If Ryanair had suffered huge losses, a major fall-off in passenger numbers and had to fly empty aircraft last month, we might have more sympathy for its £3 million claim against the Government. As it is, the airline, along with British Airways and EasyJet, reports increased numbers in August over last year and even claims it is the first carrier to handle four million international passengers in a month.
None of which gives much weight to its ambitious claim, which it says are for losses and compensation due to the stringent security measures put in place after the alleged terror plot to blow up transatlantic aircraft. Coupled with the fact that Ryanair and Easyjet are now making tidy sums as more people have to pay to put luggage in the hold due to restrictions, then isn”t it about time the Irish airline dropped its claim and got on with its business. The claim will fail anyway, as the Government can not be seen to cave in to a profitable business which just happens to not like well-meant security measures.
It would also be nice for a change if Ryanair realised its impression of caring more for money than safety was harmful, despite chief Michael O”Leary”s bluster. And anyway, any money made from the claim is destined for charity, so why doesn”t Ryanair just make more donations to charity from its existing profits.
BA says the security crisis cost it ”40 million in cancellations and costs, but it is not joining the Ryanair claim. However, overall BA passenger numbers were still up in August compared with last year, rising 1.5% to 3.15 million. The ”40m cost is equivalent to about a fifth of BA's pre-tax profits for the April to June period of ”195m. Easyjet said it lost around ”4 million after the alert, but passenger numbers in August were up 8.4% on the same point last year.
The lesson in the month since the security crisis is that sometimes you just have to get on with it. Adjust your business, reassure your passengers and look to the future. Crying foul, putting in claims and generally behaving like a spoilt child smacks of a big old PR stunt for Ryanair. And don”t get me started on that Winston Churchill nonsense. Does O”Leary not know how the Irish view him?