Ryanair calls for dismissal of Aviation Regulator

Ryanair, today called for the dismissal of the Aviation Regulator following yesterday’s disclosure that yet another travel agent/tour operator (Ronane Travel/Great Escapes), licensed by the Aviation Regulator, has ceased trading, stranding hundreds of Irish passengers overseas.

Ryanair has claimed that it is the Aviation Regulator’s office to “licence these tour operators, ensure that they have “sufficient resources” to discharge their actual and potential obligations and revoke the licences of these tour operators if he is concerned about their financial position”.

Speaking today, Ryanair’s Jim Callaghan said: “We believe that this Aviation Regulator is unfit for purpose. He has repeatedly failed to protect Irish consumers from monopoly price increases at the main Irish airports and yesterday’s failure of yet another licensed tour operator confirms that he has failed to ensure that Irish-licensed tour operators have adequate resources to meet their financial commitments, with the result that hundreds of Irish passengers are stranded overseas simply because this Aviation Regulator can’t or won’t do his job properly.

“Ryanair has previously called for the dismissal of this useless Aviation Regulator on grounds of incompetence, and yesterday’s failure of yet another (third) licensed Irish tour operator this year confirms Ryanair’s belief that this Aviation Regulator is unfit for purpose and should be dismissed.”