Dublin Airport - Contempt for passengers

“It’s like Dad’s Army; they haven’t a clue what’s going on,” snapped Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary. “Stop giving us PR bullshit.”

During an interview on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland yesterday, Mr O’Leary’s frustration was palpable. He complained that the Irish Airport Authority (IAA) was passing off the problems at Dublin Airport on the airlines and the passengers.

Pat Ryan, whose initials were coincidental in acting as spokesman for the IAA, denied the suggestion, arguing that the IAA “is a very professional organisation”.

There was no doubt that the IAA was responsible for the delays and cancellations, but the responsibility for informing passengers rests with the airline that sold the ticket. By law the airlines have a “duty of care” to ensure that delayed passengers are provided with meals and refreshments, if delayed for more than two hours, and accommodation if delayed overnight.

It surely seems that the airlines would have a valid case to recoup this money from the IAA, but both sides were playing “piggy-in-middle” with the passengers. It was like a Punch and Judy performance, but any passengers listening could hardly have been impressed.

Who can they turn to when their rights are being trampled on? Transport Minister Noel Dempsey was passing the buck too.

“Information should have been more forthcoming to passengers, and passengers should have known the length, or possible length of the delay,” Mr Dempsey told the Dáil.

“The matter of compensation for passengers is a matter for the passengers themselves.”

He was washing his hands of the whole sorry affair, like the others. All of them have treated the paying public contemptibly.