The undoubted travel story of the week has been the mass cancellation, at short notice, of thousands of flights by Ryanair. Media interest has been intense, particularly from broadcast outlets, with journalists looking for experts to give clear, concise and, above all, accurate advice to their viewers and listeners about what they can do if their flights have been cancelled. We have conducted a large number of national and local TV and radio interviews, as well as managing calls directly from members of the public, clearing up some of the confusion around passengers’ rights under EU regulation 261/2004, and correcting the inaccurate advice provided by some other commentators. The situation has highlighted just how important it is for our Members to clarify to their customers, at the time of booking, exactly what level of protection they will receive, depending on what kind of trip they book. Only time will tell how damaging this affair has been to Ryanair’s reputation and business.

Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive

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