No Irish probe into airline refund policies planned as UK to investigate Ryanair

UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has opened enforcement cases against Ryanair and British Airways

Ryanair is being probed by the UK competition regulator over its Covid refund policy.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) is not planning to mirror its UK counterpart and launch a retrograde investigation into airline refund policies for Covid-disrupted consumers here.

Ryanair and British Airways are facing an investigation into whether they broke UK consumer rules by failing to offer refunds to customers for flights they couldn’t take.

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened enforcement cases against both airlines.

The British watchdog last year opened a probe into the airline sector, following concerns that during the pandemic, customers were denied refunds while unable to fly and instead were offered vouchers or the option to rebook flights.

A CCPC spokesperson said it is their understanding that the CMA investigation relates to UK legislation. They said refund rights, here, fall under Irish contract law and common law rather than consumer protection law.

While, the refund controversy has largely died down in Ireland, the CCPC said it is engaging with airlines as part of its work with the European Consumer Protection Co-operation Network and continues to work with aviation authorities on travel-related issues related to Covid.

British Airways said that it had issued well over 3m refunds during the coronavirus crisis.

“It is incredible that the [UK] government is seeking to punish further an industry that is on its knees,” the airline said.

Ryanair “approached such refund requests on a case-by-case basis and has paid refunds in justified cases” and that since June 2020 customers have been able to rebook flights at no extra cost.

Ryanair has also won its challenge against state aid granted to German charter airline Condor, a third victory in its fight against billions of euros in pandemic support granted to its rivals.