Ryanair passengers call for BOYCOTT after boss Michael O’Leary ‘cancels Christmas’, cutting 18,000 more flights

By Judy J. Beasley Last updated Dec 20, 2022

ANGRY Ryanair passengers have called for a boycott of the low-cost airline after their boss ‘cancelled Christmas’, cutting another 18,000 flights.

Passengers vowed to take a stand after Michael O’Leary announced additional cancellations affecting 400,000 bookings in five months – and Twitter exploded with memes mocking the situation.

Twitter exploded with memes mocking recent airline cancellations – blaming CEO Michael O’Leary for ruining ChristmasSource: Twitter

Twitter users have accused the airline of lying - after it announced a new wave of cancellations after last week's chaos — Twitter users have accused the airline of lying – after it announced a new wave of cancellations after last week’s chaosSource: Twitter

Some disgruntled passengers made fun of Ryanair's fare policy, which requires passengers to pay for every little extra — Some disgruntled passengers made fun of Ryanair’s fare policy, which requires passengers to pay for every little extraSource: Twitter

The cancellations came as the airline grounded 25 of its 400 aircraft for five months due to pilot shortages.

34 flight routes are suspended for the entire period, including Stansted to Edinburgh and Glasgow, Gatwick to Belfast and Newcastle to Faro – the list is at the end of this article.

But other flights on various UK routes have also been cancelled, with destinations including Barcelona, Pisa, Faro, Lisbon, Frankfurt, Oslo, Berlin and Tenerife being affected. click here for a complete list of all canceled flights.

Alex Neill of consumer group Which? said: “This situation is a complete and utter shambles now involving almost three-quarters of a million people.

Ryanair has successfully canceled Christmas for some of its passengers.

The sad situation prompted passengers to start the #boycottRyanair movement, encouraging others to avoid the airline.

One customer who received little help from the airline's hotline accused the phone staff of speaking backwards — One customer who received little help from the airline’s hotline accused the phone staff of speaking backwardsSource: Twitter

One Twitter user even managed to bring Dame Judi Dench's acting skills into the conversation — One Twitter user even managed to bring Dame Judi Dench’s acting skills into the conversationSource: Twitter

Mention was also made of David Walliams' irritating, work-worthy character in Little Britain — Mention was also made of David Walliams’ irritating, work-worthy character in Little BritainSource: Twitter

Peter Bond‏ @bondyee said: “#Ryanair what a complete and utter failure of the company. Not fit for purpose. I will never use them #boycottRyanair.”

Another Twitter user, Dominic Gusah, said: “Thanks to @Ryanair we really will be ‘riding home for Christmas’ this year.

Jenna Yallop‏ @jebsyallop said: “Thank you @Ryanair for ruining my 30th birthday trip and my partners birthday trip. We are now depressed and out of pocket #boycottRyanair.”

One Twitter user took the opportunity to conduct a poll where he asked people if they preferred low-cost airlines or Queen star Brian May's hair. — One Twitter user took the opportunity to conduct a poll where he asked people if they preferred low-cost airlines or Queen star Brian May’s hair.Source: Twitter

Some customers felt avoiding a Ryanair flight cancellation was now so rare it deserved a celebrationSource: Twitter

Eagle-eyed users poked fun at current airline ads in London Underground - which didn't actually show passengers on the plane — Eagle-eyed users poked fun at current airline ads in London Underground – which didn’t actually show passengers on the planeSource: Twitter

One customer mocked a €40 (£35) voucher that Ryanair is offering as compensationSource: Twitter

Jessica Bagenal‏ @juicyjess82 said: “Absolute disgrace that they are allowed to do this knowing they keep booking and canceling flights… greed 😡 #boycottRyanair #greedy #grounded.”

Pauline Lawless‏ @PaulineLawless said: “#BoycottRyanair Please everyone see how this idiot feels. BoycottRyanair until he goes.”

Wills‏ @will_sheldon73 said: “@Ryanair dog shit run by a complete moron who will hopefully walk barefoot on Lego for all eternity in hell. #boycott Ryanair.

@Ryanair you’ll never get a penny from me even if you sell your flights for a penny. An absolute disgrace. #BoycottRyanAir

— J September 28, 2017

Around 400,000 customers will be affected by a new wave of cancellations, with some flight routes shutting down completely for five months.

The Civil Aviation Authority has already threatened legal action against the airline for “persistently misleading passengers with inaccurate information” about their rights.

But thousands of other flights on various routes have also been canceled – click here for the full list of UK affected flights from November to March.

As this time passengers receive up to five weeks’ notice of cancellations, they will not receive any additional compensation under EU passenger rules.

Affected passengers were offered a refund and a €40 (£35) voucher as compensation – but this was deemed a mockery.

The vouchers have a strictly defined range of conditions.

34 European routes were canceled between November and March 2018, and a series of other individual flights were canceled on various routes

Ryanair announced today that it is canceling more flights this winter - up to 400,000 customers are affected — Ryanair announced today that it is canceling more flights this winter – up to 400,000 customers are affectedSource: Getty – Contributor

They must be spent in October on a flight that leaves before March 20 – and the busy holiday period between December 20 and January 7 is off.

