Ryanair boss turns down Oireachtas invite but brands claims of Polish fare hikes as 'FALSE'

Many thousands have already made the journey to Ireland and commercial airlines were last month accused of “profiteering on the backs of human misery” as the price of flights from Poland to Ireland fluctuated due to increased demand.

Ryanair chief executive Eddie Wilson has told TDs and senators that claims the airline has raised prices for refugees on flights from Poland were 'FALSE' and “invented on social media”.

In a letter sent earlier this week to the Oireachtas joint committee on transport and communications, Mr Wilson said Ryanair and its staff “have gone to significant efforts” to support Ukrainians since the Russian invasion in February and would continue to do so into the future.

He said he had written to the Ukrainian ambassador to Ireland Larysa Gerasko to address the “falsehoods” regarding the price of flights and offered the embassy a point of contact at Ryanair to deal with issues that arise.

In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, millions have fled the country, with most leaving via the border with Poland. From there, many thousands have already made the journey to Ireland and commercial airlines were last month accused of “profiteering on the backs of human misery” as the price of flights from Poland to Ireland fluctuated due to increased demand.

Prices were seen to vary from as little as €30 to €300 per person, dependent on demand at particular locations. Added on to that were airport taxes and baggage charges.

Ms Gerasko engaged with Ryanair on the matter and the Polish ambassador to Ireland Anna Sochanska also wrote to the airline calling for discounted or free passage on its planes to Ukrainian refugees.

When asked about the issue at the Cheltenham horse racing festival last month, Ryanair Group chief executive Michael O’Leary said there were
“loads of cheap flights out there” and said to suggest the airline was hiking fares was “completely false”.

Ryanair chief executive Eddie Wilson: 'Ryanair and our people have gone to significant efforts to assist and facilitate our Ukrainian customers, our partners, refugees and their families, and we will continue to do so for as long as this invasion continues.' File picture: Dan Linehan

Unable to accept Oireachtas committee invitation

In his letter to the Oireachtas committee, Mr Wilson said Ryanair was unable to accept an invitation to address the committee due to “heavy travel commitments”.

“However, the issues you raise have been comprehensively dealt with in correspondence directly with the Ukrainian ambassador,” he said.

He said Ryanair had taken a number of actions in response to the crisis, including putting in place cash payments at Polish airports for Ukrainians whose bank/credit card facilities had been closed, and waived all passports and ID requirements for displaced Ukrainian citizens wishing to fly at short notice.

“Claims of rising prices for refugees on our Polish flights are FALSE,” Mr Wilson said. “These were invented on social media and published inaccurately by some Irish media outlets.” 

He said the last few seats on fully booked flights are priced at “our higher prices because this is what finances our low fares for forward bookings and weaker midweek flights”.

Mr Wilson added: “Ryanair and our people have gone to significant efforts to assist and facilitate our Ukrainian customers, our partners, refugees and their families, and we will continue to do so for as long as this invasion continues.”