Kennedy highlights Ryanair and opposition ‘hypocrisy’ over air travel tax

Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin North and member of the Oireachtas Transport Committee Michael Kennedy has today slammed Ryanair’s plans to increase baggage charges during the peak summer period as “blatant hypocrisy”.

"Since the introduction of the air travel tax in March last year, Ryanair has consistently blamed falling passenger numbers on the Government’s €10 travel tax and called for its immediate abolition. This is the same airline which is often criticised for its own misleading charges. Only two months ago, the head of Britain’s business watchdog, the Office of Fair Trading, criticised Ryanair over many aspects of its charging policy. For example, Chief Executive John Fingleton attacked the company for its charges to payments made with a specific type of bank card on its website even though this was clearly the only method of payment for customers."

"Over the past year, Fine Gael and Labour have both echoed Ryanair’s calls for the abolition of the air travel tax. Labour held a private members motion on the matter only two weeks ago during which both parties praised Ryanair and urged the Government to heed to Ryanair's calls. However, Ryanair’s announcement today that it will increase baggage charge during July and August exposes their blatant hypocrisy on the air travel tax. Dermot Jewell of the Consumers Association of Ireland today criticised the move as anti-family. Both Ryanair and the opposition need to wake up and smell the hypocrisy" concluded Deputy Kennedy.