It also cannot be used on the Ryanair app or for infants.

Ryanair was dubbed ‘Ryanground’ this week after it said it had grounded 25 of its 400 aircraft between November and March 2018 due to pilot shortages.

It comes ten days after Ryanair said 40 to 50 flights a day would be canceled over the next six weeks.

It says less than one percent of its 50 million customers will be affected. The bosses also insist that the latest move will “eliminate any risk of further flight cancellations”.

Passengers’ Christmas flights home have been cancelled

Sinead McIntyre, editor of Sun On Sunday’s Fabulous magazine, was traveling to Northern Ireland this Christmas but her flights from London Gatwick to Belfast were cancelled.

As Ryanair gave more than 14 days notice of termination, Sinead and her family are not entitled to any compensation – only a refund.

Now they fear that they will not be able to afford to fly another airline in such a short time.

She told Sun Online: “I haven’t heard anything from Ryanair.

“My mum’s flights here in November were unexpectedly canceled yesterday – without any contact from them.

“Then my sister was trying to book a trip home for Christmas and that’s the only way I was able to discover that there are no flights from November to March – even though I only booked mine last Friday.

“We are now without flights home for me, my husband and my six-year-old twins.

“At that point, prices will also go up, so I’m not even sure we’ll be able to travel.”

The airline estimated the flight cancellations would cost the company less than £50m.

Chief Michael O’Leary apologized for “reasonable changes to the schedule” and blamed the problem on poor management of pilots’ holidays.

He added: “Slow growth this winter will create plenty of spare aircraft and crew, allowing us to manage an exceptional number of annual leave.”

But Civil Aviation Authority Andrew Haines said: “Michael has said he has no intention of paying passengers for flights with other airlines. It’s illegal.

“We are furious that they are not abiding by the law and are not giving customers what they are entitled to.

“Ryanair says one thing and yet does not follow it.”

List of flight routes from November to March 2018 that Ryanair completely canceled

1. Bucharest – Palermo

2. Chania – Athens

3. Chania – Paphos

4. Chania – Thessaloniki

5. Cologne – Berlin (SXF)

6. Edinburgh – Szczecin

7. Glasgow – Las Palmas

8. Hamburg – Edinburgh

9. Hamburg – Katowice

10. Hamburg-Oslo (TRF)

11. Hamburg – Thessaloniki

12. Hamburg – Venice (TSF)

13. London (LGW) – Belfast

14. London (STN) – Edinburgh

15. London (STN) – Glasgow

16. Newcastle-Faro

17. Newcastle – Gdansk

18. Sofia-Castello

19. Sofia-Memmingen

20. Sofia – Pisa

21. Sofia – Stockholm (NYO)

22. Sofia – Venice (TSF)

23. Thessaloniki – Bratislava

24. Thessaloniki – Paris BVA

25. Thessaloniki – Warsaw (WMI)

26. Trapani-Baden Baden

27. Trapani – Frankfurt (HHN)

28. Trapani – Genoa

29. Trapani – Krakow

30. Trapani – Parma

31. Trapani – Rome FIU

32. Trapani – Trieste

33. Wroclaw – Warsaw

34. Gdansk – Warsaw

It claims the airline did not provide passengers with enough information on how to claim for extra expenses such as meals, hotels and transfer costs.

It was also found that Ryanair had misled people about their rights to alternative flights at the airline’s expense.

Ryanair said it had addressed the CAA’s concerns.

It also announced that it had abandoned plans to bid for the bankrupt Italian airline Alitalia.

Timeline of the airline crisis

15th of September: Ryanair is canceling flights for six weeks because it mismanaged pilots’ holidays.

September 18: A full list of over 2,000 grounded flights has been published. Chief Executive Michael O’Leary admits it’s “our mess”.

September 19: Pilots are considering strike action over working conditions and receive a £12,000 bonus.

September 21: The airline says it will change the holiday schedule of 500 pilots.
The share price drops to £14.54, its lowest level since £15.25 at the start of the crisis.

Yesterday: Ryanair is canceling an additional 18,000 flights. Shares return to £15.02.

Despite a string of bad news, Ryanair shares are up four per cent – though analysts warn of possible tougher times ahead.

George Salmon of broker Hargreaves Lansdown said: “The damage to his reputation will be a major test for the company.”

Strikes, air traffic control congestion and problems with crew departures have also seen punctuality fall below 80 percent in the last two weeks.

MY “FLIGHT” WAS THE BEGINNING

The head of the COMPANY says he experienced the beginning of the Ryanair pilot shortage crisis when his flight was blocked on the runway.

Peter Leech, 34, walked through the boarding gate and was 3 feet from the plane when his flight home from Lisbon to Manchester was cancelled.

The father of one, from Knutsford in Cheshire, said: “It was five days before the news of the pilot shortage came out, but I’m sure that was the start.”

He claims to have £475 left over from his pocket after having to arrange a replacement flight with Monarch.

Ryanair said Leech was reimbursed and €400 in compensation.