Latest: These are the 22 Ryanair flights cancelled each week to and from Dublin over winter

Latest: Twenty-two Ryanair flights into and out of Dublin Airport will be cancelled each week between November and March.

Latest: These are the 22 Ryanair flights cancelled each week to and from Dublin over winter

Update 3.05pm: Furious Ryanair customers have bombarded the firm with complaints and questions following the latest batch of flight cancellations.

Newlyweds going on honeymoon, families and rugby fans hoping to watch Six Nations games abroad are among those angry after the firm axed 34 routes between November and March

Jez Thompson, 58, from Nottingham in England, had planned since 2015 to go with five friends to Italy to watch England's rugby union team play in the Six Nations Championship on February 4.

But their plan was left in tatters after their February 3 flight from East Midlands to the Italian capital - booked as soon as it became available - was among those axed.

Mr Thompson, a self-employed contractor for a stairlift firm, said he learned of the cancellation via an email from Ryanair.

He said: "It's two years of anticipation ruined at the touch of a send key. We paid £300 return each - which I thought was expensive anyway. Flights are now up to £475 each.

"We are disappointed but we just hope that one of the other airlines may take up some of the slack that Ryanair has left behind. There will be thousands of fans planning to get to Rome."

Mr Thompson said the group had been offered the chance to rebook but the only Rome flight available was on the day of the game.

So any delays would mean they risked missing the afternoon match at the Stadio Olimpico.

The group now face either finding a more expensive and longer route - perhaps flying to Turin or Milan before driving - or not going and cancelling their hotel booking.

Ryanair announced routes axed over the winter season would include popular journeys such as London Stansted to Edinburgh and Glasgow, Gatwick to Belfast, Newcastle to Faro, and Glasgow to Las Palmas.

Karen McDerment, from Patna in Ayrshire, wrote on the airline's Facebook page that the situation was a "complete joke".

She said: "Are Ryanair going to pay the £535 that I am going to lose for my accommodation over new year?

"Doubt it ... can't even contact them on any of the links provided on their very matter of fact email. Ryanair = couldn't care ... would rather pay a bit more in future than give you another penny."

Ed Williams also described the situation as a "complete joke".

He wrote: "Got 16 flights cancelled, three different booking numbers. So can't just re-book without knowing there's enough room for us all.

"Five minutes talking to someone and this could be resolved. Six hours of phoning waiting live chat and still no joy."

Update - 1.17pm: Twenty-two Ryanair flights into and out of Dublin Airport will be cancelled each week between November and March.

The airline said today that only individual flights are being cancelled, not routes.

They include three Monday flights from Dublin to Birmingham, Paris Beauvais and Barcelona, a Thursday flight to and from Bucharest and five outbound flights on Fridays.

These include Dublin to Birmingham, Paris Beauvais, Barcelona, Madrid and Warsaw Modlin.

Earlier: The Civil Aviation Authority in Britain is considering taking legal action against Ryanair after the airline cancelled thousands of flights over the coming months.

They claim customers have not been given accurate information.

The UK's aviation regulator has warned that promises by the airline should be taken with a "pinch of salt."

Andrew Haines, the chief executive of the British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said he was "furious" with the no-frills carrier - accusing it of appearing to show "disregard for consumers and for the law," only ever meeting its obligations when it reaches the steps of a court of law.

The airline has pledged to fully cooperate with the CAA investigation.

Ryanair said this morning: "We will be meeting with the CAA and will comply fully with whatever requirements they ask us to."

Here, the Commission for Aviation Regulation says it is fielding up to 300 complaints a week from passengers affected by the cancellations.

Its head Cathy Mannion is reminding people whose flights were cancelled with less than two weeks notice, they are entitled to €250 compensation.

"The onus is on everybody - all these passengers - to make a claim to Ryanair for the compensation in addition to any other claim they may make for care and assistance," she said.

"For example if somebody was out on holidays and their flight got cancelled, Ryanair would be required to pay for the hotel and the food and the transport."

Fianna Fáil's Robert Troy meanwhile has called for Michael O'Leary to appear before the Oireachtas Transport Committee.

He said the airline's CEO should “outline I suppose what he is doing to ensure that March is the very latest in terms of when this disruption will last and give a commitment that Ryanair will refrain from selling any seats on any flights that potentially could be cancelled”.

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

FILE PHOTO The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has cleared the purchase of Goodbody Stockbrokers by AIB END Goodbody Stockbrokers fined over €1.2m by Central Bank over rules breaches
Nottingham City Centre Stock Irish staff at the Body Shop wait for wages as retailer shuts stores in the Republic
Ryanair comments on Norwegian Ryanair boss O'Leary's spat with Transport Minister over Dublin Airport escalates
IE logo
Devices


UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE IRISH EXAMINER FOR TEAMS AND ORGANISATIONS
FIND OUT MORE

The Business Hub
Newsletter

News and analysis on business, money and jobs from Munster and beyond by our expert team of business writers.

Sign up
ie logo
Puzzles Logo

Play digital puzzles like crosswords, sudoku and a variety of word games including the popular Word Wheel

Lunchtime News
Newsletter

Keep up with the stories of the day with our lunchtime news wrap.

Sign up
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited