The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has launched enforcement action against Ryanair for ‘persistently misleading passengers with inaccurate information regarding their rights in respect of its recent cancellations’.
The regulator said that in announcing thousands more flight cancellations on Wednesday (27 September), the airline had ‘again failed to provide customers with the necessary and accurate information, particularly around rerouting and care and assistance entitlements, which includes expenses’.
It follows a warning earlier this month, after Ryanair’s initial announcement that it was cancelling thousands of flights.
The CAA said that at that time it wrote to Ryanair to clarify its legal obligations, and to seek assurances around how and when they would reroute passengers onto alternative flights.
It told the airline to make a corrective public statement, to ensure customers were not misled and had accurate comprehensive information relating to their rights and entitlements.
The CCA said it had now told Ryanair that it is ‘expediting enforcement action’, which could see the airline taken to court if it does not comply.
CAA chief executive Andrew Haines said: 'There are clear laws in place, which are intended to assist passengers in the event of a cancellation, helping minimise both the frustration and inconvenience caused by circumstances completely out of their control.
‘We have made this crystal clear to Ryanair, who are well aware of their legal obligations, which includes how and when they should reroute passengers, along with the level of information it provides its passengers. The information Ryanair published today again fails to makes this clear.’
In a statement, Ryanair said: ‘We already comply fully with all EU261 legislation, are meeting with the CAA and will comply fully with whatever requirements they ask us to.’
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