Ryanair, the wily minx, is at it again. Over the past year or so it seemed as if they'd turned a corner from being the de facto punchline of the budget air-travel industry, to actually rebuilding an image for reliability and a level of customer service that had risen above a disinterested teenager spitting on your luggage.
Yet their latest announcement, that they are cancelling up to 40-50 flights a day for the next six weeks, will do them no favours. The reason they've given for the cancellations is that due to adverse weather conditions; delays and strikes with air traffic controllers; as well as a change to their employees holiday patterns, less than 80% of their flights are arriving on time, down from their minimum target of 90%. The solution is to cancel flights on congested routes to ensure those that do go ahead depart and arrive on time.
This all comes hot on the heels of their announcement that they are to phase out their free large carry-on bag policy, their calls to impose a two-drink per person limit at airports, and the fact that, more worryingly, a wheel apparently fell off a Ryanair plane mid-flight yesterday forcing it to make an emergency landing. It is as yet unclear whether they have introduced a yet another new tariff that passengers must pay to stop their aircraft disintegrating mid-air.
The airline has said that unless customers have received an email notifying them that their flight has been cancelled then they should carry on as normal and that those affected will be offered a place on an alternative flight or a full refund.
If there is one constant in this ever-changing world of the 21st century, it is that in the wake of any customer relations gaffe from a major company, Twitter will be ablaze with righteous indignation and fury, and it has thoroughly delivered its share of scorn.
H/T: Independent.ie
Thank you #Ryanair -cancelled my flight home from Nice next Thursday- really screwed up my holiday arrangements
— Aidan Butler (@Aidanrtemusic) September 16, 2017
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@Ryanair the airport!! Then we have dog sitters, excursions and airport parking to try to change!! Your ruining people's holidays!!! ?
— Missy Vee ? (@MissLeahuk) September 16, 2017
Disgusting @Ryanair cancelling flights over the next 6 weeks. 50 a day. Ppl have planned holidays around annual leave. Sort it out.
— Jordana Lambert (@JoJrl) September 16, 2017
@Ryanair flight not yet cancelled but holiday ruined before going due to uncertainty. Never book with you again #strandingcustomersabroad
— matt clift (@mclift13) September 16, 2017
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@Ryanair how do people know which flights you have cancelled? Its a bloody disgrace. Due to fly with you next Thur. It'll be last time
— Sara Lace (@saralace1) September 16, 2017
Also this, which is somewhat less pertinent but is also an astounding revelation.
I worked out that Ryanair is pronounced the same way backwards and forwards and I'm a little unsettled I didn't realise this before.
— aoife-grace moore. (@aoifegracemoore) September 16, 2017
Also Read: Ryanair Call Again For 'Two-Drink Limit' After Massive In-Flight Brawl
