Ryanair Apologizes Over Mass Cancellations Caused by Pilot Vacations<br />The budget airline — known for ultralow prices that it combines with charges for services most airlines offer for free, like airport check-in<br />and reissuing a boarding pass — has faced a wave of customer anger over the move to cancel the flights over a six-week period this month and next month.<br />“This is a time of distress and anger for many passengers whose flights are due in the next few weeks,” said Adam Mortimer,<br />a consumer adviser at the U. K. European Consumer Centre, which provides advice to shoppers and travelers in the region.<br />It has prompted a strong reaction, even by Ryanair’s standards — the airline often notes<br />that while its customers may complain about how they are treated compared to full-service carriers, they often continue flying with Ryanair because of its bargain fares.<br />The move, which affects about 315,000 customers flying through airports across Europe, has cost it 25 million euros, or about $30 million,<br />and sent its shares 3 percent lower since it first announced the cancellations on Friday.<br />Ryanair blamed “a failure within its pilot rostering function” for the cancellations,<br />and said 95 percent of its customers impacted would have new travel arrangements, or refunds approved, by the end of the week.<br />Ryanair’s chief executive apologized to shareholders<br />and customers on Thursday, looking to stanch criticism over the cancellation of more than 2,100 flights after it scheduled too many pilots for vacation.
