BUDGET carrier Ryanair is annoying British Expats on Spain’s Costa del Sol & Costa Blanca over creating a smokescreen over seat reductions, as they fight a refund delay over cancelled flights.

Last Friday, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary slammed rival carriers like easyJet who said that they were happy to go along with plans for social distancing by removing the middle seat, once services resumed.

In the meantime, customers in Spain and around Europe are up in arms over paying more for flights they took after services had been cancelled or trying to getting repaid for scrapped journeys.

They view the latest set of remarks from the Ryanair CEO as a diversionary tactic away from getting their payments.

Mr. O’Leary branded the seating idea as “nonsense” and said the move would do nothing nothing to boost the confidence of customers or anything to stop the spread of Covid-19.

His latest comments as air carriers are looking to see what they could do to get passengers back once lockdown and travel restrictions are lifted, are the latest in a whole series of controversial headline grabbing statements over the years from O´Leary.

Past pieces of kite-flying that never happened included charges to use the toilet and even services without any seats.

A few years ago O´Leary threatened to scrap services out of the new terminal at Alicante-Elche airport on the Costa Blanca, because all flights had to use special air bridges, which the company complained increased the turn-over time between flights

Meanwhile disgruntled travellers are still complaining to the EWN; like a couple in their eighties who had to fork out five-hundred pounds after Ryanair cancelled their home flights to Birmingham from Alicante twice towards the end of last month.

Other readers are annoyed that the company is dragging its heels over refunding their payments for services cancelled during the coronavirus outbreak, which they are legally obliged to do so.

On the other hand, many feel that the Airline boss is throwing a curve ball to diffuse the complaints over no refunds being honoured:

Andy Lock former soldier now residing in Alicante said: ” He’s at its again, running to the media throwing a curve ball to deflect away the facts he’s not honouring refunds as the pressure mounts, it’s bloody so obvious what he’s up to!”

Karen Cecere from Huerca-Overa said:-” We don’t want a credit note. My dad is still waiting on a refund.O’Leary going in the press attacking EasyJet is an obvious defection tactic, he’s cried wolf so many times now its as clear as day what he’s doing whilst he holds customers money back”

Phil Bloomfield from Torreblanca who works in PR laid out a scathing attack:

” The original Ryanair went tits up, O’Leary has made his fortune from milking the media after taking over the bust company, he’s a headline grabber knowing it will get his brand in the media, he constantly does it with all his fables, he’s nothing more than an Irish blagger, he’s blagging now to throw customers off the scent as they remain unpaid from cancelled flights, he’s using the media tactic again to highlight other issues rather than getting nailed for unpaid dues”

Lesley Walsh-Boshell, who lives in Albox, commented more positively over refunds :-”They(Ryanair) are getting to it, but they have limited staff due to the coronavirus restrictions”.

But Jason Thorne disagreed with Lesley”

“Nonsense, they are trying to hold onto cash, all the attacks on Easy Jet he’s making are to try and keep the real issues at bay”

EWN reader, Alex clearly a Ryanair fan, told people to stop moaning about the company.

“They all complain about Ryanair, but they continue to use them time after time! There are alternatives if you want pay much more. If you don´t want to pay more, stop complaining!”