Ryanair strike: confusion over flight cancellations

‘We are offering you the option to move your flight to an alternative date to minimise any disruptions that this may cause’ – Ryanair email to ‘unaffected’ passengers

Thousands of Ryanair passengers booked to fly on Friday face confusion and uncertainty because of coordinated strikes across Europe – even though they were told their flights would be “unaffected”.

Cabin crew in Spain, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and Italy will be joined in the walk-out by Dutch pilots.

On Tuesday, Ryanair informed around 25,000 passengers booked on 150 flights that their departures had been cancelled; they were offered the choice of rebooking or obtaining a refund.

The airline said: “All Ryanair customers flying on Friday 28th who have not yet received an email or text SMS notice today can expect that their flight will operate as scheduled.

“Over 90 per cent of Ryanair’s 2,400 flights and 450,000 customers on Friday will be unaffected by these unnecessary strikes.”

But some confused passengers booked to travel on Friday have contacted The Independent about an invitation made by Ryanair to switch flights to avoid the possibility of disruption.

The airline’s customer service team also sent out emails to around 7,000 passengers that began: “Due to a possible strike on Friday 28th September, we are offering you the option to move your flight to an alternative date to minimise any disruptions that this may cause.”

It is standard practice for airlines facing disruption – whether caused by strikes, adverse weather or other issues – to offer passengers the option of booking on alternative days.

But the email is at odds with the assurance to travellers who have not been told their flight is cancelled.

They are invited to click on a link to rebook on another day.

If they take no action, the airline says: “If you decide to remain on your scheduled flight Ryanair intends to operate as normal on Friday September 28.”

It adds: “Should this change Ryanair will notify you of any cancellation or delay via email and SMS.”

A spokesperson for Ryanair said: “We were expecting more cancellations but our crews have confirmed that more flights than originally planned will operate, so we’re now expecting just 150 of 2,400 flights to be affected.”

Passengers’ rights will be unaffected if they take no action. Airlines that cancel flights are obliged to provide replacement flights, accommodation and meals.

In addition, the Civil Aviation Authority has urged Ryanair passengers grounded by strikes to claim €250 or €400 in compensation under European air passengers’ rights rules.

Ryanair said it would reject any compensation claims for strikes because they were caused by “extraordinary circumstances”.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation said: “Demands of Ryanair workers – such as pay for all hours worked and an end to long-term agency employment – continue to go unaddressed.”

Earlier this month the organisation wrote to Ryanair shareholders asking them to vote against the re-election of David Bonderman as the airline’s chairman. His re-appointment was approved by just over 70 per cent of shareholders.