‘Stop making rubbish regulations’: Ryanair CEO slams EU air passenger rights reform

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has criticised a provisional agreement between negotiators from the EU Council and EU Parliament on EU passenger rights reform, with the airline describing the proposed regulatory changes as “gobbledygook”.

The reform aims to reinforce passenger protection while ensuring a fair balance with airlines’ operational realities. It introduces new rights for consumers, and effectively maintains certain compensation rules for flights that are cancelled or delayed. Among other things, air fares including allowance for a piece of hand baggage will need to be displayed by default before the start of any booking process to facilitate fare comparisons between airlines. In addition, it will oblige airlines intermediaries and search portals to always display the air fare inclusive of carry-on luggage at the outset of the booking process.

“Negotiators agreed that airlines may offer cheaper tickets for passengers who choose voluntarily to travel without hand luggage.”

The provisional agreement will need to be confirmed by both Parliament and the Council.

But the European Regions Airline Association, which represents a diverse membership of over 50 airlines and more than 150 associate members, criticised the agreement, saying it adds new burdens on regional carriers, among other things.

Now Ryanair’s CEO has issued a statement slamming the provisional agreement, saying it will force airlines to publish misleading price advertising.

He said that these latest EU261 regulations are more “bureaucratic bunkum” from the EU Parliament and Council.

“Instead of encouraging EU airlines to advertise our lowest fares (which exclude 2nd cabin bags), which is what over 50 per cent of our customers choose, these new rubbish regulations require airlines to falsely advertise higher air fares, making EU airlines even less competitive.” 

For example, a one-way flight from Malta to Luxembourg leaving on the 19th of June currently costs €161.99 on Ryanair’s website, including one small bag that fits under the seat. But it offers an addition which also includes a 10kg overhead hand luggage for an extra €31.50. The regulations would mean that the carrier would need to advertise ticket prices including the hand luggage, in this case, €193.40.

“When Europe needs economic growth to improve its defence spending, the best our leaders can manage is new regulations about airline cabin bags, which deny airlines the right to advertise our lowest available air fares.”

He said that neither the EU Parliament, nor the Council, have done anything to improve the competitiveness of EU airlines by abolishing Europe’s “failed harmful Emissions Trading System (ETS) taxation or reforming the EU’s broken Air Traffic Control (ATC) system.”

Europe’s ATC system accounts for over 90 per cent of airline delays, yet the airlines are not allowed to recover our EU261 costs “from these failing Government monopolies,” he said.

“At a time when Putin invaded Ukraine, and there is a war in the Middle East, Europe needs to be more competitive if it is to deliver growth, “Mr O’Leary added.

At this time of international crisis, all the EU Parliament and Council can do is invent new regulations,  which will now force airlines to advertise higher air fares (which include 2nd cabin bag fees) “instead of advertising our lowest air fares (which exclude 2^nd cabin bag fees), which is what more than 50 per cent of Ryanair passengers choose on a daily basis,” he said.

Ryanair called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and the EU Parliament, “to stop making rubbish regulations which makes EU air travel less competitive,” and instead do something competitive for European consumers by “abolishing Europe’s discriminatory ETS tax (which only applies to intra-EU flights) and finally deliver effective ATC reform by requiring that ATC’s are fully staffed for first wave of morning flights, and protecting EU over flights during national ATC strikes.”