Ryanair backs down

After we earlier reported that Ryanair would not pay customer expenses. Ryanair backs down and decided it will now pay customer expenses after initially saying it would only refund to the value of the plane ticket..

• I bet he, Michael O’Leary choked on that …

On Wednesday, the Irish airline had said that expenses refunds would be limited to the same amount that passengers had paid for their ticket.

However, the carrier says it will now pay all “reasonable expenses” to passengers.

Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary described the regulations as “flawed” and initially said that he would only pay these expenses up to the value of the ticket – so somebody who bought a 30-euro ticket would only receive 30 euros to cover their food and accommodation costs when stranded.

Lawyers, consumer groups and the Irish Commission for Aviation Regulation said this stance was illegal and any passengers going to the small claims court were likely to win their case.

So, now Ryanair has reversed its decision and Mr O’Leary admitted to the BBC that he had made a mistake.