Final warning for Ryanair

Ryanair, the Irish budget airline, could be taken to the Office of Fair Trading for breaching advertising standards.

The airline has been given a final warning and may be fined if the OFT finds it is deliberately undermining advertisement rules. Last month, Ryanair was told by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to withdraw ads where it accused lastminute.com of robbing, ripping off or overcharging Ryanair passengers who book with them rather than with the carrier direct.

Ryanair responded by calling the ASA ‘bogus’ and branded the regulator ‘Absolutely Stupid Asses’ which riled the ASA.

ASA director general, Christopher Graham, said they will continue to respond to consumer concerns to ensure that Ryanair does not mislead the public.

Mr Graham added that Ryanair has been given every chance to work with the ASA and get its advertising right. It faces the real threat of formal sanctions, which include a referral to the OFT under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988. Misleading the public, denigrating competitors and undermining advertising self-regulation poses a real threat to the integrity of business.

Just a month ago, Ryanair’s founder, Dr Tony Ryan, died aged 71 after a long illness. Dr Ryan founded Europe’s biggest low-cost airline 23 years ago. Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s chief executive described him as ‘one of the greatest Irishmen of the 20th Century’.

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