will create over 2,000 new jobs for highly paid aviation professionals in Europe.

Ryanair’s new B737 aircraft, which cut CO2 emissions by 16% and noise by 40% (while carrying 4% more passengers), will be allocated to efficient, low-cost airports in EU countries where Govts are stimulating aviation growth, like Sweden, Italy, Spain, and Poland. There will be no growth in countries raising taxes, like the UK, France, and Germany.

Today’s announcement proves yet again that Ryanair is the only major airline in Europe delivering traffic, tourism, and jobs growth across Europe in 2025.

Ryanair’s Head of Comms, Jade Kirwan said:

“While most of Europe’s airlines remain capacity constrained, Ryanair is on track to take delivery of 29 new Boeing 737 aircraft in 2025. This additional capacity will enable Ryanair to grow our passengers from 200m in 2024 to 210m in 2025 and create 2,000 new jobs for highly paid aviation professionals at many of Europe’s most efficient, low-cost airports, where Govts are stimulating sustainable aviation growth by abolishing aviation taxes and lowering airport fees.”

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, yesterday (1 Jan) published a list of New Year Resolutions for EU Govts that wish to grow aviation, tourism, and jobs in 2025. After three years of policy failure in Europe, where national Govts have increased ATC fees, raised security fees protected high-cost monopoly airports, and increased aviation taxes, the Draghi Report calls for action to make aviation and air transport in Europe more efficient.

Ryanair published a simple manifesto for EU States wishing to grow traffic, tourism, and jobs, particularly in their regions in 2025 as follows:

1. Axe Aviation Taxes: In the last two years Sweden, Hungary, Ireland, and some regions in Italy have abolished aviation taxes and have been rewarded with dramatic traffic and tourism growth.  At the same time, the UK, France, and Germany, three failing economies, have raised aviation taxes and suffered traffic declines. It’s time to axe aviation taxes and place freedom of movement and low fare air travel at the heart of economic recovery in 2025.
   
2. Reduce High ATC Fee: Since 2020 in the post-Covid period, ATC fees across Europe have risen by over twice the rate of inflation. At the same time, ATC services continue to underperform. Summer 2024 was the worst year on record for ATC delays and cancellations, primarily because EU ATC services are incapable of properly staffing the first wave of morning departures. It is time for European Govts to copy the US Govt and cut or abolish ATC fees, which is a service that should be provided by European Govts and not paid for by airlines and passengers.
   
3. Fix ATC Delays: Two simple reforms will fix 90% of ATC delays across Europe. A) Ensure that ATC services are fully staffed for the first wave of morning departure, and B) Protect overflights during national ATC strikes. The European Commission under Ursula von der Leyen has promised efficiency and competitiveness, and there would be no more popular measure than fixing these ATC delays. Europe has wasted 20 years promising a single European sky without any progress. It should abandon the Single European Sky, deregulate Air Traffic Control and allow Europe’s ATC providers to compete with each other as the airlines do. 
   
4. Abolish Artificial Growth Constraints: Scrap traffic caps. The most egregious example of a traffic cap in Europe is the Dublin Airport 32m passenger cap which applies at an airport which has just opened a second runway taking its runway capacity to 60m passengers. The last Irish Govt, which suffered under the dead hand of a Green Minister for Transport, failed to scrap this idiotic traffic cap, which was imposed in 2007 – 17 years ago – over concerns about local road traffic congestion around Dublin Airport. Ryanair calls on the new incoming Irish Govt to abolish the Dublin Airport traffic cap as its first initiative, which would lead to growth in traffic, connectivity, tourism, and jobs on the island of Ireland.

Ryanair CEO, Michael O’Leary, said:

“2025 must be the year of competitiveness and growth across Europe. Too many of Europe’s economies, such as France, Germany, and the UK, are stagnating under the dead hand of regulation, higher taxes and Govt mismanagement. It is time to return to deregulation and focus on those policies that deliver growth. Aviation is the one industry in Europe that can deliver immediate and sustainable growth in traffic, tourism, and jobs – particularly in the peripheral regions in Europe.

The new Commission under Ursula von der Leyen should stop talking about growth and start delivering it. Fix Europe’s broken ATC system, abolish aviation taxes, and return to the principle of free movement of citizens around Europe and allow the low fare airlines to do the rest.

Ryanair will take delivery of more than 350 new aircraft over the next decade, we plan to grow from 200m to 300m passengers p.a., and this growth must be facilitated by growth orientated policies from both the EU and national Govts for the benefit of Europe’s citizens and Europe’s connectivity.”

DISRUPTIVE PASSENGER SENTENCED IN GREEK COURT

Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (Wed, 18 Dec) welcomed the decision of the Athens court to convict a passenger who disrupted a flight to Athens in July 2020 by refusing to follow crew instructions. The passenger received a 5-month suspended sentence and a €400 fine.

Ryanair is committed to ensuring that all passengers and crew travel in a safe and respectful environment, without unnecessary disruption caused by a tiny number of unruly passengers. Ryanair has a strict zero tolerance policy towards passenger misconduct and will continue to take decisive action to combat unruly passenger behaviour on aircraft for the benefit of the vast majority of passengers who do not disrupt flights.

A Ryanair spokesperson said:

“The safety and wellbeing of our passengers and crew is Ryanair’s No.1 priority and we operate a strict zero tolerance policy to try to eradicate unruly behaviour onboard our aircraft. Ryanair welcomes this decision by Athens court, which demonstrates that the tiny number of passengers that disrupt flights will face consequences for their unruly behaviour.”

Ryanair Holdings plc today (Tues, 3 Dec) released Nov 2024 traffic stats as follows:

RYANAIR’S LOW FARE FLIGHTS NOW AVAILABLE TO OMIO CUSTOMERS

Following the announcement of their “Approved OTA” partnership in Aug last, Ryanair, Europe’s No.1 airline, today (21 Nov) announced that its low-fare flights across the airline’s industry-leading network of 235+ destinations are now available to book on Omio – a global travel booking platform – providing Omio customers with more choice and value for their European travels.

This partnership also guarantees Omio customers who book Ryanair flights via Omio that their correct contact and payment info is provided to Ryanair, ensuring that they have access to their myRyanair account and receive important flight information directly without needing to complete Ryanair’s customer verification process, which unauthorised OTA customers must continue to do.

Ryanair CMO, Dara Brady, said:
“We’re pleased to announce that Ryanair flights are now available to Omio customers to book with the guarantee of full price transparency and direct access to their booking. We look forward to working with Omio and carrying their customers onboard Ryanair’s market-leading network of low-fare flights and routes.”

Veronica Diquattro, President B2C Europe, Omio, added:

“This marks a major milestone in our collaboration with Ryanair. Omio users will now have direct access to Ryanair’s vast network of budget-friendly flights. This alliance signals our ongoing commitment to offering seamless, convenient, and multi-modal travel options to travellers worldwide.”